Is my tank TOO clean????

[Big C]

Hi guys,

My tank has been running for over a year now. After a lot of trial and error I think it is pretty well cycled by now. But for the last few months the water is cloudy. I've been doing pwc 2-3 times a week. Before I used to vacuum the gravel every time I did a pwc. But now I've been told not to do it so often, so i only vacuum once a week. All water parameters are normal, the fish are fine, but I still have cloudy water.

I've been told that could be a bacteria bloom, but how much longer is this going to last?

Also, should I change the cartridge of the filter once a month or only when it's clogged?

Thanks you!

 

[wishbone]

I can't comment on the bacteria bloom, but I notice the water does get cloudy when I do a water change. Since you are doing it 2-3 times a week it may not give the tank time to settle before you start vacuuming and changing the water again.

What kind of substrate are you using?

 

[Big C]

I have a penguin filter with biowheel. The cartridges contain only carbon. For what I read here the carbon doesn't do much for fo the water.

 

[Clown Monarch]

I've been doing pwc 2-3 times a week. Before I used to vacuum the gravel every time I did a pwc. But now I've been told not to do it so often, so i only vacuum once a week.

2-3 times a week? In my last freshwater tank I didn't do a single PWC in 3 YEARS. As a matter of fact, when the filter died and I didn't have the cash to replace it, the fish lived for months in the stagnant filthy water until I gave them to the pet store.

I'd say you're overdoing it x 1000.

 

[wishbone]

Yeah Carbon is definitely in debate here. I think most people agree with the "don't use it unless you need to" statement. I use it a little more regularly than that, but that's just me. Your filter will help remove the cloudiness as well simply because the particles will get stuck in the filter (and the carbon). Most people have better luck with a floss type filter to achieve this same effect without carbon. I can't comment on your options as I have never used that filter. If it's clogged it will definitely not help your cloudiness issue at all.

 

[Felf]

what you can do is to leave the cartridge in there but stuff a bunch of filter floss between the front end of the filter housing and the back of the cartridge right under the biowheel but make sure it's not high enough impede the biowheel and it'll clean the water in a matter of hours after which you can rinse and remove the floss or rinse it then place a lesser amount in the same place. if you've had the same cartridge for over 2 weeks then i would suggest either making an incision or peeling back one of the top corners of the cartridge and shaking the carbon out. you want the bacteria in the blue pad to live so try to do this while it's still wet although it'll be easier if it's dry; there should be enough bacteria on your biowheel, gravel, ornaments, etc to do the job. my tank got cloudy for reasons unknown once(probably bacteria) but the filter floss took care of it with ease.

 

[Felf]

also, if you dont heat new water to the right temp before putting it into the tank you could change the overall temp enough to cause the bacteria on your wheel to die thus making the water cloudy.

 

[Big C]

Thank you, guys. I do heat up the water to the same (close enough) temp of the water in the tank (80F). I'll try the floss....

 

[Billsgate]

There is such a thing as a too clean tank
I did the same thing when I first had my tank, change water 2-3 times per week. This isn't necesairry, once a week is enough (20%pwc), unless you are having problems with nitrates, then more water changes are in place. I don't gravel vacuum everytime I change water either. Again, probably not necesairry.
Your fish will thank you if you ease up on them a bit
I know mine did. They looked much better once I had a healthy tank maintenance regimen. That means not every 2-3 days changing water.
As for the filter, I never use carbon. I use sponges and ceramic filter media, and peat. That's it for me, and I don't have any trouble with cloudy water. First try to reduce your water changes before you change things in your filter. 80°F is a good temperature, you can even go for 82°

Good luck!

 

[Jchillin]

Each time you gravel vac, you stir up detris from the gravel. The detrius, although in small particles, will catch the currents in your water column and cause cloudiness. This usually settles in a few hours depending on the GPH rate of your filter. The heavier particles will settle back in the gravel.

Reduce your PWC's to once a week unless you have high nitrate issues (over 30ppm). You can "lightly" vac the surface of the gravel as not to completely disturb all of the detrius.

If this continues, you may have to rinse out your sponge/foam. Rinse it with water from the tank during the PWC.

 

[malkore]

Here's my take on this:
1. your tank isn't over stocked
2. there's no need to do that many water changes
3. try 25% water changes once every 7 days
4. vaccum the gravel at each weekly change, but you don't have to be perfect and get every square inch
5. rinse the filter cartridge and re-use it. if it has carbon inside it, cut one end open and remove the old carbon

 

[Big C]

Thank you all!!! I'll start doing WC weekly (or when I cannot see my fish any more!)