White Cloudy Water!

[tannercobb2]

White Cloudy Tank Water! Need Help!

Would anyone know why my tank water is kind of foggy? I’ve tried to do some research on it and I saw that the white cloudiness could come from an algal bloom but the tank has been running for a couple months now. Could it be time for a new filter? Any suggestions are helpful. Thank you!
29 gal
Ammonia: 0 ppm
Nitrates: 0 ppm
Nitrites: 0 ppm
pH: 7
Temperature: 76 degrees
Fish in tank are...
Von Rio tetra x2
Green Cory x2
Panda Cory 1
Lampeye tetra x2
Bolivian Ram 1
Glow light Tetra 1
White Cloud Mountain minnow x2

 

[Byron]

If the cloudiness is white, it is not algae but more usually a bacterial bloom. Organics blooms and diatom blooms are also whitish. All look much the same. A green tint is "green water" which is due to unicellular algae that suddenly and rapidly proliferates. The cause behind all of these is pretty much the same...high nutrients/organics that the system cannot process.

I have seen the bacterial bloom after a water change, or cleaning the filter sometimes. Any major disturbance to the substrate which is the primary filter bed can also do this. Increased organics in the tap water especially in summer months are often responsible.

Prevention is key, and also becomes the cure. Regular (once weekly) water changes of at least 50% but preferably 60-70% of the tank water (every week, regardless of any thing else), and regular filter cleaning; not overcrowding fish, not overfeeding; substrate cleaning; live plants especially floating.

These blooms in themselves are not dangerous per say, but they do indicate that the underlying biological system may be out of sorts, and that can easily lead to disease and other problems, depending.

 

[Jan Cavalieri]

Did yours come on suddenly or did it gradually turn cloudy? I don't think it's an algae bloom any way_ or a new filter. I have a similar problem but my ammonia levels were 7.6 everything else was perfect. This is the second time in a week the water was completely changed out - first done on it's regular schedule last Thursday. Then the cloudness started on the following Tuesday so I changed the water AGAIN and found 2 fish dead which could have been the cause of high ammonia levels but even after I changed out the water the ammonia level did not change, Regardless of what my ridiculously overpriced Heater/Thermometer combination the heater reads 80 degrees but I can tell by touch it is more in the 60's which I suppose could cause cloudyness especially if you add any special chemicals - which we do, but for PH, not ammonia, I adjusted the temperature a few degrees trying at least to get it into the 70's only to have go up to the 90's!!!! I switched it back to 78 and it stable now. I've had many cloudy tanks but always attributed it to the chemical we add to lower the PH (our city PH is 9.4) so we lower it to 7; Water is cloudy for a couple hours but then slowly clears up.

I've had the same main filter in my tanks for over a year - they are full of good bacteria, you don't want to get rid of that. I would try a 75% water change - including scubbing off all the decorations just with tank water and rinse them well. Wipe down the sides of the inside of the aquarium to clean off any scumm. Keep in mind Algae most come off or will at least streak and if you have a algae scrapper try that. I tried and it was clear it was in the water. Changing the water has worked 9/10 times but for me, not this time - so like you I'm wondering what the heck it could be - I can't even count how many fish have died and they are in a 50 gallon tank for a good reason - they are 5=8 inches long and if I moved them to a "good" tank that was too crowded fights would occurr. I thing they killed off my two snail killing loaches but not the bigger Dojo's but I moved them anyway and they are reaking havoc in the other tank. I have a couple of Pearl Gourami and while large, they like things calm and peaceful - the dojo's I'm sure are driving them nuts (one reason I love Dojo's). It could be all the snails thata were killed in the other tank by my dojos and loaches perhaps that raised the ammonia level significantly - but still after 2 water changes (which about killed me on a 50 gal tank) you'd think the cloudiness would stop.

 

[Jan Cavalieri]

Thanks Byron I suspect your are correct for my cloudyness. But I haven't been overfeeding much since I added the dojos and loaches that kill snails and partially eat them, then my gourami come in and fishing them off (the smell is awful) I could leave the dojos and loaches out for a couple of weeks and see if that gets rid of the cloudyness,

 

[Jan Cavalieri]

Ok here is some further testing I did on Tank B It usually holds all my big Gourami, a couple of dojos and a couple of loaches which keep the snails get out of control The gourami, being far more sedate personalities, most likely hate the dojos and yoyo loachs - it kind of funny to watch the two interact - the gourami are purpetually in a bad mood but they are regardless of what other fish are in the tank. Had my Pearl Gourami in there for a while but the Gouramis picked on the Pearl Gourami - so I move them to tank A and let the Pearls pick on the tetras and other fish,
I Fish were dying like crazy so now that I have help, we are draining Tank C (completely) we will be cleaning tank D while all of D's fish go into A or some into a bucket.

Question I have a small heater in the the Betta's tank - it's for up to 10 gallons. Does a beta tank HAVE to have a heater? Since my assisstant must go to work, we may not get the Big fish back in tank C until Tuesday when she can work again and put the remaining 6 fish in. If they DO need a heater then I will move them (I may anyway but they're trying to find out if I'm having strokes or epilepsy and have a bunch of tests to run next week. I really need another major illness like I need a hole in my head. Any way until they start they won't know how long it will take all tests to get done, otherwise I'd move the fish myself once G is done and ready for them

Question: Are their any high quality heater I and thermometer combo I can purchase - one for a 50 gallon tank, and 2 for a 29 gallon tanks? It's about 90 degrees and it goes down to 65 at night and about 70 in the house I'm livining in>