Cloudy water problem

[Johnnybravo60025]

So my tank has had really cloudy water lately but I just don't know how to get rid of it.

It's a 55 gallon with 2 XP3's, an Aqueon 55 Quietflow, and a sponge filter rated for 80 gallons. When I took readings, these were the results:
Ammonia 0 ppm
Nitrite 0 ppm
Nitrate 10 ppm

I did water changes but didn't get any results and I also tried using a water clarifier for 3 days and there was no change.

I did happen to find one of my Rubberlip Plecos dead under its favorite driftwood, and it had been there for a day. Could that be the reason? How can I get rid of the cloudiness?

My stock is also:
7 Cardinal Tetras
6 Albino Cories
3 Yo-Yo Loaches
1 Rubberlip Pleco
1 Raphael Cat

I do have an Eheim 2217 that I plan on setting up, I just don't know how the hoses fit on it (I bought it used)

 

[Johnnybravo60025]

I also forgot to mention that I also replaced the carbon in one of my XP3's when I cleaned it out.

 

[Deaths Sting]

Seachem purigen really helps clear up water!

however, how bad was the decay of ur poor pleco?

 

[flipstylex]

do more waterchange. cut down ur lighting to 3 hours a day. dont feed for 3 days.

this is what i do. works everytime.

 

[bubbles123]

What do you feed them? I recently had a cloudy water problem. Changing food cured it almost immediately.

 

[hexaune]

I've just got over a similar problem caused by a plant that died and I missed some of it when I cleared it out. This lead to a bacterial bloom (its a bloom of the anerobic bacteria that breakdown waste matter in the tank into ammonia).

I meticulously removed all dead plant matter and cleaned filters and then did frequent water changes and cut down on feeding to not exaserbate the problem. It eventually cleared up after about a week.

It looks to me (might well be wrong!) that your dead pleco might have triggered a bacterial bloom, in which case just keep up with your water changes and it will go eventually. I did read somewhere that you could sort it out with a UV light water cleaner thing (can't remeber what they are called)

 

[Johnnybravo60025]

Seachem purigen really helps clear up water!

however, how bad was the decay of ur poor pleco?

It wasn't too bad, but there was still some decay

I've been feeding the fish the same food from when I set up the tank, so I'm not too sure if that's what it is.

Thanks for the help guys!

 

[Johnnybravo60025]

So I've been doing water changes and I cut back on feeding, and it's only getting worse. I tested the water again today, and it was perfect! Ammonia-0 Nitrite-0 Nitrate-5. I left town on Saturday morning and just came back this morning (So the fish didn't get fed during that time) and it's gotten even worse. Now it's turning into green water. What do I do?

This picture was taken with just the room lights on, no tank light, before the water change:

This picture was taken with the tank lights on after a 50% water change:

I know the aquascaping isn't too good, but I've mainly been worried about the water quality before I rescape things.

 

[BODYDUB]

Thats looks like an alge bloom...........

 

[Johnnybravo60025]

It's weird that it just turned green though. I thought I could fight it by leaving my lights on for 4.5 hours and then using CO2, but the CO2 hasn't worked at all.