Tank still cloudy
- Thread starter spool212
- Start date
It could be one of several reasons or even some combined causing the cloudiness.
It could be a bacterial bloom due to the tank being recently set up, which may or may not affect the fish. In your case I'm guessing a bacterial bloom wouldn't affect the fish too much because your tank looks to be stocked appropriately in my opinion and you could even add a fish or two but without knowing how big the tank is I can't be sure.
It could also be the beginning of an algae bloom or even just suspended particles due to the substrate not being rinsed thoroughly or you using hot water for the water change which because it sits longer in the pipes has a higher metal and mineral content then cold water.
It could also be as simple as the powerheads you have going are creating a massive amount of micro bubbles causing the cloudiness. Maybe even your choice in filtration or filter media maybe you don't have enough mechanical filtration.
So couple of quick questions so we can narrow it down. How long has the tank been set up? How many gallons and what kind of stock in the tank? How often and how much do you feed? How long do you leave the lights on? What kind of filter are you running and what kind of media is in it? How long ago did you do a water change and was there a significant difference between the temperature of the water added and the water in the tank?
It could be a bacterial bloom due to the tank being recently set up, which may or may not affect the fish. In your case I'm guessing a bacterial bloom wouldn't affect the fish too much because your tank looks to be stocked appropriately in my opinion and you could even add a fish or two but without knowing how big the tank is I can't be sure.
It could also be the beginning of an algae bloom or even just suspended particles due to the substrate not being rinsed thoroughly or you using hot water for the water change which because it sits longer in the pipes has a higher metal and mineral content then cold water.
It could also be as simple as the powerheads you have going are creating a massive amount of micro bubbles causing the cloudiness. Maybe even your choice in filtration or filter media maybe you don't have enough mechanical filtration.
So couple of quick questions so we can narrow it down. How long has the tank been set up? How many gallons and what kind of stock in the tank? How often and how much do you feed? How long do you leave the lights on? What kind of filter are you running and what kind of media is in it? How long ago did you do a water change and was there a significant difference between the temperature of the water added and the water in the tank?
Tank been running year or two water change about aweek ago 75 percent slightly most cold 55 gl tank aqucleat 110 hob hot mag hang on side canister filter powerhead 70 with quick filter and my stock 1 11inch red devil ph good temp about 78 degrees this is the frist time I had a problems like this I was doing water changes with start right but the guy's told me to use prime did that when I did 75 percent water change and melafix just for gp no issues with fugus or nothing just when I buy new fish just want water to have something in incase you know how that goes with lfs Thanks
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When's the last time you cleaned the filter pads?
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Yea why the melafix when there is no reason for it? Don't fix things that arent broken, too large water changes could mess up the cycle too, if your fish are stressed that would be my bet. Go look at your local river and see how muddy it is sometimes, it likely bothers you a lot more than the fish to be cloudy. Let it be for a little bit, allow your filters and cycle to catch up, do 50% max change in a week and use only prime. Cloudy tanks happen, depends where your water comes from (well water) winter tends to be a bad season for tap water as it is. As long as amo and nitrite are 0, and nitrates are minmal and ph is stable, just let it be for a bit. If your fish are stressing I would seriously test the aforementioned because maybe its cycling (though taking a second look at the pictures I don't feel its that, maybe a bacterial bloom).
While not positive my guess would be as Jag586 said the addition of Melafix which does contain tea tree extract is one of the contributing factors in the cloudiness. The Prime might also be a contributing factor as it might've caused a bacterial bloom that hasn't worked itself out yet.
My suggestions would be to decrease the size of the water changes(maybe 50%) and the time between them and monitor the tanks parameters while doing so. As if I'm understanding you correctly your doing 75% water changes at a time twice in succession in two days which in of itself might cause a bacterial bloom. Adding water from the tap adds chemical that kills the already established bacteria while adding the Prime helps replace it but might also cause a bloom that can cloud the water. Also I see Melafix as more of a product you use to help a fish recover then it as something preventative. For prevention of disease with new additions I use a sick tank with the addition of some salt and would suggest if you don't have a sick tank yourself use salt instead of the Melafix and hold the Melafix for recovering or already sick fish. I imagine if you do this the tank should clear in a week or so. Also just to be clear this is a 55 gallon tank?
Edit: Just saw Bob's post and as you yourself suggested and Bob is presenting by quoting it, it's more then likely the cause of the cloudiness. As stated water from the tap is treated with chemicals meant to kill bacteria so washing the source of your biological filtration under it can kill all the bacteria creating a bloom and cloudiness.
My suggestions would be to decrease the size of the water changes(maybe 50%) and the time between them and monitor the tanks parameters while doing so. As if I'm understanding you correctly your doing 75% water changes at a time twice in succession in two days which in of itself might cause a bacterial bloom. Adding water from the tap adds chemical that kills the already established bacteria while adding the Prime helps replace it but might also cause a bloom that can cloud the water. Also I see Melafix as more of a product you use to help a fish recover then it as something preventative. For prevention of disease with new additions I use a sick tank with the addition of some salt and would suggest if you don't have a sick tank yourself use salt instead of the Melafix and hold the Melafix for recovering or already sick fish. I imagine if you do this the tank should clear in a week or so. Also just to be clear this is a 55 gallon tank?
Edit: Just saw Bob's post and as you yourself suggested and Bob is presenting by quoting it, it's more then likely the cause of the cloudiness. As stated water from the tap is treated with chemicals meant to kill bacteria so washing the source of your biological filtration under it can kill all the bacteria creating a bloom and cloudiness.
