Frustrated..

[Butterflikissies]

I don't know if you remember my last post "Cloudy Water" ... but, It's been like almost 3 weeks now that I've had cloudy water in my tank. It's not getting any better. Is it possible to have cloudy water in your tank this long with a new set up? My water tests have been fine the whole time. If it's a bacteria bloom.. when in the world is it going to settle. I have 5.0 nitrates...

 

[Viper]

Are you doing water changes?

 

[Butterflikissies]

Just the weekly ones.. but I've been doing like 35%.

 

[TwoTank]

Everyone I've had advice from recommended to me that I do 50% water changes, and this has SEVERELY reduced the cloudiness of my tank.

 

[Viper]

Try doing DAILY water changes. This should drastically improve the situation similar to what TwoTank is experiencing.

 

[Butterflikissies]

ohh..... okay. I'll start doing that than.. Why in the world could this be happening though?

 

[Viper]

ohh..... okay. I'll start doing that than.. Why in the world could this be happening though?

What kind of gravel do you have? Do you have a LOT of water movement?

 

[Butterflikissies]

Well... when I upgraded the tank I switched from gravel to sand. So.. I was told it was that I lost a lot of beneficial bacteria from the gravel. I've been trying to wait it out but this is just crazy.. I wouldnt say I have a lot of movement but it's moving. I have a Aquaclear 70 on my 46g. My tank was clear the first day I set it up.. the second day it got a little hazy.. stayed hazy for a week.. I rinsed my filter out because it kept popping up than I tested my water and I had a small ammonia spike for 2 days.. after the ammonia read 0 it started getting cloudy.. its been cloudy since. Do you think I might need to rinse the filter foam again? I'm scared to touch it..

 

[Butterflikissies]

btw.... I did a 50% water change last week.. and after a couple of days it went back to the same cloudiness... so I don't even think water changes are going to help..

 

[Viper]

btw.... I did a 50% water change last week.. and after a couple of days it went back to the same cloudiness... so I don't even think water changes are going to help..

It doesn't sound like its the sand causing the cloudiness (unless something is constantly stirring it up). It is most likely a bacterial bloom and unfortunately you probably just have to wait it out. Just to be sure, this cloudiness doesn't appear to be little tiny bubbles does it? (aka Microbubbles)

 

[Butterflikissies]

The best way I can describe it... it that it looks like I have dust in my water. LOTS of dust.. If I look up to the light I can see it moving all around. From a distance it looks whitish gray...

 

[Butterflikissies]

http://img151.imageshack.us/img151/6754/dusty1.jpg


Thats what it looked like after I did 50% water change.. it gets thicker by the next day.

 

[cjldad]

What kind of filter are you running?

 

[Butterflikissies]

Aqua Clear 70... I also add filter floss in with it.

 

[cjldad]

Hmm, I can feel your frustration.. Had something similar going on myself.. I didn't see your other thread, but has it been like this ever since you started the tank? I see you used sand, is it play sand or pool filter sand? Did you wash the heck out of it before using?

 

[Butterflikissies]

Yes, It's pool filter sand. I washed it about 12x a little each time in a small bucket.. The tank was clear the first day I set it up.. thats why I really dont think its the sand.. it was hazy the next day... stayed hazy for a week.. had ammonia spike.. went to 0 after two days.. than it got cloudy.. been 2 and a half weeks now.

 

[cjldad]

It does sound like a bacteria issue.. Not sure how far you want to take it, but Petsmart sells a drop in type UV sterilizer.. I ended up adding an in-line on my 75g..

What chemical media are you running in your filter, if any....
What is your Ph reading?
Do you know your KH or GH of your water?

 

[Butterflikissies]

I dont use any chemicals... there's just a foam, carbon, filter floss and biomax. I don't know what my KH or GH is..

What's a UV sterilizer?

 

[cjldad]

It's a way of sterilizing the water on your tank.. Only things that are in the water column will get sterilized... Which all of your stuff in the water is floating in the water column.. Basic way they work is water is passed over the UV light and your "stuff" gets sterilized..

 

[Butterflikissies]

ahhh I see. I'll look into that some.