I've noticed since I moved to my new house, when I do water changes the tank is initially crystal clear, but a couple hours after i'm done it becomes cloudy. I use conditioner, and I fill directly from the tap with a python. I know I should match the temperature but I don't bother and just run it cold. It didn't seem to happen at my old house. It will clear up in about 12 hours or so. It is worse if I do a 50% change, but even with 25% changes is is noticeable. I noticed my sponge filter picks up what looks like white dust, and it disappears in about 12 hours as well. I've been keeping tanks for years, but I can't figure this one out. It's a unheated goldfish tank, but the room is generally 79 degrees constantly. Thoughts?
Cloudy water appears a couple hours after water change
- Thread starter brent245
- Start date
Hello; Two things come to mind but I have little confidence in either.
One is that water directly from a tap may have come from some sort of deep or high pressure source that is colder than the ambient air temp. That cold water might have gasses in it under pressure. When it is dumped into the tank the pressure is less so microbubbles may form which will dissipate in time. Sort of like the fizz in a cold soda maybe.
The other is that the sand may have a lot of fine particles which get stirred up.
One is that water directly from a tap may have come from some sort of deep or high pressure source that is colder than the ambient air temp. That cold water might have gasses in it under pressure. When it is dumped into the tank the pressure is less so microbubbles may form which will dissipate in time. Sort of like the fizz in a cold soda maybe.
The other is that the sand may have a lot of fine particles which get stirred up.
I don't think it's the sand, I've had the sand for over 3 years, it's very clean, the goldfish dig through it all day. Really strange. Its got to be some type of bacteria bloom but I don't understand why. Next water change ill try matching the temps.
Since you have moved to a new home, my thought is it might be related to the hot water heater and a failing anode rod BUT you said you used cold water.
Are you in the same general area for water service that you were in before? Sometimes water companies use or draw water from different sources so maybe start with checking on their website to see if they list them.
A quick check is to take a sample of your tap water in a clear glass container and let it settle for a couple hours to see if you see the same cloudy conditions or precipitate settle out.
I'm wondering if you have harder water where you are currently?
Are you in the same general area for water service that you were in before? Sometimes water companies use or draw water from different sources so maybe start with checking on their website to see if they list them.
A quick check is to take a sample of your tap water in a clear glass container and let it settle for a couple hours to see if you see the same cloudy conditions or precipitate settle out.
I'm wondering if you have harder water where you are currently?
We have pretty hard water here. Its different from my old house though, no nitrates in the new house. My old house had 20ppm (or more) nitrates from the tap. New house is 0. After my 25% water change yesterday ammonia is 0. nitrate is hard to tell for me, it tests at what looks to be 5ppm maybe 10ppm. This morning the tank is crystal clear again. Fish are doing great. It could be minerals in the water causing the cloudiness but its strange that it doesnt show right away.
It may be that when coming in contact with the lower pH (more acid) old water of the tank, the constituents of the new very hard water are precipitating out, as solids (mineral salts).
Smaller more frequent water changes may or may not remedy this, in that, more frequency would make the water of the tap, and the tank less drastically different in pH.
If it was gas off gassing as bubbles due to temp, you would see it instantaneously as opposed to later.
Smaller more frequent water changes may or may not remedy this, in that, more frequency would make the water of the tap, and the tank less drastically different in pH.
If it was gas off gassing as bubbles due to temp, you would see it instantaneously as opposed to later.