cloudy tank

[maisey]

I have a 29 gallon tank. 2 dwarf guoramis, 3 striped tetras, 3 headlight taillights and one angel fish. I have had the fish in the tank for about a month and lately the water is real cloudy, white cloudy. it did happen once before but cleared up with in a day. we do partial water changes twice a week including vacuuming the gravel. any ideas????????

[Philbe]

I think if you do a Google search for bacteria bloom you might find the answer.

[maisey]

thanks!

[Tempest]

I think Maisey may be wanting a more personal answer than googling perhaps... Most new tanks go through periods of cloudiness as the microorganisms develop into a mature system. WetmanNY's site The Skeptical Aquarist gives at least three you might be concerned with in a new tank..

1. New tank cloudiness from gravel and such
2. Bacteria blooms
3. Plankton blooms

These blooms are not really blooms of the bacteria that run the nitrogen cycle but other types you find in aquarium water. As long as your ammonia and nitrite level is all right, you defeat yourself to try to end them with water changes. They will eventually end and the water will clear. Some people seem to be able to assist clearing the water by innoculating with mature aquarium water from another tank. (I wouldn't do this unless it were my own tank myself.)

[maisey]

interesting...thank you for your information. I was so naive when I got this tank thinking there was nothing to it! I am finding all this learning enjoyable though!

[125gJoe]

Should you ever want water that looks like fresh air, get the Vortex D-1 diatom filter. I had a persistant slightly cloudy water problem - nothing I did would get rid of it.. I got the Vortex and problem solved. Later, setting up the tank for Discus, I went with R/O water, and also use the Vortex.

[damion]

TRy accu clear. I did water changes to no avail. Once I used accu clear, it became sparkling clear