Persistent cloudy water

[Susain]

I’m not new to this. I’ve maintained fresh water tanks for forty years, and I’ve always had clear water. But this one has suffered from cloudy/brackish water since I set it up almost two years ago. Small five-gallon with seemingly excellent filtration. I’ve emptied and cleaned it. Within a day it clouds up again. I’ve let it run for ages with the cloudy water, waiting for the good bacteria to kick in. Doesn’t happen. It’s not particulate matter. Clarifiers don’t work. It’s not over-feeding or dead fish or any other organic materials. It doesn’t look like bacterial bloom. I’ve used tap water and filtered water. No difference.

So I took it apart. Cleaned it all. New filters. New treated water. No gravel. Just two minnows. Within two days it is cloudy again. Based on past performance I don’t have much confidence that it’s going to clear up. Is there such a thing as too much aeration? I’m new to Denver. Does altitude affect performance? Minerals in the water? I’m stumped.

 

[1midniterider]

Sounds like you started the nitrogen cycle all over again. Have you checked ammonia, nitrite and nitrate levels?

 

[rlederer]

Set it up again but no fish this time. If it's cloudy, it's a problem with the water supply. If it's clear, add fish. If it then gets cloudy, it's likely a bacterial bloom from not cycling the tank.