Cloudy Tank - why oh why ?

[dirty_bishop]

Hi there,

I have a newly set up aquarium, perhaps about 2 months in now. Maybe 10 weeks.
PH 7.2
Ammonia 0
Nitrite 0
Nirtate maybe 5 or 10.
Very soft water - hard to even measure GH and KH with API fludi test.

CO2 running + a fluval UVC clarifier.
Fluval 407 filter.
The tank is light-moderate stocking.

I had what I believed to be a single cell algae outbreak about 2 weeks ago, perhaps it was always there as I was doing bi weekly water changes until a few weeks ago when I went back to once a week about 40-50%.
I minimized this massively with a 3.5day blackout.
I then installed the Clarifier about a week ago running 24/7.

The water is still white cloudy. Hard to tell if its actually green with the lights off as plants bounce green light.

It's starting to annoy me as it seems it will never clear up.

The only possible thing I can think of now is the sandy substrate which admittedly I didn't wash well enough. But this has been settled for weeks.

Any suggestions and discussion would be greatly appreciated

 

[The_Labyrinth]

Get 6-8 young otos to keep the dingy algae off the sides, but truthfully your tank looks fine to me. I set-up a new tank (no fish) next to my older tank and noticed the difference... very thin film algae diminishes the light.

 

[Sunnyspots]

Could it be leaching from the wood? Carbon in the filter would help clear it if so.

 

[Neleono]

Could it be leaching from the wood? Carbon in the filter would help clear it if so.

I agree, carbon might be able to help clear it up a bit, It's seemed to work for me in the past. Also side note, Your tank looks AMAZING!!!!

 

[dirty_bishop]

I agree, carbon might be able to help clear it up a bit, It's seemed to work for me in the past. Also side note, Your tank looks AMAZING!!!!

Hey thanks.. yes quite a few $ and time setting up. It's no Japanese aquascape though.
Ok, I might put the Carbon back in - I removed it while medicating the rainbows who got cotton mouth early on. Successful with pimafix.

 

[Neleono]

Glad you were able to help your fish with the Pimafix! Best of luck!

 

[Slaphppy7]

Poly floss in your filter, changed weekly, will clear water better than any carbon would...

 

[Avel1896]

The water is still white cloudy

Hey
Probably a "bacterial bloom". Do you fert ?
Avoid vegetarian/algae eaters in an aquarium aged of less than 6 months.

 

[Sunnyspots]

Hey
Probably a "bacterial bloom". Do you fert ?
Avoid vegetarian/algae eaters in an aquarium aged of less than 6 months.

Ooh. Why? Is that because it might improve on its own and they'd go hungry?

 

[Avel1896]

Ooh. Why? Is that because it might improve on its own and they'd go hungry?

- Yes.
- Yes.
In addition, these species do need established tank to well thrive.
About fert ?

 

[P J]

You are some way away from crystal clear water. More filtration helps, leave filters alone for at least four months, ensure your UVC filter is on continuous, increase surface turbulence for increased oxygenation, the water surface of the tank does not seem to be agitated, a power head filter is useful, and above all be patient. Don’t add any chemicals. The cloudy bloom in the water is bacteria and other organisms feeding on the bacteria. Keep water changes in the region of 10 to 15% per week. Add another filter will help, and ensure feeding is appropriate, flake does encourage cloudiness but normally clears in a few hours. Don’t clean filters unless impeding water flow, don’t change filters because they look dirty. Lovely aquarium.

 

[Arthur11]

You just need to wait for the dirt to settle. However, if you have been waiting for a couple of days and the water is still blurry, then you should use aquarium water clarifier. You need to use the clarifier that is safe for fish, live plants, and even invertebrates. Just to be on the safe side, use a bit less than the amount mentioned in the instructions.

 

[Avel1896]

Patience is the very best aquarist's quality.