foggy tank, please help

[Jesse Lee]

Ok, I'm new to all this. I set up a fish tank and have had it for about 2 months. I did a total conversion to a glow fish set up, its a 20g tank with a blue atinic light, its beautiful and i love it. Well i did a 100% wc cuz it was dirty and i didn't know about the whole cycle thing. I'm sorry, but i lost 6 fish when i put them back in. I feel bad, but since then I've been on these forums studying the right way to set up a tank, counts number of hours. I've learned so much from you guys and I'm so thankful.

My question is now, my water is foggy and i can't get it to clear up. I understand the bacterial bloom and all that, but its been days now. I used some accu-clear and it made it a little better. But i just want it to be clear. The water is good. And i have a good filter system with the sponge, carbon, and rocks (i don't know what its called lol) and my levels are now good...
Ammonia = 0
Nitrite = 0
Nitrate = 0

I'm using the API master kit for freshwater.

Now i will say that i got 5 of the 6 fish that died right away. The one i missed was so small and tiny, i can't remember what kind it was, (but they are red white and blue and glow good with my light) but i couldn't find it.
So how do i clear my tank up? I did a 35% wc and its still foggy

 

[Jesse Lee]

Here is a pic of it

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[Jesse Lee]

Another

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[Jesse Lee]

Oops, here is the other one

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[anibis]

Was the water cloudy before you tore it down and cleaned everything?

Did you use any soap/detergent to clean?

Did you clean/replace the filter media? If you cleaned it, did you use tap water or let it dry out?

As I'm sure you've read, cleaning the filter media with tap water or replacing it will really hurt, if not kill your cycle. It's best to clean media in aquarium water during a pwc. If you had it running with fish for 2 months it should've been cycled, we just need to determine if the bacteria survived the tear down.

A well maintained cycled tank shouldn't get a bacterial bloom as the benefical bacteria out compete the different type(s) of bacteria that cause a bloom. Generally blooms are caused by lack of maintenance, or an un-cycled aquarium.

If you start seeing ammonia you know your cycle has been reset. If you start seeing nitrAtes (with 0 ammonia 0 nitrite) you know your cycle is in tact.

Either way, I wouldn't use any of that water clear stuff. Personally I don't like putting any chemicals in my aquarium aside from Prime during water changes, I'm not sure it'll help with a bloom anyways. I'd just wait it out and only do PWC's if your ammonia/nitrite/nitrAte levels warrant one. The bacteria that cause a bloom reproduce VERY fast, so a PWC won't do much good anyways.

 

[Jesse Lee]

Yeah, im guilty of cleaning the filter.... I f'd everything up and i resize that....I've learned so much over the week. As a matter of fact i just put $200 in a new tank and I'm cycling it like i should have in the first place. But my glow fish tank is pretty foggy and i want to fix it...should i do another wc? All the chemical levels are really good...

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[Wolfwood2186]

I'm a bit concerned that your nitrates are at 0ppm as well as everything else. you should at least read something in the nitrate department. As for the cloudy water it looks like a bacterial bloom the fastest and easiest way to get rid of it is a UV filter. also it may be an algae bloom, how long are your lights on? Im leaning more twards bacteria and is pretty common with new unmature (if thats a word) aquariums. the fish shouldn't be harmed by this but it is an eye sore and these tend to usually go away on their own in a week or two. id say do frequent partial water changes and keep an eye on your readings.

 

[jwh0818]

I'm a bit concerned that your nitrates are at 0ppm as well as everything else. you should at least read something in the nitrate department. As for the cloudy water it looks like a bacterial bloom the fastest and easiest way to get rid of it is a UV filter. also it may be an algae bloom, how long are your lights on? Im leaning more twards bacteria and is pretty common with new unmature (if thats a word) aquariums. the fish shouldn't be harmed by this but it is an eye sore and these tend to usually go away on their own in a week or two. id say do frequent partial water changes and keep an eye on your readings.

Uv sterilizers don't get rid of bacteria blooms. They run their course. Your water is cloudy because you changed your filter pads. It will clear up after it goes through a mini cycle. Just be sure and watch your water parameter daily

 

[Wolfwood2186]

Uv sterilizers don't get rid of bacteria blooms.

I'd have to disagree with you on that point. the whole purpose of a UV sterilizer is that it kills bacteria good and bad, parasites and algae.

 

[Mebbid]

I'd have to disagree with you on that point. the whole purpose of a UV sterilizer is that it kills bacteria good and bad, parasites and algae.

I'm going to agree with this. However a iv sterilizer is generally an unnecessary expense since healthy water will generally take care of any bacterial issues.

 

[Wolfwood2186]

i just recommended it as the fastest way to clear it up

 

[Jesse Lee]

I did clean the multi filter with tap water cuz i didn't know better. I think that may be the reason for the cloudiness...idk. But like i said...all my parameters are great... I just have a foggy tank

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[Wolfwood2186]

Well now you know to not do that and that means your learning and that's all that matters.

 

[Jesse Lee]

Yes I'm doing everything i can to make it better.... I guess its a waiting Game? Should i do another wc?

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[Wolfwood2186]

It probably wouldn't hurt to do a 50% water change it should clear it up some but it will only fix it temporarily cause the bacteria will just bloom back up.

 

[anibis]

No need for a UV sterilizer for a temporary issue imo.

Just give it time, bloom's usually don't last all that long. Your parameters are good, but the fact that you have 0 nitrAtes means you don't know where your cycle stands. A cycled aquarium will always have some detectable nitrAtes, unless a 100% water change is done. So test daily, do PWC's if the ammonia/nitrite start to creep up.

You know what you did wrong, so hopefully this won't happen again.

 

[Fishperson]

I think that jwh meant that there is no need for an expensive UV sterilizer when it will clear itself up. Also, mumma said that tap water doesn't kill BB, or at least not for only temporary exposure.

 

[manbeast]

Take some of the accu- clear and some tank water in a separate container and put it under the lights the cloudiness could be the chemicals in the water flourescing under the lights if that is the case then some charcoal in the filter and several small water changes over time should clear the water, you'd be surprised what will flouresce under those lights for instance a gin and tonic will glow a cloudy blue much like your tank

 

[jwh0818]

It's a bacteria bloom. Let it run its course which is normally about a week. Then do a water change and watch your parameters. Simple as that. Why spend 100$ on something that probably won't occur again? Everyone is literally getting carried away.

 

[Jesse Lee]

Ya i guess I'll just wait it out and see what happens. Thank you all for your help

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