white cloudy water with little "fuzzballs" everywh

[turbovr6]

Hello everyone,
I'm in need of help. I can't figure out what is going on here....

I have a 50 gal tank with a pengiun 400 HOB. 1 pleco(6"), 4 clown loaches(3"), and 3 gourami(2-3").
My water is allways slightly cloudy(white), and there are all theese tiny white "fuzzballs" in the water.
I follow the pattern of a 25%PWC every week. a 50% change every 2 months. I also change the filters every 2 months(they are usually clogged pretty bad by then).
I have no idea what my problem is or what is causing it. I have tried adding the black carbon, and also the black/white carbon mix. That has done nothing.
This tank is close to a year old. Ammonia is 0, nitrites 0, ph around 7. My nitrates around 50.

Is this over feeding? under filtration? too many fish?

Thanks in advance

 

[amosf]

Is it a bacterial bloom? Maybe not enough bio media for the bacteria to colonize in the filter? Are the fuzzballs some sort of fungus do you think? I'd say salt the water with 2grams/litre, but may not be a good idea with the loaches.

I would certainly try adding filtration. You can't overflter, but you can underfilter.

 

[SparKy697]

Something you said about changing the filters every two months...

Are you changing all of your media at once? I have read on other posts where this has been done and they get a "Bacteria bloom" in the water.

Could this be what you are seeing?

^^ Too slow I guess.

 

[jbarr]

You know, IME whenever I leave food sit, it grows white fuzz.

 

[JustOneMore20]

You know, IME whenever I leave food sit, it grows white fuzz

Yep, I think the fuzzballs are leftover food.

Also, with a nitrAte reading of 50, you may be overfeeding a bit. You might want to do 50% water changes weekly and make sure to vac up leftover food....or do 2 25% changes weekly.

I think the cloud is a bacterial bloom. I'm also wondering if you change out all the filter media....that is probably the cause of the bacterial bloom, if you are indeed replacing all the media (or rinsing in clean water).

 

[Esra]

Why not instead of changing the whole thing every 2 months just change 1/2 every month and alternate?

 

[O ALX O]

I agree with the above posters.
I would get another Penguin 400 (or just another HOB filter)
this way you can alternate changing /cleaning media.
This will stop your mini bacteria bloom.
Cut Back On The Food! This will stop the fuzzzzzzzzz ballsssssssss.