2007-01-28 05:48:23 · 7 answers · asked by grandparay00 4 in Pets ➔ Fish
I agree with the other guy there, but I would like to add that you must have adaquate filtering medium. There must be a combination of and undergravel filter and an outside filter that has carbon/fiber. So make sure that your filter is along this line.
Also make sure that you are not over feeding the fish. This will make a mess as well.
2007-01-28 06:07:39 · answer #1 · answered by having fun 3 · 0⤊ 2⤋
Cloudy water is one of two things.
If the water is green then it is an algae bloom. Algae blooms are caused by too much light and too many nutrients in the water. They are relatively easily cleared up by reducing the lighting, especially direct sunlight, and by lower the nutrients in the water. Reducing the lighting is easy. Simply shut off the light on the tank and only run it for 8-10 hours a day. You should also ensure that your tank isn't getting any direct sunlight as this will cause you algae problems, either as a green bloom or simply algae on the tank and ornaments. You lower the nutrients by doing more frequent and larger water changes and by feeding less. Fish should be fed only what they can eat entirely in 5-10 seconds. Any uneaten food should be netted out of the tank to prevent it from breaking down.
If the water is white then it is a bacterial bloom. These are caused exclusively by too many nutrients in the tank. To clear the water you will need to increase the frequency and size of your water changes, and decrease the feeding. Fish should be fed only what they can eat entirely in 5-10 seconds. Any uneaten food should be netted out of the tank to prevent it from breaking down.
Neither cloudy water situation is particularly harmful to your fish but are a symptom of a greater underlying problem that must be resolved.
One way to clear the cloudy water immediately is through the use of a micron or diatom filter. This will pull out the particles that cause the cloudiness, but it WILL NOT resolve the problem that caused the particles to be there. This is a short term fix and needs to be used in conjuction with the above fixes.
2007-01-28 19:23:33 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
How are you cleaning your tank? What you're describing sounds like it might be a bacterial bloom, which typically happens when a tank is first set up. If you are taking out all of the rocks and decorations and cleaning them every time you clean the tank, then you are disrupting the beneficial bacteria that break down the ammonia in the fish waste. You should try just doing water changes (about 10-25%) every week instead. Siphon (or scoop) out the water and then add fresh, dechlorinated water. Eventually, your tank will be properly cycled and the cloudy water should stop.
2007-01-28 13:53:24 · answer #3 · answered by Susan 3 · 2⤊ 0⤋
I also agree with the above answers. You've got a bacterial bloom, which is a symptom of "New tank syndrome". It is important that during the tank maturation process to keep fish stocking levels as low as possible. The bacteria should not harm the fish & should eventually go away of it's own accord. Try using a bacteria supplement to speed up the maturing, such as Nutrafin Cycle.
2007-01-28 15:26:50 · answer #4 · answered by ispooky2 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The first answer is excellent, but I wanted to add that cloudy water is common in new tanks. Don't add anything to 'clarify the water', but do get your water tested in a week or two at your pet store just to see if your tank is done cycling. Don't add any more fish until then.
2007-01-28 14:09:37 · answer #5 · answered by Bluebear 3 · 1⤊ 1⤋
If its a new tank, you'll have a few bacterial blooms in the first month, which will cause white cloudy water. Its normal, healthy, and will go away on its own.
2007-01-28 14:18:25 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
do you have activated carbon in your filter? If you do try rinsing off the carbon better, and go back and fully clean out your filter.
2007-01-28 15:41:24 · answer #7 · answered by junkmonkey 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋