cloudy water

[twinkey]

whats the reason I get cloudy water after a wc....it doesn't happen all the time but once in a while it happens...aquarium has been established for 3 years

 

[Dreamroper]

Algae bloom?

 

[twinkey]

why does it happen....I never change anything and its usually clear the next day

 

[Sambo7475]

I've had it happen, and from what I've read and been told, it's a bacterial bloom. It usually happens after a really good cleaning of the substrate, and you've disturbed a pocket or two of organic waste which causes the bacteria to briefly overpopulate. It usually goes away in a day or two as the bacteria consume all the waste and die off.
If that's what it is, it's harmless, and can be prevented by making sure to clean the gravel well every time and don't overfeed.

 

[Dreamroper]

Sambo7475 has the correct term. I knew it was "bloom" something, sorry!
I've had it once and it went away after a week and never returned. I have a planted tank, so I clean the substrate lightly, never to the extreme.