Am I Over Cleaning?

[jberg]

The problem is : My water is slightly cloudly

I rotate cleaning of my tank as follows:

One weeking I do a water change & vacum the gravel.

Next weekend I rinse the filter media.

Tank Sizes: 75 & 40 (Gallon)
Filter Device: Aqua Clear 500 (On Both)

The problem gets a little worse after feeding, then returns after an hour or so. I user Tetra Color Flakes & Tetra rich mix.

My PH & Ammo is slightly high, everything else is fine.

I have not lost any fish!

Am I wiping out my bacterial base with overcleaning?

Any suggestions welcome!

Thanks,

jb

[greeneyedlady]

What kind of fish do you have in your tanks. I have a 75 with 2 oscars and 2 plecos and 1 needle fish I do a 20-30% water change and vacuum every 3 days. What are you rinsing your filter media in. The best thing to rinse it in is water from your tank. If you use clean water you can harm any good bacteria that you are cultivating in your filter. The only time that I notice cloudy water in my tank is when I haven't done my water changes faithfully(because I work nights-sometimes its hard). Or when I change my filter inserts my water will get cloudy for 2 days.
Hope this helps :)

[jberg]

3 goldfish
3 barbs
3 neons
3 alge eaters
2 loaches
4 kissing gouris
1 mollie

I have been washing them with clean water. I will change that thanks!

jb

[NJ Devils Fan]

Welcome to AC! :)

How long has your tank been established?

[jberg]

a year

[OrionGirl]

It sounds like you have a bacteria bloom, and are straining your bio-filter with nutrients. How often and how much are you feeding?

The bacteria which process amonia and nitrites are not easily washed away. Unless you are rinsing your filter media with boiling water, or for a really long time, I doubt that's the problem. Instead, I suspect that you are feeding too much, too often. The bacteria that are causing cloudiness are opportunistic feeders, that don't attach to a media like ammonia/nitrite processing bacteria will. Double check that it is a bacteria bloom by viewing a water sample on a white background. If you don't see green, it's bacterial.

Feeding daily can cause this problem, as well as providing more nutrients than the bacteria can process, causing a cycle (which is why ammonia is detectable). A mature, stable tank will not have detectable ammonia/nitrite levels. If you are feeding daily, cut back to every other day. Your fish will not starve, I assure you. Anything bigger than fry will be fine.

[jberg]

I just realized when reading your note, I have increased the amount of food I have been giving them. You may have found the problem.

Thanks,

jb