Cloudy Water

[Cazangel]

My tank is in the process of cycling and has fish in it. Theyhave been fine and I am testingthe water regualrly, tonight I did a 25% water change using buckets that have ONLY been used for water changes and the water has gone very cloudy. I am using Stress Coat and Ammo Lock and wondered if these could have attributed to the cloudy water I daren't add anymore conditioners etc to the water till someone can give me some advice please respond quick if you can

Thanks

 

[Loopee]

this happened to me, this is what I did

SATURDAY;

9:00am- 25% water change
12:00am- 25% water change
7:00pm- 50% water change

Thats it for saturday

SUNDAY; (cleared up a tiny bit

11:00am- 95% water change
5:00pm- 25% water change
6:00pm- New Filter Media Put In


So after all this I did a 220% water change at the end. and filter media change, and then I cleared up, Now after 1 month its cloudy because I installed a new filter so this has to be repeated for me

 

[SJ2K]

Thats a seriously excessive method of getting rid of cloudyness, my prefferd method is regular water changes (as in, no different to normal routine) and patience a little more filter wool can help aswell

 

[rabbut]

How new is the tank? It is possible that this is a bactirial bloom, as the filters are still establishing themseles. Have you read the topic on cycling? Also, water stats for ammonia, nitrIte, nitrAte and pH would help greatly.

Rabbut

 

[Cazangel]

How new is the tank? It is possible that this is a bactirial bloom, as the filters are still establishing themseles. Have you read the topic on cycling? Also, water stats for ammonia, nitrIte, nitrAte and pH would help greatly.

Rabbut

Hi ,

Tha tank is about a month old I have a testing kit and I'll post up results later on I had a look last night at some simialr topics and I think you may be right it might be a bacteria bloom as the tank is nearing full the full cycle now.

Thanks so far and watch this space I'll post up water test results later today.

Thanks

 

[Squid]

So after all this I did a 220% water change at the end.

This made me chuckle.. how do you do a 220% water change.. heheh.. (sorry)

Squid

 

[Cazangel]

Right I went home at lunchtime and found one of my Congo Tetras dead aghhh !! I'm panicking now I have had no problems so far.

I tested the water and Ammonia levels are very high but I am using Ammo Lock so Can't tell for sure if the ammonia is getting neutralised, also Nitrite and Nitrate levels are very high I have done another partial water change and the other fish look OK. Can anyone tell me this though, when I do a patrial water change I am using a tap conditioner to put in the tap water so that it gets rid of the chlrorine, it doesn;t say on the bottle how long I should leave the tap water after adding the conditioner so as soon as I put the conditioner in I am adding the water is that correct?

I am really stuck and don;t want more fish to die please can anyone suggest anything to help. !!

 

[oscarlett]

I have found that adding stress coat when doing a water change can cause cloudiness the next day, i would guess it is some kind of bacterial bloom.

 

[Cazangel]

I can;t think why it would kill my fish though, someone I know has suggested that because I turned my filter off when I did my partial water change that I could have cuased an air blockage which may have stopped my filter working so I am going to investigate that tonight.

 

[rabbut]

I can;t think why it would kill my fish though, someone I know has suggested that because I turned my filter off when I did my partial water change that I could have cuased an air blockage which may have stopped my filter working so I am going to investigate that tonight.

Should not effect the filter, so long and it did not dry out, and so long as it was only for a short while. An air blockage will clear itself within a few minuites of the filter starting.

 

[Cazangel]

I can;t think why it would kill my fish though, someone I know has suggested that because I turned my filter off when I did my partial water change that I could have cuased an air blockage which may have stopped my filter working so I am going to investigate that tonight.

Should not effect the filter, so long and it did not dry out, and so long as it was only for a short while. An air blockage will clear itself within a few minuites of the filter starting.

It can't be that then has anyone else got any suggestions water changes arent clearing it and I darent add anything else to the water:

 

[Bullrock74]

I won't be surprised at all if if the cloudiness starts first as a white cloud and then turns green. This is what happens to my tank all the time. I have to run an ultra-violet sterilizer to kill the free-floating algae cells that cause the water to go green. Hopefully, your white cloud won't turn green.

I would stop the excessive water changes. Just do your regular water changes say (15-25% per week). Whatever is causing the cloudiness will not likely be affected by water changes. I would wait until the tank has cycled to really get concerned, as it could be a bacteria bloom.

Just keep an eye out for the water turning green. If it does, research green water and consider a uv sterilizer.

Another cause of cloudiness would be sand/gravel that wasn't washed thouroughly enough.

 

[rabbut]

I won't be surprised at all if if the cloudiness starts first as a white cloud and then turns green. This is what happens to my tank all the time. I have to run an ultra-violet sterilizer to kill the free-floating algae cells that cause the water to go green. Hopefully, your white cloud won't turn green.

I would stop the excessive water changes. Just do your regular water changes say (15-25% per week). Whatever is causing the cloudiness will not likely be affected by water changes. I would wait until the tank has cycled to really get concerned, as it could be a bacteria bloom.

Just keep an eye out for the water turning green. If it does, research green water and consider a uv sterilizer.

Another cause of cloudiness would be sand/gravel that wasn't washed thouroughly enough.

A couple of good points here. Green water, which may be another possibility for the problem, may actualy be made worse by the waterchanges. Cloudy water is often caursed by a nitrients inballence, and the waterchanges will only be adding to the things available for the algea to eat. Sand or gravel is another possibility, and can be cured with filter floss. With this being a new tank, but not very new, a bactirial bloom is IMO the most likely option. Do a water test ASAP if you have a test kit, as bactirial blooms are often linked with poor water quality., hence waterchanges may be required. If all stats ae OK, lay off the waterchanges incase this is a green water issue in the making, to prevent the tank becomming an unsightly mess. By lay off, I mean the usual weekly rutien

HTH
rabbut

 

[Tobigara]

i agree with rabbut. i think its a bacterial bloom. the OP already said that all the tests were high. IMHO, i'd quit using the ammo lock and start doing more water changes. as many as it takes to keep the ammonia and nitrite below .25

 

[SJ2K]

Just be patient, soon as you start chucking chemicals in etc etc its only going to get worse, WHATEVER it is, just wait it out the aquarium will balance out in time.