help please

[bmwryan]

I have a community tank.been running for about a year.5guppies 2german blue rams 6neons 3corys 1gouramis.water parameters were spot on all running well.sand substrate with plants.recently i bought 3 runny nose tetras.once home i realised they had white spot.then the guppies got a white film on end of tails and were gasping.i binned them as i didnt want to infect rest of fish. i raised the temp from 26 to 28,removed the carbon out of filter and treated with interpet anti white spot.after 2days the white spot had gone off the runny nose tetras but now the neons had caught it.i water changed and treated again and after aweek its now better but still the odd spot on 2tetras.but the water now looks proper cloudy and i cant seem to clear it no matter how often i water change.i feed once a day a small amount.i had white spot before and water didnt go this cloudy.iv since put the carbon back in and water changed and added abit more anti white spot as its nearly gone but i just cant stop the water being cloudy and it was crystal clear before all this.any ideas please would be gratefull

 

[jlk]

Have you checked your parameters? The med may have affected your good bacteria and you may be experiencing a mini-cycle along with a bacterial bloom. Bacterial blooms will run their course on their own but if you have spikes in ammonia and/or nitrite, you will need to stay on top of your water changes until things stabilize.

 

[bmwryan]

If i water change say every other day.am i giving the bacteria time to grow again

 

[jlk]

You can change the water multiple times a day without it affecting your bacteria as long as you properly condition and temperature match any new water. Your good bacteria excrete a sticky substance that allows them to adhere to the surfaces of your tank (filter media, substrate, decor, etc). Very little bacteria actually lives freely in the water itself. Just keep a daily watch on your parameters and do water changes as needed if you see any spikes in toxins.

 

[bmwryan]

Just got in from work and checked tank.the white spot has gone so iv lowered temp back to normal also ill water change later.i noticed that the tank smells alittle today.dont no why.

 

[aquariumlover10]

How much water are you taking out when you do a water change.

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[bmwryan]

I usually do a 30% change every 4 to 5 days usually.because my substrate is sand it looks untidy when poo sits on top of sand.

 

[aquariumlover10]

I usually do a 30% change every 4 to 5 days usually.because my substrate is sand it looks untidy when poo sits on top of sand.

I would get a gallon jug and put the fish in it and do 80% water change and take the sand out and put gravel or new sand.

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[bmwryan]

Why's that.surely im going to loose alot of good bacteria by doing that and risk stressing out the fish

 

[aquariumlover10]

Why's that.surely im going to loose alot of good bacteria by doing that and risk stressing out the fish

If you do it rinse the filter with a jug lightly over the tank after the water change and only take 1/2 the sand out and put gravel on top of it that should put good bacteria back in and leave a gallon or two in the tank when you put gravel in hope it helps


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[bmwryan]

I understand that but im happy with sand because of my corys and gives more of natural look.why would i change my substrate

 

[brunettebaby4571]

I wouldn't change your substrate unless you want a different one. I would just keep up with your water changes and see how things go. Be careful though because even if you don't see any spots on the fish it doesn't mean the white spot is gone. Most of the time it is best to keep up with treatment for a week or two after you see the last spot to make sure it is all gone.

 

[bmwryan]

It does seem to have gone for afew days.water is looking better.ill keep up with water changes.hate that cloudy water