cloudy water
- Thread starter aring
- Start date
The friendliest place on the web for anyone with an interest in aquariums or fish keeping!
If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.
If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.
Dreamroper
Aquarium Advice FINatic
Others more experienced than I can probably help, but I experienced a bacterial bloom which I thought would NEVER clear up when I changed out both of my filter mediums on a 5 gal Chi tank as a total newbie. I learned my lesson. Have you been doing some major housecleaning in your tank?
Murf
Aquarium Advice Apprentice
- Joined
- Jul 4, 2013
- Messages
- 40
Replace the water. All I got
Mumma.of.two
Aquarium Advice Obsessed
What are the water parameters? Changed anything recently? Filter media? Substrate? Heavy cleaning? Do you use dechlorinator?
BBradbury
Aquarium Advice Addict
- Joined
- May 24, 2011
- Messages
- 5,011
Cloudy Tank Water
Hello aring...
The water in my tank was cloudy for the first 6 months or so and there were two reasons: I was vacuuming the gravel and using some cheap filter media that came with my filtration equipment. Within a couple of water changes of no longer vacuuming and disturbing the substrate and using a heavy poly fiber in the filters, my water cleared and has been crystal clear since.
B
Hello aring...
The water in my tank was cloudy for the first 6 months or so and there were two reasons: I was vacuuming the gravel and using some cheap filter media that came with my filtration equipment. Within a couple of water changes of no longer vacuuming and disturbing the substrate and using a heavy poly fiber in the filters, my water cleared and has been crystal clear since.
B
How long ago did you set up the tank along with Mumma's questions? New tanks often go through a quick bacterial bloom which generally clears on its own. Stop using the clairifiers as the chemicals are not good for the fish or tank. When you do a WC does the water almost immediately cloud back up? If so this indicates a bacterial bloom.
I use prime in my water...i havnt added anything new at all...set tank up about 6 weeks ago....i have sand in my tank so its usually quite cloudy after i do a water change anyway while the sand is settling but its been 2+ hrs and still cloudy so im sure its not the sand.....i did unplug one of my filters for over a week due to storms..could that be it maybe? I just dont know
The fastest and most effective way to clear and algae bloom is to use a UV sterilizer. Many people on the forum have had good luck with this one.... Green Killing Machine Internal UV Sterilizer with Power Head at PETCO. It will clear and kill all the free floating algae often within 24 hours.
Mumma.of.two
Aquarium Advice Obsessed
Does the tank get any sunlight (direct or indirect)? Also what the nitrate level? If you can address the problem and prevent the green water then you can save your money. A 3-4 day total back out of the tank should kill off the bloom.
If you try a black out you have to cover the tank completely where no light at all can get in. It also means no peeking or you break the no light cycle. While this method can work don't be alarmed if the bloom returns. All the free floating algae has to die off for the bloom not to return.
Dreamroper
Aquarium Advice FINatic
From what I understand, algae blooms will eventually clear up on their own. Mine did. I do have a UV sterilizer, but I only run it occasionally.
Good luck-D
Dreamroper
Aquarium Advice FINatic
Ah, I've learned another thing. And how can you tell the difference? Is there a noticeably green tint to the water if it's an algae bloom versus bacterial bloom?
