Need help white haze!!

[sfxer02]

okay my tank has been up and running for about 2 weeks i have a fluval 204 canister filter, but the water is cloudy and won't go away is there a way to fix this, i did everything the filter instructions said to do i rinsed all the media, but the water has like a haze to it and is angering me please help!!! here is a pic can't really tell that it is cloudy just a little, the filter is rated at 110 gph,and i have a 45 gallon tank

http://www.picturehost.us/data/75/1074379734tank1.jpg


http://www.picturehost.us/data/75/1074379734tank2.jpg

[Uncle Bete]

have you tested for ammonia?
my "white haze" experience usually tell's me it's an ammonia problem.

[JSchmidt]

White haze is caused by a bloom of one or more of the populations of normal microorganisms in the tank (i.e., plankton). The haze is sometimes seen in new tanks, but also in established/cycled tanks. The haze generally has nothing to do with ammonia or nitrifying bacteria, but because it often occurs early in a tank's life, the haze is frequently blamed on a bloom in the ammonia-eating bacteria. Those bacteria, however, are firmly attached to surfaces and don't live free-floating in any great numbers.

You can pretty much ignore the haze; although not much to look at, it's harmless and will go away on its own. Efforts to get rid of it (e.g., buying miracle clarifiers from the LFS) usually only make it worse.

If this is a new tank, one that hasn't cycled, you should be much more concerned with ammonia and/or nitrite levels. Ammonia and nitrite are invisible and they are much more of a threat to your fish.

HTH,
Jim

[sfxer02]

thank you jschmidt for the reassuring info

[Uncle Bete]

Originally posted by sfxer02
okay my tank has been up and running for about 2 weeks

So have you tested for ammomia?

Nothing against what JSchmidt said. They just seemed to come around at the same time for me.

[JSchmidt]

Yeah, if it's a new or uncycled tank, you should definitely be testing for ammonia. The white haze has nothing to do with the cycle, generally, but it often occurs in a new tank.


If your tank is only two weeks old and you're keeping african cichlids (which it looked like from the pics) then you better be testing for ammonia (and maybe nitrites) because they, unlike the white haze, can kill your fish...

Jim

[Anthony8858]

Not only is your tank cycling, but I suspect that the Fluval 204 may not be enough for a 45 gallon tank.

I have the Fluval 204 on my 36 gallon WITH an Emperor 280.

The 110gph Fluval on a 46 gallon is basically giving you only 2 cycles per hour.
From what I understand, 7-10 cycles is the preferred rate of water exchange.