My Tank Water Is Cloudy

[GhostKnife]

Well folks Ive had the tank for roughly 4 months. Just recently I have started to have cloudy water problems. On 1-4-09 I did a water change and added some hornwart plants. I thought I was overfeeding I probably was as I would always see some food particles float to the bottom of the tank. I digress, I didnt feed the fish for 2 days. Today 1-10-09 I fed a small amount making sure each fish got some of what they eat. I will do better with this. However the water is still cloudy and I had changed water multiple times as the driftwood I added made the water brown a month ago or so... Now the water is cloudy. What else could it be? Keep in mind im not ruling out overfeeding I am just wondering what else...? I heard it could be algal blooms due to overfeeding...???
46 gal bowfront: biowheel 200(penguin)(I double the filters in it thus filling the dual slots alloted, malaysian driftwood, hornwart, 1 angelfish, 3 clowns loaches, 1 gold nugget pleco, 1 bala shark, 4 gourami, 6 cherry barbs. Tank parameters: 0 ammonia, 0 nitirite, 20ppm nitrate, 78 F.

 

[Zagz]

Take some of the water and put it into a white cup. Is it green? If not it is a bacterial bloom. If so it is an algae bloom. How often are you doing water changes and how much each time? What are you feeding and how often? How many hours a day are your lights on?

 

[GhostKnife]

Water change of 25-30% every 3 weeks. I feed nutrafin max a pinch between fingers twice, Bloodworms twice, toss in 4 freeze dried shrimp twice, 10 or so shrimp pellets and every so often toss in an algae flake. I realize I am over feeding and plan on cutting down on this a bit... The light is 1 florescent 18,000k power glow that is on for 8.5 hrs.

 

[Zagz]

I am guessing the color is green then?

 

[GhostKnife]

oh oh sorry yes it was not a real strong green ... kind of a haze green/ light brown. In other words yes... I used a party cup sized cup filled about half way.

 

[cmor1701d]

Green is Green. CUT BACK the FEEDING! But you already know that. Almost all living organisms do better on a 30% restricted calorie diet. Keep the fish hunger by feeding LESS at each feeding and feed less often. Fish can go a week without eating. So feed them only every 2 - 3 days, and only what they can conusme in a few minutes. The variety is good, just do it less often.

 

[GhostKnife]

K thanks guys! I woke up this morning to find that the water looks better than yesterday this is the fourth day since I have revised my feeding dosage. Seems like each time I post something on here I learn something thanks to all.

 

[GhostKnife]

Still is cloudy but going away I should say which means the blooms are dying off I suppose.