Major cloudy water

[fastfly48]

Well...my water is cloudy.
Bummer. My tank just cycled, YIPPEE!
but now the water has gone really cloudy, which is quite wierd because my water has always been so clear.
I can't think of why. Perhaps when I did my last water change I mix up the gravel too much or something?
I just added two sucker fish and a scavenger cat fish...so algae is having trouble making a presense felt.

Any comments or tips?
Needless to say a cloudy aquarium isn't too knid to the eye!

Thanks. Ry.

 

[Fishyfanatic]

It's probably just a bacterial bloom. It will go away on its own. Whatever you do, don't go out and buy any chemicals to make it go away or touch the filter. It's a natural part of the cycle and is expected. HTH.

 

[EMTtony]

My 20 gal was cloudy for about the past 4-5 days. When I got up this morning it was totally clear. It will work itself out in a few days.

 

[fastfly48]

Thanks alot for that guys.
I was a bit worried...but the fish seemed fine.
Does this often happen AFTER the tank has cycled?
Any ideas as to how long it will take to go away?...I guess it varies heaps.

Should I do any water changes? Since getting this scavenging cat fish I've noticed that my gravel is full of junk...could this contribute to cloudy water at all?

Well, thanks heaps again...and sorry for all the boring questions. You really are doing a noble service!

Ry.

 

[Fishyfanatic]

It could last overnight but could last for several days. YMMV. With fish tanks, nothing is concrete.

Don't worry about the water changes unless the Nitrates get high. It could contribute to the cloudiness. Try doing a water change and doing a deep gravel vac in half of the tank.

 

[fastfly48]

Thanks for that.
I just dgv (thats deep gravel vac'd) haft of the tank then.
What's the difference between a gravel vac and a deep gravel vac? I'm guessing the deep gravel vac goes under the surface of the gravel?

Well, thanks again!

Ry.

 

[Zagz]

You are right a deep gravel vac does exactly that, vacuums the gravel as far down as possible.

 

[fastfly48]

can doing a deep gravel vac destroy good bateria?

 

[talloulou]

If your tank is cycled then you probably have enough good bacteria in your filter. Plus while you will vacumn up some good bacteria along with the mulm in your substrate it is unlikely that you would get all of it. So even after a good deep gravel vac you probably still have good bacteria left in your gravel.