Cloudy Water

[Margaret C]

I have a 32G BioCube and am truly mystified as how to get the water to clear up. I keep a log of my maintenance and water changes, media (Top Fin CF-Series Granular Activated Carbon in bag & Fluval Bio-Mix Media (rinsing in tank water only), addition of chemicals after testing, etc. The lights are set to automatically come on and off for day/night lighting which is awesome. I also have a heater so water keeps correct temp. Fish inventory: 1 Oranda, 1 Ryukin, 6 guppies (no babies), 2 Feeding: Hikari Tropical Micro Pellets [slow sinking food for guppies as flake food gets sucked up in intake too quickly,] the larger goldfish get Cobalt Shrimp Pellets in morning and Fluval Goldfish Pellets in evening both are sinking. And of course, they continually dig up the bottom and glean.
Only living plants are marimo moss balls about 4. No other living plants except a few sprigs of guppy plant.
I purchased water clarifying product but that seems to do nothing! About ready to return it.
Can someone give me some solutions?

 

[savi]

How long has it been setup and how many hours of light a day? Too much light could cause some cloudiness, I believe those tanks have a pretty powerful light system if I'm not mistaken.

 

[Margaret C]

I have the lights set with system on biocube but am considering shortening the time. The lights do have night and day and I may change that, also, experimenting with their timing. I don't think there is a way to dim them at all. However, I am rearranging my dcor to block some of the light from the top with plantings and am also not doing the partial water changes as often. I may be interfering with the cycling, experimenting right now.
Am reducing feeding to once/day.

 

[kingthedog]

It could be the shrimp pellets that are causing the cloudiness because that happened to me and the solution was more mechanical filtration

 

[FreshyFresh]

First I would get the guppies out of there. Two fancy goldfish alone is plenty a bio load for a 32gal tank.

I would also pull the heater out unless the room the tank is in gets very cold.

You should also feed more goldfish appropriate foods. Lower in protein and higher in plant/veggie matter because of the way their digestive systems work. Read those ingredient lists carefully. The first 3 ingredients shouldn't be grains or fillers. If they are, don't buy that food.

Lastly, skip any/all chemical adds. The only additive you should use is a quality dechlorinator/water treatment like Seachem prime and keep up on your water changes to keep nitrates so a water sample doesn't indicate red using the API master test kit nitrate test.

 

[kingthedog]

you will also know when your tank is fully cycled if the ammonia tests consistently show a bud light color

 

[Margaret C]

Thank you for all of your suggestions! Because I wasn't sure how long it would take to get replies, I went to my pet store over the weekend and spoke with the very knowledgeable fish man. He suggested that I feed my fish a little of each once daily, the products I am using are high quality. Also, he thought that I may be interfering with the cycling and to hold back on water exchanges for a week or so, testing for the ammonia.
I have also changed the poly filter which I make from poly batting forming the frame, sewing it on sides and slipping it over the frame, works fabulously. I do check this about every other day because the fish "deposits" are gross.
I also removed the two large artificial plants and replaced with this bendable stick covered with various mosses, some of which I attached. The object is to control the intensity of the lights, like natural shading would do.
So far, so good. The water is looking more clear. I had forgotten to mention that the cloudiness is not colored except for whitish.

 

[Margaret C]

you will also know when your tank is fully cycled if the ammonia tests consistently show a bud light color

as in beer?

 

[kingthedog]

as in beer?

yes