Cloudy Water

[themanofsilver]

Hey All. I have a question about cloudy water. It is does not seem to affect the fish negatively (yet) so if it's a problem I'd like to nip it early.

The water has a white tint to it. At my last water change I also changed the filter inserts (rocks, sponge, and carbon) but the water didnt seem to clear up. any ideas or suggestions and no, i havent tested the water for anything yet because im not sure what to test for. thanks!

 

[carpguy]

Is this a new tank?

The white cloudy thing seems pretty common in new tanks. Usually goes away by itself after things settle down. A week or two. Not something to worry about unless it turns chronic.

To worry about…

Are you cycled? That's a pretty heavy fishload for a 20, especially if you're not cycled. I'd test for Ammonia, NitrItes, NitrAtes, and pH and soon. If this a new and uncycled tank you may be in for a long December.

 

[themanofsilver]

Carpguy,

The tank is pretty new, fish are pretty small (with the exception of the gouramis) What exactly do you mean by long December?

 

[russjet]

waterchanges
if it is a new tank then you are going to go through a cycle and you are going to have to do large daily waterchanges (up to 50%) and that really seems to drag on but it is necessary

it is possibly a bacteria bloom as you have a full fishload

i am a biospira fan and i would highly recommend getting some for your tank as soon as possible before the ammonia and nitrite do too much damage to your fish

also the filter media is where your bacteria will colonise so it is best not to replace it all at once.even to try solving a problem.

i also suggest posting your water parameters it gives the bigger picture and the advice you get will be better.

 

[carpguy]

I think I had a bit of the white cloudy thing when I first set up my tank. Its some sort of bacterial bloom that hits tanks that are a little out of whack.

It pops up around here every now and again and seems to be very common in new tanks. Not a part of the cycle but so common that I've seen folks associate the two.

And it seems to generally go away by itself. Usually in a week or two.

But you're a new poster without test kits and you're asking about something that seems to be most common during the startup phase. Just made me wonder if the tank was cycled yet.

The fishload seems to me at a glance to be about full, maybe a little heavy. Haven't gotten out the calculator or anything and I probably wouldn't have commented on it… except for the concern that maybe you're still cycling. Which is easier and safer to do with slow incremental additions rather than a full house right of the bat. (Easiest and safest to do a fishless cycle, but thats another bit).

Getting the Cycle underway typically takes 4 to 8 weeks. It varies. You may see a lot of fish deaths during this period. Or not. That also varies a bit. The ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate test kits would help you to monitor it. Problems associated with cycling are more acute when the pH is higher, so that'd help guide you in the remedies you might make.

And the basic remedy is lots of water changes, probably for a few weeks (prbably most of December, maybe into January, depending). Until things work themselves out.

Unless its just a bloom and you're already cycled.

In which case its probably harmless and you shouldn't worry too much. Just a little bit. Take a look at your parameters and your water change regimen, feeding and what not. Somethings gotten a little out of whack. Better to sort it out early.

HTH
(Hope That Helps )


edit: plug for Fishless Cycling

 

[Bryanfykes]

something else to think about, do you use tap water? my tap has a airator on it that causes tiny bubbles in the water that makes it cloudy for a few days after a water change. i beat this by using empty bottles from my water service and "bottling" my tapwater. i do this a few days b4 water changes and it has solved this. just my own problem, as carpguy and russjet say its probably new tank syndrome or some other out of whack parameter.