white cloudy water

[smomus]

Yesterday afternoon my levels were:
Ph 8.4 (normal for my tank)
Ammo less than .25 but not quite 0 (this is normal too)
Trites 0
Trates 30
Temp 78
30g tank
I did a 40-50% wc, vacuumed gravel, rinsed all decorations in hot water, swished filter in old tank water to clean it off, added water back in.
Today my water is a white cloudy, not the normal clear. researching tells me its a bacteria bloom.
Ph is lower then its ever been at 8.0 (tap tests about 8.3)
Ammo less then .25
trites 0
trates 30
Temp 78
Usually after such a large wc my nitrates are lower and like I said my Ph had never been so low..always tests at least 8.2, usually higher.
So what do I do now? Leave it alone? Water change? Large? small?

 

[smomus]

So in reading more, I have realized what probably had caused this is a dying plant that I did not remove quick enough, coupled with the gavel vacuuming kicking up bacteria.
Also, from what I read the only thing to do is watch the ammo and wait it out. Anyone have different advice?

 

[aqua_chem]

How long has your tank been set up?

The ammonia might be causing issues, but that could also be a false positive brought about by reacting with chloramines and water conditioner. Very likely your best bet will be to wait it out. Bacterial blooms can be brought about my many small shifts, and are a perfectly normal (perhaps even healthy) part of your tank's ecosystem's development.

 

[smomus]

Here is a pic...but it doesn't really show how white the water is..

View attachment 86667

 

[smomus]

How long has your tank been set up?

The ammonia might be causing issues, but that could also be a false positive brought about by reacting with chloramines and water conditioner. Very likely your best bet will be to wait it out. Bacterial blooms can be brought about my many small shifts, and are a perfectly normal (perhaps even healthy) part of your tank's ecosystem's development.

Thank you for your reply! I have had it for just over a month, but bought it already established. I do not know how long she had it for.
I did wonder if the dechlorinator had something to do with it? I used an old bottle (not expired) but then also put some API stress zyme in as well.

 

[aqua_chem]

Thank you for your reply! I have had it for just over a month, but bought it already established. I do not know how long she had it for.
I did wonder if the dechlorinator had something to do with it? I used an old bottle (not expired) but then also put some API stress zyme in as well.

Your nitrogen cycle might be established, but there are other bacterial populations that are establishing themselves that are less consequential than the nitrogen fixers. Cloudy water is usually caused by a bloom of heterotrophic bacteria, and will eventually go away on its own. IME, water changes don't really help speed the process along.

The water dechlorinator probably isn't doing anything profound to your tank. You will see trace ammonia readings often as much as two days after large water changes due to the fact that chloramines, the chemical that water companies add to our water, consists of chlorine and ammonia bound together. When they are detoxified by the conditioner, it first removes the chlorine, leaving ammonia, and then binds the ammonia to make it harmless. Liquid ammonia tests can detect that ammonia, especially if it is allowed to sit longer than the 5 minutes prescribed in the directions.

 

[smomus]

Your nitrogen cycle might be established, but there are other bacterial populations that are establishing themselves that are less consequential than the nitrogen fixers. Cloudy water is usually caused by a bloom of heterotrophic bacteria, and will eventually go away on its own. IME, water changes don't really help speed the process along.

The water dechlorinator probably isn't doing anything profound to your tank. You will see trace ammonia readings often as much as two days after large water changes due to the fact that chloramines, the chemical that water companies add to our water, consists of chlorine and ammonia bound together. When they are detoxified by the conditioner, it first removes the chlorine, leaving ammonia, and then binds the ammonia to make it harmless. Liquid ammonia tests can detect that ammonia, especially if it is allowed to sit longer than the 5 minutes prescribed in the directions.

Interesting! I learn something new everyday with this hobby. If nothing else my fish seem more playful today and its been fun watching them..

 

[Greenphantom]

Leave your light off for a couple days it will go away

 

[smomus]

Leave your light off for a couple days it will go away

Ok I'll try it! Thanks greenphantom

 

[Candi1990]

Ok I'll try it! Thanks greenphantom

Did you get it taken care of? I had this issue and bought some drops... It was only air in the water. Hard to believe but the drops worked.

 

[smomus]

Did you get it taken care of? I had this issue and bought some drops... It was only air in the water. Hard to believe but the drops worked.

Air in the water? Even after 24 hrs? I think it was more then that cuz it was really white. My 9 yr old daughter even asked what was wrong with it. However, as I sit here and look at it it does have a lot of air in it. I will keep that in mind. Thank you for your suggestion Candi!

 

[aqua_chem]

That's almost certainly not the case, or it would clear itself up in a matter of hours.

 

[jetajockey]

Nope that's definitely a bacterial bloom, you can see it in the picture. Tends to happen when a tank is overcleaned or something big is changed in the tank setup. Rinsing the decorations in hot water and a heavy gravel vac could have done it. It'll clear up on it's own.

 

[smomus]

That's almost certainly not the case, or it would clear itself up in a matter of hours.

Air is good, no? I mean obviously not too much but all I have to add air is 2 small air stones hid under gravel and decorations, then what ever minor air is added through my hob filter.

Nope that's definitely a bacterial bloom, you can see it in the picture. Tends to happen when a tank is overcleaned or something big is changed in the tank setup. Rinsing the decorations in hot water and a heavy gravel vac could have done it. It'll clear up on it's own.

Over cleaned? In the past I have taken decorations out and literally bleached them. Never got a bacteria bloom, however I was told that was a bad thing so this time I just ran them under hot water. So with a 30g, how often should I clean the deco? I guess it could have been that coupled with rinsing my filter and a decaying Amazon sword? This aquarium stuff is more detailed than I thought! :sigh:

 

[jetajockey]

Air is good, but the cloudiness is not because of air bubbles.

As for the cloudiness, overcleaning is only one thing among many that I've seen bacterial blooms pop up from. It's not really a big deal except aesthetically. It just seems to happen sometimes when things are thrown out of balance, but once they get established again all is well. Another thing that I've seen bacterial blooms pop up after is with dying plants, overfeeding, or overfertilizing.

I actually culture infusoria from time to time, and it involves using a 2L bottle of tank water, adding a little bit of dead plant matter, fish food, or dry dog food, and then placing it under the sink for a few days. First the water goes cloudy with bacteria, and then the microfauna that feed on the bacteria clear it up. At that point it's safe to siphon off of and feed to fry.

 

[smomus]

Air is good, but the cloudiness is not because of air bubbles.

As for the cloudiness, overcleaning is only one thing among many that I've seen bacterial blooms pop up from. It's not really a big deal except aesthetically. It just seems to happen sometimes when things are thrown out of balance, but once they get established again all is well. Another thing that I've seen bacterial blooms pop up after is with dying plants, overfeeding, or overfertilizing.

I actually culture infusoria from time to time, and it involves using a 2L bottle of tank water, adding a little bit of dead plant matter, fish food, or dry dog food, and then placing it under the sink for a few days. First the water goes cloudy with bacteria, and then the microfauna that feed on the bacteria clear it up. At that point it's safe to siphon off of and feed to fry.

wow! Some of the things you all do are intense. Hopefully someday I will get into it half as much. When I have another (or bigger) tank I wouldn't mind trying my hand at breeding Mollies. But as of right now i'm still trying to sex one of mine. If it is a female she might be preg so that fin is pulled up and I can't tell. Or it is a really short...uhh male fin (starts with a g, can't remember what its called) and he is getting fat. My other Molly is obviously a male! Lol!

 

[jetajockey]

Get some good pics and make a thread, I'm sure it'll get sorted out pretty quickly.

 

[aqua_chem]

wow! Some of the things you all do are intense. Hopefully someday I will get into it half as much. When I have another (or bigger) tank I wouldn't mind trying my hand at breeding Mollies. But as of right now i'm still trying to sex one of mine. If it is a female she might be preg so that fin is pulled up and I can't tell. Or it is a really short...uhh male fin (starts with a g, can't remember what its called) and he is getting fat. My other Molly is obviously a male! Lol!

Gonopodium.

 

[Candi1990]

Air in the water? Even after 24 hrs? I think it was more then that cuz it was really white. My 9 yr old daughter even asked what was wrong with it. However, as I sit here and look at it it does have a lot of air in it. I will keep that in mind. Thank you for your suggestion Candi!

I know there are experts here, and I am not claiming to be! I am only speaking on what MY experience was. You could see the air in my tank. I didn't know it was at first because it was very white.... Partial water changes didn't help. When someone suggested it to me it made no sense the water was too cloudy to be air and had been for days. Out of desperation I tried this...


http://www.petsupplies.com/item/tetra-aquarium-water-clarifier/720742/?srccode=GPPETSUP

It did take more than a few hours. More like a couple of days but it worked. I wish you luck!

 

[Greenphantom]

Alot of people want you to use CHEMICALS BUT I NEVER USE CHEMICALS UNLESS ITS A LAST RESORT