# Cloudy Water



## artemisblossom (May 22, 2008)

Hi I need help. I have a 55 gal tank that seems to be fully cycled ammonia 0, nitrites 0, nitrates <10ppm and this has been the way the water has tested for about the last month. I do weekly water changes (about 50%) and use a gravel cleaner to clean the gravel. Up until now the water has been crystal clean but for the last few days the water seems to be getting more and more cloudy. I thouroghly cleaned the gravel and changed about 50% of the water last night. Tonight the water is even more cloudy. What can this be? The tank is not situated where sunlight strikes it. I have a fair amount of fish in it but the water seems to test ok. I also have 2 filters both aqua clear 30-60gal. I haven't changed the food except that i crumble in a small bit of freeze dried shrimp every now and then. I have 3 gouramis, 7 cories, 2 SAE's, 6 platies , 3 guppies and a snowball pleco.


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## planter (Jun 9, 2008)

I had the same problem a while back. I found a dead cardinal tetra after some looking around. I removed it and changed the water once a day for about a week and the water cleared up. If that's not the problem try running carbon through the filter.


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## artemisblossom (May 22, 2008)

well all fish are alive and counted for so I guess I should try the carbon idea.


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## Cory_Dad (Apr 18, 2008)

What colour is the cloudiness, white, brown, yellow, green?

It could be:

- gravel residue (unlikely in your case)
- algae bloom, yuk, decrease lighting, nutrients, etc.
- organics solids in suspension, clear up dead plants, etc.
- bacterial bloom, tank needs cycling (probably)
- excessive nutrients like phosphates, nitrates, etc. (are you using old washing machine water? j/k). What is the pH? If it's high then it's very alkaline. Treat with conditioner.

Charcoal will help and so will water clarifier as long as you solve the root cause.

Good luck.


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## ameekplec. (May 1, 2008)

It most likely is just some water fouling It happens in my big tank if I leave too much uneaten zucchini in for too long. Turns everything all cloudy. I wouldn't worry about it too much. Do a partial WC, and feed a bit less.


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## spec v (Aug 8, 2008)

For crystal clear water, I ALWAYS run filter floss as part of my mechanical filtration media.


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## KevD (Mar 2, 2008)

Those big weekly water changes and gravel cleaning probably produce a nice bacterial blooom. It should go away in time, if it hasn't already.


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