What causes cloudiness

[GrullaQuarters]

Recently the water in my 75g has become cloudy. It receives aroundn a 30-35% w/c every 10 days or so. No live plants, and not overstocked. It only contains..... 6 fish, as listed in my signature.

I haven't changed food brands, nor have I started overfeeding. Nothing has changed. This started a couple of weeks ago, I did a 40% w/c last Sunday, and changed filter cartridges (I have two hanging filters, each with two cartridges, I change one side only, at a time. Two weeks later, change the other side.....then back again...)

The parameters in my tank have not changed at all in the past year, I only do occasional testing now.

The tank was set up and began cycling (with fish) in December, 2003, finished cycling sometime in Feb. of 2004 and has been the same since.

Just curious what might cause sudden cloudiness in the water. After the w/c last weekend, it cleared up, only to begin clouding up again in the next day or two. I'm preparing to do another small w/c this afternoon....

Any ideas on what may cloud up water?
Thanks

 

[wrs]

well I wouldnt advise keeping the betta and gouramis in the same tank, major no no, but if they get along.

Bacteria blooms, as well as algea blooms, dirty filters, and small particals that can not be picked up by the filter all contribute to cloudiness

 

[GrullaQuarters]

Hmmm.....thanks. While doing a w/c, I'll change the other cartridges.....s'pose they can get dirtier than normal once in awhile...I usually have a set schedule.

The situation with the betta in the tank has been 100% wonderful...he's very happy with all of the space, and all of them come up side by side at feeding time.....I've got plan B should things one day not work out. It's been this way for a couple of months...and am prepared if things change....thanks for the input!

 

[StarOrbs]

My tank hasn't been set up nearly as long as you but I had a clear tank for about a month or so and everything was perfect. Then I started to get back to my general maintence with my filter every couple weeks and I realized I've been causing a crash with my filters bacteria everytime I did it. I find cleaning it less helps at least with a canister filter.