I have a 10 gallon tank with an aquaclear 30 . I have 3 plants. Anacharis, frill, and green mondo grass. I have a peppered Cory, five guppies, and a sunburst Mickey mouse platy. My water has had a weird whitish color to it and is very cloudy. I do a pwc weekly and gravel vacuum the same. T is just so cloudy! Please help! I tested the water parameters a few days ago and they were fine. Ph 7.6, ammonia .25, ( idk if it's nitrite or nitrate but it's the bad one) was 2, the good one was 8.
Why is my 10 gallon so cloudy?
- Thread starter maxwellag
- Start date
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TinyPatFish
Aquarium Advice Regular
What kind of substrate do you have? And how are you cleaning it? Plants can also play a part but it would be a brownish algae look not white.
Maybe post a picture ?
How long has the tank been set up for ?
If your tank is still showing ammonia and nitrites then you are not cycled, or over populated for the filter capacity. The cloudiness could be bacteria bloom if your tank is still cycling.
Only thing I could suggest is 50% water change to lower the ammonia and nitrites, this is pretty much neccessary seeing you have fish in in the tank, and maybe clear up the cloudiness.
How long has the tank been set up for ?
If your tank is still showing ammonia and nitrites then you are not cycled, or over populated for the filter capacity. The cloudiness could be bacteria bloom if your tank is still cycling.
Only thing I could suggest is 50% water change to lower the ammonia and nitrites, this is pretty much neccessary seeing you have fish in in the tank, and maybe clear up the cloudiness.
TraceyB4602
Aquarium Advice FINatic
It seems like your tank isn't cycled. How long has it been up and running? With nitrites ( the bad ones) at 2, and ammonia at .25 it tells me your still mid cycle. You need to do a PWC to get your nitrites to 0. With a 10 gallon that may require 2 50% PWC's. This may be the reason why your water is cloudy. The bacteria in the water need to stick to things in your tank (substrate, filter media, plants the tank walls). Before it does this the water is cloudy when your tank is fully cycled after a 50% PWC the water is usually crystal clear.
Mr. Limpet
Aquarium Advice Addict
Whitish cloudy water indicates a bacterial bloom, do daily PWC of 25-50% and it should clear up in a few days.
Did you just clean your filter out before the bloom? If so, clean the sponge, biomedia, etc only in tank water from a PWC. If you use tap water to clean them, you kill the bacteria and they have to regenerate, causing the bloom.
The filter body can be cleaned in tap water, with no ill effects.
TheCrazyFishLady
Aquarium Advice Addict
Could be the mondo grass rotting too. It is not an aquatic plant and will eventually rot out, starting at the roots.
Mr. Limpet
Aquarium Advice Addict
+1
Good catch, I missed that. It'll mess with your water quality for sure, so you should remove it IMO. Whitish cloudy water is generally a BB IME.
TheCrazyFishLady
Aquarium Advice Addict
True, just adding that. It could have some effect.
r_nichols7
Aquarium Advice Apprentice
Doing a pwc, do you use tap water? if so, do you use prime or other dechlorinator?
Did you do a pwc, gravel vac and change something in your filter at the same time (eg. sponge, charcoal and or bio material)?
Did you do a pwc, gravel vac and change something in your filter at the same time (eg. sponge, charcoal and or bio material)?
Mr. Limpet
Aquarium Advice Addict
Is that when you started getting the bloom? If so, it's because you're adding a lot of useful nutrients to your water column. do the daily PWC like I suggested and it'll go away.
Mr. Limpet
Aquarium Advice Addict
maxwellag said:
Humm... Still think it's a bacterial bloom and daily 50% PWC should resolve it.
Mr. Limpet
Aquarium Advice Addict
Tough one for sure. Perhaps prep the water and teach your mom what to do is a possible solution?
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