Cloudy Water

[mcjoe]

please help my water has ben cloudy for two weeks. i have ben doing water tests and i have 0 nitrates and nitrites the temp. is 84 degrees F. it is a 50 gallon tank and i change 10 gallons a day. i have 4 discus in the tank and all are about 3in. and once the cloudienes started 3 of them stoped eating and became slightly discolored. i would also like to let you know that i did try and use a water clarifier that did not work and only made the water cloudier. my tank has ben runing for 6 months
thank you for you help.

[ref0716]

If the tank is newly set up about two weeks or so ago, then you are likely experiencing an ammonia issue and bacteria bloom because the tank has not yet fully "cycled". I suggest you immediately test for free ammonia. If there is even a trace of ammonia, it's a good idea to cut back drastically or even stop feeding for a while, reduce the temp to 80 degrees, keep adequate air going, and hope for the best. Consistent water changes will prolong the cycle time, but may be necessary to save the fish from ammonia poisining. Better yet move the discus to another tank if possible, and let the tank finish cycling without taking any further action on your part over the next week or so. Hope this helps.
Richard

[mcjoe]

no my tank has ben runing for 6 months

[ref0716]

Nevertheless, can you do an ammonia test? it all depends on a lot of things, but ammonia "spikes" can happen and would be the best explanation for what you describe.
Best regards, Richard

[mcjoe]

i did a test and there is 0 amonia im getting verry frustrated with this cloudyness

[Islesfan]

Sounds like a bacterial bloom of some kind, which are usually harmless. The one thing that is concerning is the fact that 3 of your fish are not acting normal. Are you sure your nitrates are 0? There should be some even though you are doing daily WC's. The absence of nitrates may indicate a bio filter issue and the bad bacteria are gaining the upper hand in your system. What else can you tell us about your system, substrate, filtration, etc.?

[mcjoe]

i have an external filter with two bio weels and 4 filter pads i change 1 per week

[mcjoe]

my substrate in fine gravel and well planted

[tcyiu]

Do you have access to a microscope? See if you can determine what the particles are.

The scope does not need to be high powered. In the past, I used my son's toy microscope. Although the lenses were plastic, and although the image was pretty dim and distorted (hey, whaddya want for just a few bucks??? LOL), it was sufficient for me to see little wriggly bugs in the case of a bacteria bloom and in another case, I saw geometric crystals which came from the polyester fibres. Both times, cloudy white water. Two different cases, two different remedies required.

Tim

P.S. A short term remedy would be to use diatomaceous earth (DE) filters. I have a Magnum 350 that is outfitted as a DE filter. It worked well in removing the cloudiness. BUT unless you address the root of the problem, the cloudiness will come back in a few days. But it's a useful trick for temporarily clearing up the water.

[mcjoe]

im sorry but i do not currently have acsess to a microscope if you have and ideas on what else i could do i would be thankfull

[Chad Hughes]

Inmy experience, cloudy water is attributed to bacterial or pre algae bloom. I guess the first question would be, when was the last time you cleaned your filter well and/or replace the filter media? Sometimes when filters get scrubbed down, youlose some of the beneficial bacteria in that one area and in response to the bio load, bacteria colonizes elsewhere. Typically right in the water column. If you haven't touched your filter, then this is not likely your issue.

Next issue could be high phosphate count. Phospahtes feed algae and right before an algae bloom you may experience milky water. I'd test the tank and the tap to see where your phosphate readings are. If they are at or below 30ppm, then that's not your problem either.

Are there any other details that you might be able to add, like evnts prior to the cloudy water issue that may help tie this together?

Best wishes!

[mcjoe]

umm theres not much else to tell i started useing a water supliment with bacteria in it and i started feeding my discus sprinelium (not sure if i spelled that right) its like kelp for fresh and salt water fish

[Chad Hughes]

umm theres not much else to tell i started useing a water supliment with bacteria in it and i started feeding my discus sprinelium (not sure if i spelled that right) its like kelp for fresh and salt water fish

I'd say stick to a water conditioner such as prime or amquel plus. There's no need to add bacteria. It's already there. I think this is causing your bacteria bloom (cloudy water).

Best wishes!

[mcjoe]

thank you this sounds like excelent advice i will try this

[Jhhnn]

please help my water has ben cloudy for two weeks. i have ben doing water tests and i have 0 nitrates and nitrites the temp. is 84 degrees F. it is a 50 gallon tank and i change 10 gallons a day. i have 4 discus in the tank and all are about 3in. and once the cloudienes started 3 of them stoped eating and became slightly discolored. i would also like to let you know that i did try and use a water clarifier that did not work and only made the water cloudier. my tank has ben runing for 6 months
thank you for you help.

I'd suggest new test kits, particularly the Seachem ammonia kit. Not all kits will accurately measure ammonia when using prime, amquel or similar, but the Seachem kit will.

I'd question the accuracy of your nitrite/nitrate test kits, as well. "Cloudy water" is usually an algal or bacterial bloom, and that can't happen if there aren't nutrients in the water...

Seems as if your water change regime may not be adequate over time- double up, see what happens...

[tcyiu]

I'd say stick to a water conditioner such as prime or amquel plus. There's no need to add bacteria. It's already there. I think this is causing your bacteria bloom (cloudy water).

Best wishes!

Yea. Chad's absolutely right. Unless you're killing off your bio-filter by washing it in tap water every time you change water, there's no need to add bacteria.

If you are adding bacteria and there is bloom under way, add some media that the bacteria can colonize - like ceramic noodles, or sponge filters or even driftwood. This will provide the free floating bacteria something they can cling on to. And then they will leave the water column and the water should clear up.

Tim