kindafishy
Aquarium Advice Activist
Giant cloudy frigging bacterial bloom -- my tank is under siege!! First it was a massive diatom problem, now this. My tank looks like crap. I am *this close* to losing it.
Recently, in an effort to rid myself of an ugly diatom situation, I ripped out nearly all my plants and planted new more low-light friendly ones. Started doing CO2 instead of a crappy bio system. Scrubbed diatoms off leaves, rocks, glass. And I think I may have upset my tank's equilibrium in doing so. Uh oh.
So, the water column is totally cloudy. Like, milky cloudy so not algae. I have done massive water changes and vacuumed the gravel, and it doesn't get any better. I am feeding a bare minimum. Oh, and BTW, the diatoms are not totally gone either. Terrific looking tank, I'm so proud!!
And MEANWHILE....as if that is not bad enough....my male apisto has decided that amidst all this, NOW would be a good time to spawn. Really, he is not the sharpest crayon in the box. He is running poor girl fishy ragged, which is pretty poor timing given the minimal feeding. Fish Gods please help me!
Anywho...can I get some suggestions about what I should do about the bacterial bloom? Do I wait it out? If so, HOW LONG?? Do more water changes? Avoid water changes? Get a UV sterilizer?
Recently, in an effort to rid myself of an ugly diatom situation, I ripped out nearly all my plants and planted new more low-light friendly ones. Started doing CO2 instead of a crappy bio system. Scrubbed diatoms off leaves, rocks, glass. And I think I may have upset my tank's equilibrium in doing so. Uh oh.
So, the water column is totally cloudy. Like, milky cloudy so not algae. I have done massive water changes and vacuumed the gravel, and it doesn't get any better. I am feeding a bare minimum. Oh, and BTW, the diatoms are not totally gone either. Terrific looking tank, I'm so proud!!
And MEANWHILE....as if that is not bad enough....my male apisto has decided that amidst all this, NOW would be a good time to spawn. Really, he is not the sharpest crayon in the box. He is running poor girl fishy ragged, which is pretty poor timing given the minimal feeding. Fish Gods please help me!
Anywho...can I get some suggestions about what I should do about the bacterial bloom? Do I wait it out? If so, HOW LONG?? Do more water changes? Avoid water changes? Get a UV sterilizer?