My Tank... Bacteria Bloom? Pic

[Mellis67]

Hi again... For the last couple of days I've had a slightly milky tinge to my water. I am doing a fish-in cycle... 8 Lemon Tetras have been in the tank for about 2 weeks and I have been keeping up with daily or every other day water changes regardless of water parameters. Today's test for instance was as follows:
Ph 6.8
Free Ammonia 0
Total Ammonia .02
Nitrites 0
I haven't bothered testing Nitrates yet because I haven't gotten a Nitrite spike yet.

I was wondering if this may be a bacterial bloom and if there is anything I can do about it or just wait it out... Thanks
r

 

[luke4868]

I would say it is just a bacterial bloom, which will go away in 2-4 days normally. It's not going to affect anything, put it that way.

 

[Aqua Tom]

I would say it is just a bacterial bloom, which will go away in 2-4 days normally. It's not going to affect anything, put it that way.

+1

 

[waterdrop]

Agree, bacterial blooms, fungus and any number of other odd things are a common occurance as a new tank transitions from just tap water to being a complicated healthy underwater environment with hundreds of organic compounds in the water. It's quite normal and nothing to be worried about. Your main concern with a new tank in a fish-in cycle remains the same, a sharp eye on the pattern of water changing needed to keep those ammonia and nitrite(NO2) levels ever below 0.25ppm at the max. At the moment yours look to be fine in that regard. I promise you that some day, probably out at about 6 months, there may come a series of days when you look at your tank and say to yourself, "wow, is it ever looking clear and beautiful, much clearer than those early days." Good maintenance habits will give you many, many months and years of beautiful days, but a living tank is always moving forward and will never be quite the same.

~~waterdrop~~

 

[Mellis67]

Agree, bacterial blooms, fungus and any number of other odd things are a common occurance as a new tank transitions from just tap water to being a complicated healthy underwater environment with hundreds of organic compounds in the water. It's quite normal and nothing to be worried about. Your main concern with a new tank in a fish-in cycle remains the same, a sharp eye on the pattern of water changing needed to keep those ammonia and nitrite(NO2) levels ever below 0.25ppm at the max. At the moment yours look to be fine in that regard. I promise you that some day, probably out at about 6 months, there may come a series of days when you look at your tank and say to yourself, "wow, is it ever looking clear and beautiful, much clearer than those early days." Good maintenance habits will give you many, many months and years of beautiful days, but a living tank is always moving forward and will never be quite the same.

~~waterdrop~~

Thanks all for your reassuring replies.. I just get nervous and all. This is my first attempt at really getting back in the hobby after many many years with my last attempt coming home to a tank that decided to let go... 55 gallons of water, fish, decorations, and gravel on the floor. The frustrating part is the water has had a haze to it for about 6 days. Oh well I am sure it will clear itself up my water tests are good and I'm not letting the ammonia get over .1.