Cloudy tank

[Adden]

I started a 24 gallon fresh water tank 5 weeks ago under the guidance of one of my local aquarium stores. I started the tank with a few plants for 2 weeks, then added more plants and a few tetras, over the course of the next 3 weeks I added additional plants and more fish, none of the fish are too big and based on what I have read and the aquarium guy, they are all appropriate fish for the tank size/plants etc. My problem is the tank is cloudy, not every day but most, it never gets completely clear, but it comes close. I am careful about feeding and the clarity does not seem to be related to feeding. The tank is heavily planted, I have done a 20% water change and have changed the carbon, washed out the filters and vacuumed the gravel. Any ideas? Is it normal to be cloudy after 5 weeks? Thanks.

 

[exodon king]

did you cycle the tank before adding plants/fish?
how long did you cycle?
what are your current water parameter readings?

 

[mfdrookie516]

, I have done a 20% water change and have changed the carbon, washed out the filters and vacuumed the gravel. Any ideas? Is it normal to be cloudy after 5 weeks? Thanks.

When you "washed out the filters" did you wash them out all at once under tap water? if so thats a big no no....

 

[Adden]

Test results

Just tested the tank, the results are:
PH 7.6, although the high PH test says 8.0, Ammonia is 0, Nitrite is 0, Nitrate is 10. Please let me know what you all think, as I have very little knowledge of this. I did rinse the filters under the sink, now I know the error of my ways on that one. Thanks in advance for your advice.

 

[JPKeenan]

hard to describe... but if it looks like "drywall dust" floating in a cloudy tank that is usually a mini-cycle. The Bacteria gathering up some more to handle and extra bio load.

 

[Gonzo1683]

Hey I don't wanna intrude or high jack this but I have a 55gallon tall fresh water tank. It's been running for about a year now and this is the first time I had a problem my water is getting cloudy/foggy.

Stock list
1 bala
1 angle
2 kuhli loaches
2 Congo tetras
1 dolmation Molly
Probably like 8
Balloon mollies (I lost count cause of mating)
Some live plants
... Anyway ....
My filter is good for 70gallon tank
Water temp is steady 80 degrees F
Today Water was tested after a pwc
Ammonia 0
Ph 7ish
Nitrite 0
Nitrate was always high 15+ it's usually dark red so today I actually lowered it to a medium red....


.. The only difference is that this was my 2nd attempt at making my own filter pad I use a green and white foam thing which I place inside the tank, then I add a white sack filled with carbon (I used a different type of carbon this time, it was all black). The first time I used the black and grey one.. Well anyway I removed the carbon and added a small piece of foam to what I have already.

any help would be appreciated
Thanks in advance

 

[cgthebeast]

Happens to me 2, you can buy water clear at any pet store, it's what I use

 

[Gonzo1683]

Happens to me 2, you can buy water clear at any pet store, it's what I use

The water clarity that will clear It up? And I won't have to add it like every week? Or do I add it n do water changes or something... When I get
Home from work in a few hours(over nights) I was gonna do another pwc then run to the local fish store.

 

[cgthebeast]

The water clarity that will clear It up? And I won't have to add it like every week? Or do I add it n do water changes or something... When I get
Home from work in a few hours(over nights) I was gonna do another pwc then run to the local fish store.

Nope, no pwc, it works great and you add when needed

 

[Gonzo1683]

Thanks CG!

 

[cgthebeast]

Thanks CG!

No prob

 

[Ian086]

The water clarity that will clear It up? And I won't have to add it like every week? Or do I add it n do water changes or something... When I get
Home from work in a few hours(over nights) I was gonna do another pwc then run to the local fish store.

Personally i'm not a fan of adding chemicals to a tank, unnecessarily. You need to find the cause of the cloudiness and fix that. Try using some filter floss to your filter and see if that helps. SO much cheaper and more natural than chemicals....

 

[Rivercats]

When you do a WC does the tank cloud right back up? If so that is a bacterial bloom. I noticed you said you had been rinsing your filter pads under tap water killing BB so your tank has been in a constant state of a bacterial bloom. Now that you are no longer doing this generally the tank should clear. But if it doesn't one sure way to clear a bacterial bloom is to use a UV sterilizer. Many on this forum use this with very good results... Green Killing Machine Internal UV Sterilizer with Power Head at PETCO. Also using 100% polyfill in your filter will help polish water.

 

[Gonzo1683]

Thanks all for the helpful ideas.. I took a good look and it looked like a hue green went to the local fish store n they said its due to the sunlight plus the tank light causing algae so they have me using something for it. I used 1 teaspoon of it and its cleared up the tank, so I may not even add the 2nd dose, also I kept the room dark for 2 days now. today when I get home from work ill turn the light back on, and I'll just clear up the dead algae in the tank.

 

[Rivercats]

Sunlight doesn't necessarily cause algae issues. I have direct sunlight going into a couple of tanks without issue. The only problem with it in a small tank is it can over heat the water. Also if the water actually had a green hue to it when put in a white cup then that is a green water algae bloom. You need to be really careful using those algae clear chemicals as they can be really hard on the fish, plants, and other inhabitants. Also green water blooms will come back if all the free floating algae isn't killed. If it comes back I would seriously consider using a UV to kill the algae safely. Good luck and hope the tank stays clear.

 

[Gonzo1683]

Just a very late update it's been a year + now and it never came back thankfully.. And I'm now in the process of upgrading to a 155gal in gonna look into planting it but I wanna stay away from co2 so I'll be researching for a bit.. Anyway thanks for all your help for the algae bloom


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