Cloudy but don't know why

[Holliesmum]

My tank has been up and running scince march and just this past month it has turned cloudy . I have tried 20% water change every week but to no availe. I have a fluval roma 125 withfluval u3 filter .took water test today Amonia 0.25, nitrite 0, nitrate 0 , ph 8.2. The fish are ok could it just be bacterial bloom again ?

 

[Borderlesscott]

20% isn't really much of a water change per week, I would give daily 20% changes a go and give the gravel/sand a good clean. Most people would change around 30% - 50% weekly depending on stocking and tank size. You should also be showing Nitrates in an established aquarium and no ammonia.

 

[julielover]

A fully cycled tank shouldn't have any significant Ammonia readings. Make sure you aren't over-feeding or there aren't any dead animals in your tank. I would stop feeding for a few days and your coudy water should stop.

 

[Holliesmum]

I have tried cutting down on feeding them and hovering the gravel just I cleaned 50 % + 20% this week just wonderd if you can still get bacterial bloom in a full cycled tank

 

[creic38]

If you were overfeeding and creating more ammonia through waste, then yes. Did you add any fish recently? Does your tap water test ok?

 

[Holliesmum]

No to all of them

 

[tamtam]

Do you ever show nitrates? In a fully cycled tank you should be having nitrates. It shouldn't be reading at zero unless perhaps it's heavily planted and even then I think you'd show some nitrates. Perhaps the test isn't coming out right. I know you really need to bang.shake those bottles for the nitrate or they can give wrong readings.

From the readings you are showing it doesn't appear your tank is cycled which would explain a bacteria bloom easily.

How often do you vacuum and do you do the whole tank when you do? I know sometimes if you get a build up in the gravel you can get some clouding if things get stirred up. I've had it happen a couple times when I've accidentally over fed and didn't do the best job with my vac. When I began adding water back in things started to stir up and I had a few days of dealing with clouding until I was able to get the gravel a good cleaning and do enough water changes to weed it out.

Have you changed/replaced your filter media lately? Have you been "cleaning" them weekly with water changes?

 

[CJonline]

I never have any nitrates in my tanks but they are highly planted.

I have to agree with the above - 20% is not very much for a wc. Do you have plants in your tank? If so then 20% a week might be ok if things are testing normal. I change 50% of the water in all my tanks every week and sometimes twice a week if I put something new in the tank.

Have you been testing all along? If so what were the readings in say June (before the tank got cloudy but after the cycle was done)? Have you lost any fish?

 

[creic38]

It could also be a result of not rinsing the substrate enough when you first added it to the tank. Try a polishing pad or filter floss in the filter. If it's just a matter of debris getting stirred up, this would clear your tank up pretty quickly.

 

[Holliesmum]

Thanks for all your adivce , think were I went wrong was leaving kids in charge when we went on holiday lesson learnt . I will try the things suggested and let you know what happens

 

[creic38]

Good luck......hope all works out well.