Cloudy water in new tank

[Mollybreeder]

I have started up a new 50 gallon cichlid tank that is currently empty at the moment. It is not cycled or anything and i have it setup and running. I have noticed over the past two days that the water is getting really cloudy...its a milky white color...i have no idea what this could be from since the tank water is straight from 12 gallons of spring water and there are no fish in there. i havent tested the water yet so i will do that...but i do have two white rocks in there that i got from my lfs...i rinsed them both before putting them in the tank. Will this water problem clear up soon?

 

[glolite]

Sounds like a bacterial bloom. Have you added any ammonia/fish food as this is a natural stage and good as it means beneficial bacteria are starting to appear.

 

[Mollybreeder]

Nope...nothing has been added to this tank besides some other tank water from a 10 gallon i have...could mature tank water cause a bacterial bloom already after only two days of being set up?

 

[glolite]

Did you add any gravel or filter material from an established tank? Or do you literally mean nothing but the water?

 

[Angel Lady]

I think it could be a mini cycle due to you adding the water from another tank.

 

[xXMrBonesXx]

the rocks could be leeching

 

[Mollybreeder]

i mean i added nothing but the water...what is the 'rocks leaching'?

 

[Mollybreeder]

bump

 

[Mollybreeder]

Well this morning my tank is looking like crap...i can hardly see any of the decor i put in there and im gonna do a water change to see if that helps any.....

 

[Mollybreeder]

The water change helped a little bit....anyone know anything else?

 

[Slyspy]

i mean i added nothing but the water...what is the 'rocks leaching'?

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He means that maybe the rocks are leeching chemicals/particles into the tank, possibly in reaction to something in the water or tank. Try taking those rocks out and see whether the water clears.

If you didn't rinse your gravel before adding the water it could just be dust, though it would normally have settle by now.

If you haven't fed the tank then it isn't going to be bacteria. Also even mature water doesn't contain alot of bacteria. You would have got some on the rocks from the LFS but since you haven't feed them then the little fellas will likely be dead by now.