Cloudy Tank

[LDAVIS76]

Hi,
I was wondering if you could help me? I have a 135g tank which I have had over a year with no problems. Until October of this year. I have a wet-dry filter systems with a built in overflow box. In the filter system I run about 3 Chemi-pure carbon filter bags and some phos-guard. I had 20 twenty african-cichlids. One day out of the blue the water turned extremely cloudy and all but 3 fish died. I haven't a clue as to what happen. When I tested the water all levels where within limits. I immediately did a 50% water change it reduced the cloudiness a little but not much. After a day I called the local fish store they came out and they did not have a clue either (wasted money) and did another water change Appro. (50%). After a week it was still cloudy so they advised me to do 100% water change, so I let the store keep fish did a 100% water change and let it setup for 2 weeks and the cloudiness went away. But when the fish returned after about a day the water turned cloudy again an has been cloudy ever since. Also I use cichlid lake salt and stress coat or prime when doing the water changes and I change carbon every 6 months. I also have done water changes every month (10-15%) since I have had the tank. The cloudiness, a milky white color.
Please Help if you can
Thanks
ldavis76

 

[liv2padl]

I tested the water all levels where within limits

within limits really doesn't describe your water quality ... what were the actual numbers for ammonia, nitite and nitrate? water changes every month of 10-15% are probably not adequate for a tank of African cichlids, though you're not overstocked.

are all fish accounted for? no deaths? a white milky appearance is 'usually' a bacterial bloom which might result from a dead fish or insufficient biofilter. have you cleaned your filter recently or at all within the last few months? what is your standard filter maintainance?

 

[LDAVIS76]

ammonia is 0 and nitrate 5ppm and nitrite is 0 and ph 8.4
all fish are dead except for three they all died the same day and i removed them all the same day and as far as the filter when doing a water change once a month I Rinse the sponge and change the floss filter pad in the drip pan and change the phos-guard.

within limits really doesn't describe your water quality ... what were the actual numbers for ammonia, nitite and nitrate? water changes every month of 10-15% are probably not adequate for a tank of African cichlids, though you're not overstocked.

are all fish accounted for? no deaths? a white milky appearance is 'usually' a bacterial bloom which might result from a dead fish or insufficient biofilter. have you cleaned your filter recently or at all within the last few months? what is your standard filter maintainance?

 

[yamahamama95]

I am having the same problem with the white milky water. My tank is about 18 months old and for most of the time I have had the problem though I wasnt losing any fish untill the pet store told me to change the gravel, after changing the gravel I have lost a fish and the others are very stressed out and my water still looks milky. I have been fighting this problem for a very long time and if some one has some good advice please help. Could it be the lighting, the glass of the aquarium or not enough filtration I am at a loss and I just changed the gravel today I am about to pull my hair out. My tank is a 40 gallon with gouramis, tetras, upside downcats, danios, and 1 dino eel. Filtration is bio wheel 170 levels are oppm nitrites and 0 ppm ammonia and about 8.4 ph and temp is 79 all the time. Also is it going to hurt or send my tank into cycle since changing the gravel?
Thanks for any help with all these problems