why is my tank murky?

Question

my tank is murky and i dont know what to do i do water changs every week and the fish seem fine but i just want the water to be clearer

i have a filter and i have a new filter cartrige in it two i did rinse it befor i put it in for thoes of you who think thats the problem

Answer 1

There are many possible answers from overfeeding, poor quality food, to the type of gravel or substrate to your local water conditions. You must eliminate each possible cause one by one to determine the causative factor. Do not use cheap foods and feed sparingly. Take some of your gravel from the aquarium, and put it in vinegar...does it bubble?...some substrates that contain calcium will break down and produce a very fine percipitate that is held in suspension by the filter. Your filter media may need changed. If you are using an undergravel filter, the depth of the gravel may be insufficient to trap wastes and hold it in suspension. Remove driftwood as some improperly treated driftwood will have protein to cloud the water. Decaying plants will do the same but usually cause a smelly mess with a complete die off. If you have added seashells...remove them...remove decorative rock (if from a pet store it is usually safe) but to trace the cause, you have to eliminate all possibilities.
Assuming this is a freshwater aquarium, remove corals and other marine items...If you need further clues...mail me.

Answer 2

Unfortunately, all of the above answers happen to be incorrect. The problem with your tank is that is repeating the Nitrogen Cycle. First I'll explain what this is, then I'll explain why it happened to you. The nitrogen cycle begins when fish produce waste containing Ammonia. Bacteria inherent in the water, called Nitrosomonas, take the nitrogen from the ammonia, and turn it into NitrItes (with an I), then you have other inherent bacteria, called Nitrobacter, which take the NitrItes (with an I) and turn them into NitrAtes (with an A). The murkyness in your water is actually tons of microscopic bacteria forming, in what is commonly referred to as a bacterial bloom. All this means is that for some reason, all the bacteria needed to change ammonia to nitrites to nitrates has been greatly diminished, and the ecosystem is trying to correct itself. The reason why this happened is because you put a new filter in. Confused yet? I'll keep going. This bacteria I keep referring to is held on your filter media as well as in the gravel. By replacing the filter media, you effectively rid the ecosystem of necessary bacteria. What you should have done is taken a bucket of water from your tank (I usually do this when I am changing my old water), and swish the filter around in it when it needs cleaned. Your goal is to just get the big chunks of brown out of the way. By doing this your will preserve the necessary bacteria on the filter media. If you rinse it with tap water, or replace the filter, you will have to recycle your tank again. I would make sure that you do water changes every day until the cycle finishes. The only for sure way to know it is finished is to test the water. Buy a Nitrate and an Ammonia kit. When both those readings are zero, your ready to go. Good luck.

Answer 3

The water would not have sufficient oxygen it it and the fish are respiration out of the ideal. you p.c. an air filter out or stone related to a pump. immediately too as this exhausts the infants. Overfeeding is usually a explanation for murkiness, as is only too lots solar on the water. you may advance this by employing including oxygenating vegetation too yet wash them heavily in non chlorinated water to eliminate a threat snail eggs as those often introduce ailments.

Answer 4

it could be lack of a filter or it's too small it could be the glass is dirty depending on the size of your tank you might need an algi eater.water changes alone won't do it you have to clean the rocks out also.

Answer 5

Use a filter. Preferably an under-gravel one.

Answer 6

use a water filter. they clean your tank. you can get a suker fish too. they also clean your tank