Slightly cloudy water

[saiwong]

Hello,

After cleaning a sponge filter (using water from same aquarium ) after a few days the water was slightly hazy/cloudy. wonder if cleaning the sponge filter triggered anything? The aquarium is well established and been running for over a year.

I did an ammonia water test and it came back between 0 and 0.5 ppm

so I did a partial water change.

After 24 hours the aquarium was still the same so did water test again

Ammonia 0ppm
Nitrite 0ppm
Nitrate between 0 to 5ppm


so why is my water cloudy?

[Andy Sager]

Originally Posted by saiwong

Hello,

After cleaning a sponge filter (using water from same aquarium ) after a few days the water was slightly hazy/cloudy. wonder if cleaning the sponge filter triggered anything? The aquarium is well established and been running for over a year.

I did an ammonia water test and it came back between 0 and 0.5 ppm

so I did a partial water change.

After 24 hours the aquarium was still the same so did water test again

Ammonia 0ppm
Nitrite 0ppm
Nitrate between 0 to 5ppm


so why is my water cloudy?

Most likely a mild bacteria bloom caused by the cleaning ( over cleaning actually) of your sponge filter. It should clear up in a few days by itself. Just keep monitoring the ammonia level. If it continues to climb, add some filter material from an existing tank or add a biological agent like Fritzyme #7 or Turbostart 700.

[saiwong]

Originally Posted by Andy Sager

Most likely a mild bacteria bloom caused by the cleaning ( over cleaning actually) of your sponge filter. It should clear up in a few days by itself. Just keep monitoring the ammonia level. If it continues to climb, add some filter material from an existing tank or add a biological agent like Fritzyme #7 or Turbostart 700.

Thanks for the reply.
Question : How would I overclean a sponge filter so next time I won't repeat the same error

[Andy Sager]

Originally Posted by saiwong

Thanks for the reply.
Question : How would I overclean a sponge filter so next time I won't repeat the same error

In reality, your sponge should only need a couple of squeezes to loosen up the dirt inside it and a clearing of any matting of detritus on the outside of it. I see people squeezing their sponges until the water runs clear from it. That's overcleaning. The bacteria need that "dirt" to feed off of so you don't want to get rid of all of it.