cloudy

[Bleeding]

Question about my brothers tank:

55 gal, 2 hang on back wispers (30-60), 1 oscar, 1 firemouth, gravel substrate, minimal plants.

Tank has been set up for approx. 2 years. Suddenly last night, he came down in the morning and noticed the water was extremely cloudy, to where when the oscar goes to the back, he is hard to see.

He did 2 water changes yesterday, and one today, to no avial. Water is still getting cloudy...he describes the water being cloudy like a glass of hot water can be "milky" looking. Tank temp is 72 degrees.

He wanted to use a water clarifier, but i told him i would ask first.

No changes in feeding habits, etc.

Any ideas?

 

[prophets]

Sounds like a bacterial bloom aka mini-cycle. When's the last time he changed/cleaned the filter media? When he changes the filter media, does he do 1 or both at the same time? Any new fishes added? Heavier than usual feeding?

Don't feed for a day or two, and hold back on the w/c. He already did 3 W/C, that will affect the biological bacteria. As to the filters, he should change the filter medias one at a time, ex: during w/c he can check the filters to see which one is dirtiest and change just the one, and next w/c do the other filter.

When he does the w/c, is the gravel cleaned also? If not, he may have too much detrius in the gravel, especially after 2 years...the gravel should be cleaned with a gravel cleaner during any w/c's.