cloudy water

predator · Post by **predator** » 22 Jan 2004, 14:14

Can anyone tell me how to get rid of cloudy water.i set my tank up 2 -3weeks ago and added a maturing solution which i was told that you must add fish with in 48 hours or the bacteria would die off again. so this i did the tank has a thin layer of sand on the bottom and bogwood for decor.all my water tests are amonia=0 nitrite 0.5ppm nitrate=25ppm ph=6.5 cant seem to get it to 7.0.i have one l.pictus in the tank at present have done a couple of 25% water changes and tried aqua clear which started to work then the tank went cloudy again.I must confess i did not wash the sand as i was told that if you filled the tank slowly it should not be a problem.I did think that it may be the return from the sump stiring up the sand so i put a slate in the corner where the water returns and its still cloudy!! any ideas .
ps the pictus dose not seem botherd at all and is still feeding althoug im only feeding 2 times aweek to try and get rid of the nitrite

MackIntheBox · Post by **MackIntheBox** » 22 Jan 2004, 16:09

I would guess that it is probably an algae bloom, this should go away eventually and shouldnt cause any serious problems (that im aware of). You can do daily water changes to help clear it up a bit and reduce the amount of light the tank sees, this will help get rid of the algae bloom.

Post by **Barbie** » 22 Jan 2004, 18:07

The fact that you are still showing a nitrite level higher than 0 means your tank has not stabilized. This is probably a bacterial bloom, due to the increased waste levels. Once your ammonia and nitrites are 0, then the clouding should be gone. I would recommend doing a few 25% water changes, until that nitrite level drops and can stay at 0. Are you leaving the tank lights on all day? 8-10 hours is plenty for fish or plants, and will help keep you from having an algae bloom, also. If it's really bothering you, and doesn't go away within a week or so, you can use a canister filter with a micron cartridge to "polish" the water, or a UV filter. Either one will clear it right up, but aren't really "necessary". Hope that helps

Barbie

Crazie.Eddie · Post by **Crazie.Eddie** » 04 Feb 2004, 13:59

It is a bacterial bloom. This normally occurrs on a tank that hasn't fully cycled. Be patient since this will go away after awhile, so there's no need to purchase anything else. Just follow as instructed regarding water changes.

BTW, what kind of filter do you have and how big is your tank?