# cloudy water issues



## daking (Mar 6, 2008)

MAN!!! this is driving me nuts! All my leverl are great, my plants are growing, the tank finished cycling 2 weeks ago, and since yesterday it seems to be getting cloudier. I just replaced teh filter floss on teh filter.. Perhaps my filter that I was using previously on the 20 gallon is not keeping up to it being in the 55 gallon? I have added (last week) an Aqua Clear 55 powerhead with a filter attached to the bottom as a polishing filter. Another thing I think may be that the powerhead filter has overtaken the main filtration from the Ehiem? I turned off the powerhead to see if that would be the problem, or maybe its creating too much flow in teh tank..... any ideas? I dont really want to go out and blow tons of money on a filter if I dont have to!!!


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## proud2bcanadian (Nov 13, 2006)

It's a 55g tank with a filter from a 20g and a powerhead? What brand/model filter is it?

Cloudy water is commonly caused by two things : bacteria bloom or particulate matter. Particles would be something resolved by the filter and regular cleaning. Bacteria blooms are best left alone, although you can change 10% of the water daily to speed it up a bit. If you really want to get rid of it, you can use B-Clear. It's made by Hagen and should be found at most fish stores. 

Things like this are usually an indication of a problem/development in your aquarium, so it's either warning you of an ammonia spike or telling you that your beneficial bacteria is establishing itself.

I am concerned about your filter though. It could be that your filter is inadequately sized and unable to keep up with the particles in the tank or upon changing some of the filter media, you also took out a good deal of bacteria, so now it is reestablishing itself.


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## daking (Mar 6, 2008)

*filter*

its an ehiem 2213, says its good to 65 gallon. I think the tank is really a 50 gallon or less... 40inch's by 12 inch's and 24 or 30 inchs tall. it was working fine, then it cycled and went clear, now its couldy, but getting better since i turned off the powerhead... I also had the filter on teh powerhead being used as a water polisher. I know the filter is being a little overwhelmed, but I dont think it shoudl be that bad... I think its a bacteria bloom. I just started dosing with flourish excel and leaf zone a few days ago, but still all levels are normal. Im looking for a larger filter for cheap, and also giving it some time to have the bacteria catch up....


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## proud2bcanadian (Nov 13, 2006)

Make sure you don't go over the recommended dosage or else some of the things you put in your tank will break down and turn into ammonia.

The Eheim should be fine for your tank, if you're really worried, just put a HOB (hang on back) filter on your tank for extra filtration.

What type of fish do you have/are you planning on keeping?

Don't change your filter media for another couple weeks. If you do, then the bacteria will have to reestablish in the filter before it has finished establishing itself in the tank.

It probably is a bacteria bloom. Just keep an eye on your water parameters. Ammonia and Nitrite should be 0ppm and Nitrate should be <25ppm. Don't vaccuum the gravel in your tank either for about a week because you'll disturb the bacteria there too.

I'd say leave the tank be until the weekend, and it's it's still cloudy, change 25% of the water (just scoop/drain it out trying not to disturb much). Also, cut feeding back to once a day. That'll help too.


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## ameekplec. (May 1, 2008)

Bacterial bloom, check ammonia and nitrite levels. If fish aren't distressed (assuming you have some in there), just leave it be. If they are distressed (huffing, redness, etc) add prime or other ammonia quencher and increase aeration. 

Otherwise, just leave it be and it'll sort itself out.


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## daking (Mar 6, 2008)

*waiting*

man, i hate the whole waiting part!!as far as levels, all are in check!


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