# bateria bloom after trimming and cleaning...



## wantzz (Apr 2, 2013)

i have a nano plant + guppy tank that has been running good for the past year..
last weekend i did a heavy trimming of the plants and also vaccum (which did dig up a mess) in the space of the 2 days. it appears the removal of plant matters as well as lifting up some poops is causing a spike. and the tank appears like when it was in a middle of a cycle where there's a bloom.

wondering if water changes are sufficient until the water clears down or should i move the fishes to another tank for now (which will over populate the other and i read that tiger barbs like to nip guppy fins)

any suggestions?


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## blackmajik (Jan 23, 2014)

Did you do test your water? Sometimes when I vacuum up the substrate it goes cloudy for a bit and then goes back to normal. Without testing the water parameters you aren't sure if it is a bacterial bloom. I wouldn't move the fish to another tank since it will cause stress and possible overload the bioload on the other tank. If the ammonia/nitrite/nitrates are too high, keep doing partial water changes until it resumes back to normal.


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## pyrrolin (Jan 11, 2012)

yeah, without testing, some water changes is your best option and safe


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## wantzz (Apr 2, 2013)

thanks for the pointers...did small % daily water changes and the water cleared after about 3 days...then boom it came back 

i only have test strips and didn't do tests religously before, but nothing including nitrate is popping, it is not nil, but it's not high either, forgot the number but it's matching to the 2nd lowest level out of i think a 6 box scale.

I did eventually reduced the stocking but the last clouding came after it...weird.


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## pyrrolin (Jan 11, 2012)

I have the answer I think. Filters build up enough bacteria for the fish load. if you remove fish, then for a while there is extra bacteria. This could be the cause. water changes and time should fix it.


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