have i got a bacterial bloom? tank looks like crud

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markscichlids

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
Feb 11, 2009
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colchester
what does your typical bacterial bloom look like? my tank has looked like crap for a good few days now and no amount of substrate cleaning or water changes seems to do anything. its misty and murky almost kind of hazy . my substrate is argos play sand which has been in for about 5 or 6 weeks before that it was gravel . well established tank been running 6 months filters for 2 years . i clkean/stir my sand weekly with about 30 to 40% water change . clean my filters regularly . i just dont get how my water can look so crap when i keep on top of maintinence etc.

have tried nutrafin particulate water cleare thinking it may be suspended particles but no improvement.

have seen nutrafin make a bio-clear which breaks down organic matter assosiated with bacteral blooms is this worth trying?

if not what can i do to get my crystal clear water back?

last water test was yesterday all fine 0 ammonia and nitrite nitrate less than 15 tank temp 27 deg c
 
imo never use water clarifiers... they never work. if your water is looks milky/white...its a bact. bloom. your water might also be clowdy from the sand. try adding more mech./polishing filtration and see what happens
 
If it is a bacterial bloom, most mechanical filtration won't help, unless it will catch 0.45 microns.
Changing the substrate, may have contributed to a delayed bloom even with established biological filtration running.
Play sand takes time to settle in because it is very fine, stirring may defeat your purpose.
I tried it for a while and it never really settled, so I switched to a heavier, less fine pool filter type.
 
from reading up its deffo a bloom. have made sure ive got no organic waste in the tank etc . will ride it out . i thought sand needed to be moved to prevent gas buildup in the substrate?
 
just wait and watch those param's
 
Its probably not a bacterial bloom but an algea bloom. I don't know the size of your tank but if its worth it to you, you should get a UV sterilizer. Not only will it crystalize your water within days, it will also kill any bacteria, parasites, or other harmfull particles from your water. Its almost like insurance for your fish.

I posted on here about this a few weeks ago. I was having the same problem. Someone suggested and even sold me on getting the UV sterilizer. I've had it in my 125g for about two weeks now and the tank and fish have never looked better. My water was crystal in 5 days. Hope this helps and if you do a thread search for UV sterilizer, you will prob find my post which also has before and after pics of the tank.
 
markscichlids;2871440; said:
what does your typical bacterial bloom look like? my tank has looked like crap for a good few days now and no amount of substrate cleaning or water changes seems to do anything. its misty and murky almost kind of hazy . my substrate is argos play sand which has been in for about 5 or 6 weeks before that it was gravel . well established tank been running 6 months filters for 2 years . i clkean/stir my sand weekly with about 30 to 40% water change . clean my filters regularly . i just dont get how my water can look so crap when i keep on top of maintinence etc.

have tried nutrafin particulate water cleare thinking it may be suspended particles but no improvement.

have seen nutrafin make a bio-clear which breaks down organic matter assosiated with bacteral blooms is this worth trying?

if not what can i do to get my crystal clear water back?

last water test was yesterday all fine 0 ammonia and nitrite nitrate less than 15 tank temp 27 deg c
Click to expand...

This is indication that it is not a bacterial boom.
 
Do a thread search for UV sterilizer. then select on the thread that says UV sterilizer vs. diatom filter. ON the second page is before and after pics.
 
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