Cloudy Water

[Greg31]

Ok. So I have had my tank up and running for about 3 weeks. All tests show the conditions are perfect. Nitrite is 0, PH is where is needs to be and I dont over feed.

Currently I own a 90g with a flower horn (3 inches) and a gold nugget pleco ( 3 inches). I have a couple pieces of mopani drift wood, and a couple of live plants.

Today I did a 25% water change and cleaned out one of my two ac70s that filter my 90g. I used to tank water coming out of the python to clean it as well. Added water conditioner. Keep in mind that this is the 4-5th water change I have done so far. So a couple hours later my tank has a light cloud to it. It is progressively getting worse and I am not sure what to do. I dont know this to harm either of my fish.

Any idea what I should do and what I did for this to happen?

 

[pcfriedrich]

Its been years since i've started a tank from the ground up (everything new), but I remember that the last time I did, it took some time before the water was completely clear. not sure if it was bacterial or algal blooms or if I didn't rinse my gravel good enough (or if it could have been any number of other issues). I do remember using a product (some type of water clarifier) that claimed to cause particle to "bond together' to create larger particles that are easier for your filter to catch. not sure if that actually worked, or if it was just time that cured it. anyway, i am falling asleep while writing this. gotta go.

 

[Greg31]

Its defiantly not debris from sand or anything else like that. Some kind of "bloom".

 

[pcfriedrich]

best bet would probably be to let it work itself out. maybe cut back to a water change every other week, rather than almost two per week. or try a fish and plant friendly algae destroyer.

sounds to me like your ecosystem just hasn't fully balanced itself out yet. give it time before you put something toxic in your tank.

 

[Fat Homer]

IF the tank was cycled then maybe it could be going through a mini cycle, since you did mention you cleaned out one of your Filters as well as do a water change... but thats just my guess...

 

[Dobsie]

Sometimes if you don't monitor the temp of the water going back in you will get cloudy water. If the water you put in the tank was a lot warmer going in than the rest of the tank it will get that white cloudy look.

Its that or your tank is mini cycling again since you cleaned the filter.

 

[dr_sudz]

Ok. So I have had my tank up and running for about 3 weeks. All tests show the conditions are perfect. Nitrite is 0, PH is where is needs to be and I dont over feed.

Currently I own a 90g with a flower horn (3 inches) and a gold nugget pleco ( 3 inches). I have a couple pieces of mopani drift wood, and a couple of live plants.

Today I did a 25% water change and cleaned out one of my two ac70s that filter my 90g. I used to tank water coming out of the python to clean it as well. Added water conditioner. Keep in mind that this is the 4-5th water change I have done so far. So a couple hours later my tank has a light cloud to it. It is progressively getting worse and I am not sure what to do. I dont know this to harm either of my fish.

Any idea what I should do and what I did for this to happen?

The Elements in red are the big flags for me. This tank should not have been water changed for another 3 weeks to allow for a proper cycling process, but seeing that you said everything is on par, I would have to be more concerned with the fact that your touching your filter under the first month. WHY? That filter is barely seeded and you just disrupted your cycle. The amount of fish you have in there your doing too much. What made you do these water changes in the first place especially the 25% one? Did you test your nitrates and find that they are dangerously close to reaching over 40 ppm?
From the sounds of what you are saying here you have ether set back your water cycle or prolonged it. I would be concerned if you are using dip strips to test you water as they can be inaccurate. I honestly wouldn't touch the tank for a few weeks. The amount of bio load on the tank will allow for a few weeks of settling out. I find people here tend to touch and fiddle with their tanks to no end and it is most times way not necessary.

 

[Greg31]

The nitrate level is at 0ppm. I do 10-20% water changes for the sole purpose of cleaning out all of the poop. I cleaned ONE of my TWO filters because it was getting a little nasty. I probably could have hurt the filter by doing it so early, but I figure using tank water to scrub scum off of it would not hurt.

The water changes I have been doing is mostly to clean up all of the poop. I can not image 1/4 of the tank being covered in poop being "healthy".

 

[KaiserSousay]

The water changes I have been doing is mostly to clean up all of the poop. I can not image 1/4 of the tank being covered in poop being "healthy".

Right you are...
Water changes are JUST what you need to do when cycling a tank with fish.
Though I would leave the filters alone, unless they are bypassing.
I would not do any "scrubbing" on the sponges, just enough agitation in tank water to dislodge the bulk of the gunk.
Keep vacing up all that poop, you are absolutely correct in getting it out of your tank.

 

[dawnmarie]

The nitrate level is at 0ppm.

I'm not a big fan of cycling with fish to start with and I think KaiserSousay's advice is sound, however, it looks like your efforts are disturbing the cycling process.

After rereading the entire thread again I see no test results for Ammonia. Why Not ?
The cycling process starts with Ammonia, progresses to Nitrite and ultimately to Nitrate.
If you must cycle a tank with fish, you also must be monitoring ammonia and nitrite levels at least daily.
If Ammonia or Nitrite reach levels unhealthy to your fish Then you need to do water changes.

IF you are testing for ammonia and nitrite and you are getting daily readings of zero THEN you should see some Nitrate present.


The bottom line is , if you are testing correctly and no Nitrate is present, your tank is not cycled.