Cloudy Tank After Replacing Filter Carbon

[satish]

I did a 20% water change and I also replaced the filter carbon bags.
I used only tank water to rinse the filter foam.

The next morning I am seeing my tank is cloudy a bit.

What went wrong and what do I do now ?


Before the water change, my tank wanter tested for 0.25 ppm Ammonia, 0 nitrite and 5 ppm Nitrates.
Its a 33 US gallon tank with 7 dwarf neon rainbows and 6 zebra danios.

I use seachem prime to dechlorinate my water. I usually let the tap water sit for
a week before using for water changes. I've not had cloudy water issues before even
with 50% water changes. So am sure its not the gravel getting stirred up or anything.
The filter carbon change I am doing after 3 months though.

Any suggestions appreciated.

 

[waterdrop]

If you have been fully cycled for months then your description could indicate not enough gravel-clean-water-changes or perhaps an underperforming filter. Hopefully its just the former and you can discuss with the members doing more frequent gravel cleans...

~~waterdrop~~

 

[ajs2294]

Did you rinse the carbon?

 

[satish]

Did you rinse the carbon?

Yes, I did. The new carbon bags I rinsed under running tap water till I no longer got greyish black water.
Next I also used some tank water to soak the carbon filter for 10 minutes and rinsed again with tank water.


The cloudiness now I see is not very dense. Kind of white cloudy.
Not much noticeable change in fish behavior. They are not on the top for
air or anything. Will this cloudiness clear in a day or two.

If not another PWC in order ?

Am I having a mini cycle ?

 

[satish]

The water cleared in a day and my tank has crystal clear water now.

And tests perfectly with 0 ammonia and 0 nitrites.

Not sure what caused the cloudiness in first place though.

 

[ajs2294]

The water cleared in a day and my tank has crystal clear water now.

And tests perfectly with 0 ammonia and 0 nitrites.

Not sure what caused the cloudiness in first place though.

Maybe when you moved the filter media some debris or bacteria got washed backed into the tank and suspended in the water temporarily

 

[zwright]

It was probably debris from your filter. I find that when ever I do anything with my filter media, ie, take it out to rinse it, move it for some reason or another it stirs up some debris from the filter and causes the water to become cloudy, it usually goes away in a few hours. But it sounds like that was the cause.