Cloudy Water

[ChunniMunni]

Hi Friends

I have a 20 gallon tank setup 6 weeks ago (7th August, 2007). I have currently 3 Sailfin Lyretail Marbel molly and 3 Sunset Mickymouse Platy with 2 fries. From yesterday I am getting a problem. My water is getting cloudy time to time. I did a 15% water change twice since then. But it still not gone fully, though reduced. I checked my water level and evrything looks fine. Even the fishes are doing good. Therefore I am confused why it is happening. Please somebody advice.

*** I did a filter pad change a couple of days ago. But my friend did it at the same time and he is not having any problem. We both have setup our tank on the same day and having same kind of fishes.

Help appreciated.

Thanks

 

[The-Wolf]

what colour is the cloudy water?

 

[ChunniMunni]

White color cloudy water.

 

[arvlyn]

Did you cycle your tank first, before adding the fish? If not, that's what's happening now probably. Also, are you completely changing the filter pads or are you just rinsing them out in a bucket of aquarium water? Completely replacing them each time will cause you to lose your bacteria buildup and cause the tank to recycle each time.

 

[The-Wolf]

White color cloudy water.

this denotes a bacterial bloom, nothing to worry about as it is perfectly natural.
it should dissipate after 2-3 days

 

[ChunniMunni]

Thank you all for the suggestions. I was really worried. But currently the Fume is getting away and water is getting clear as I understood that it was a bacterial bloom. My water condition is perfect and my all fishes are doing good. Even my 6 Platy Fries are fine.
I recently changed my Filter Pad completely without cycling it. That is why I lost my old bacterias. So this is a lesson learned for me. Next time onward before changing the Filter Pad, I will keep the new Pad in the aquarium water to get it cycled and bacteria's to grow.
Thank you all again for the suggestions.

 

[new2fishes]

I am a bit confused. I have a whisper internal on my 2 1/2 gallon tank and a whisper 20 on my 10 gallon. Do I need to cycle those filter pads before I put them in when changing the pads? or are you talking about the pad in the whisper 20 that doesn't get changed (it looks more like a kitchen sponge).

Thanks so much for your patience,
Christi