why is my fish tank cloudy?

Answer 1

it is just setlling down but do try and extract 20/30% of the water every week to keep it clean and fresh!

Answer 2

If it's new, it's most likely cycling, it should clear up in a couple of weeks. Try to do 15-20% water changes at least every 4 days; also, if possible test the water to make sure that all the chemical levels are adequate so your fish don't die. Most stores will test it for free if you bring a sample of your water.
Make sure you're not overfeeding your fish or have too many fish for the space.
Other than that, if you've had your tank over 2 months and your chemical levels are fine, you can buy CrystalClear, which is a red liquid that clears up your tank in a couple of days and change your filter.
Good luck

Answer 3

1. Overfeeding. Overfeeding may result in excess food particles clouding the water, and is also very unhealthy for fishes.

2. Filter. Is your filter working properly? Because the airpump pumps air from the room into your tank, any atmospheric pollution such as cigarette smoke, aerosol polish or paint vapour will enter the aquarium and affect the purity of the water plus fishes.

3. Before filling up the tank with water, you have to rinse the tank at least 4 times to get rid of unwanted and harmful chemicals.

Answer 4

There can be several answers to your question.
1. the tank is dirty
2. the filter is not working right

3/ BUT after trial and error attempts for several weeks, a new filter, etc... we found that it had to do with the water itself. Even though we were adding declorination drops etc... and testing for everthing else, it was still cloudy. We found that by doing a 50% water change with poland springs water and then a 50 % change again a week later and so on, the water became unbelievably clear! Now that is the only water we use. Go figure. ... no city water

Answer 5

If it's a new tank its just bacteria breeding. (These are the good guys so don't worry) it will sort itself out in a couple of weeks.
If it's not new then change half the water in the tank for fresh. (I do this every other week) and remember to add Tapsafe or similar to the fresh water (This eliminates Chlorine and heavy metals from the water).
Clean the filter in some of the old tank water (Not under the tap, as this kills the Good bacteria)
And you should start to see a big improvement in a few hours

Answer 6

If it is a new tank, it is just settling down. If it is not new, then you have to clean it out. You need to clean under the gravel and change at least half of the water.

Answer 7

Hi James, You need to change the water and they may not be getting enough oxygen.
A Friend.

Clowmy

Answer 8

Could be to much food, or if it is a new tank, it could be it as not settled yet

Answer 9

There are a number of problems leading to your tank being cloudy and smelly.

All too often too many new fish owners make the same common mistakes. Did you wash your tank out properly prior to installing? Did you wash your gravel thru a strainer (and I don't mean just rinse it off)? These are the two leading cause for cloudy water.

Your tank is not cycled properly. See web page.
http://freshaquarium.about.com/cs/biologicalcycle/a/nitrogencycle.htm

Your biggest issue now isn't the cloudy water; it's the ammonia spike that will soon occur (if it hasn't already), followed by elevated nitrites. Both could result in the loss of some or all of your fish. I'd strongly recommend that you become familiar with the Nitrogen cycle, so you are aware of what will be happening in the upcoming weeks.
You should begin testing your water right away for ammonia and take appropriate steps to keep it below lethal levels. Hang in there; once you get your tank through the initial cycle the cloudy water problem will clear up
Do you or are you using a gravel siphon to clean the bottom when doing water changes? Did you rinse out your filter and pads prior to installing them?

If you did not rinse the gravel well enough you can do one of two things, stir up the gravel in the tank really well. This will cause all the "dirt" particles to float in your tank. Keep the filter running and do a 20% water change. As long as your water "quality" is fine, do this every other day until the water is clear. Each time, be sure to rinse your filter out as well.
Adding an air your bubble want does nothing for the fish or the water. Dissolved O2 comes from the water itself moving. Bubblers move very little water there for add very little to no Dissolved O2 to your tank.

Do your water change every other day (I know pain in the butt) but if the tank would have been cycled properly in the beginning, this would not be happening now.

you could also be experiencing an algae bloom. Perhaps not sever right now but here is info on algae

Algae are mostly-photosynthetic organisms that sometimes resemble plants but are not plants, having no true roots, stems or leaves. Algae grow in freshwater and saltwater. Saltwater algae are sometimes referred to as "seaweed." Like plants, algae require light and nutrients to grow. We supply plenty of both in our aquariums, with several hours of aquarium lighting a day and nutrients like nitrates and phosphates from fish waste.

Algae come in many forms. There are microscopic, one-celled algae, filamentous algae that resemble hair, algae that grow in sheets, and macroalgae that look like plants. There are even algae that live inside the outer integument ("skin") or calcium shell of some corals, anemones, and other sessile invertebrates called zooxanthellae. There are slimy-looking algae that are often not algae at all, but a colony of primitive photosynthetic organisms known as cyanobacteria. There are also very hard-to-remove little dots of green that sometimes grow on aquarium panels which also are not algae, but diatom or radiolarian colonies (microscopic, one-celled, animals with hard shells) with algae incorporated in their matrix. With all that said, let us answer some common questions right up front:

Algae growth is inevitable in an aquarium.
Algae consume nutrients in the aquarium that if allowed to accumulate, are harmful to fish. Algae can be a good thing.
The presence of green algae in an aquarium indicates a healthy environment for fish.
There is absolutely no way to completely prevent algae from growing in an aquarium, without killing the other life in the tank.
Chemicals should never be used to control the growth of true algae in an aquarium, and should only be used in rare circumstances to control cyanobacteria.
Correcting a severe algae problem requires time and patience.
Natural methods of controlling algae are the best and most effective.

Algae removal from the tank panels can be done on an as-needed basis, but no more than once a week. Removing algae involves either correcting negative water conditions to control or slow excessive algae growth, or an age-old process known as "elbow grease" (scrubbing it off!). Algae removal in an aquarium should be done only when necessary. We have seen many aquariums where daily removal of algae resulted in fish that were so stressed, most had diseases and were dying. You should never remove all of the algae from your tank. Allowing some algae to grow in the aquarium can be beneficial to the aquatic environment. When algae is removed from aquarium side panels, care should be taken to select an algae scrubber that will not hurt the finish of an aquarium. Be careful not to get gravel caught in an algae scrubbing pad where it can scratch the aquarium. Never use household cleaning pads to remove algae. They contain fungicides that kill fish.

Your first mistake is boiling the water. Boiling water consentrates the nitrates in it causing algae to grow even faster. However, I've never heard of it growing within an hour Wow!

First, test the water you are filling up your tank with. Many public water supplies (our homes) have a concentration of nitrates at around 7ppm or higher. (Bottled water is no better).

This could be the start of your problem.
Be sure your tank is not within direct or indirect lighting such as a window or in a room where the lights are on constantly. Is you tank near a heat source. Sometimes we do not take into consideration a fishtank is near a heat register which can and does add additional temperature changes to your tank.

Did you clean the filter as well? Be sure the entire filter is cleaned and free of algae.

Use a razor or scraper and gently scrape all sides of your tank. Clean your gravel and return it to the tank as well. DO NOT wash the gravel in the tank. The residues of the algae will remain.

Since you have NO FISH I am assuming, use cold water to start your tank. Algae likes heat and light. Using cold water will prohibit growth. Allow your tank to run bringing it to room temperature. Then you can plug in your heater allowing your tank to run.

If you have a stick on thermometer, get yourself a floating one. The stick on thermometers pick up ambient air temperatures from OUTSIDE the tank and can be up to 10 degrees off. DON"T trust them. Try keeping your tank at 72 for a couple of days.

You can also purchase phosphorus pads for around $2.00 at your local pet store. These can be cut to fit with your filter and remove large amounts of phosphorus. These can be reused over and over just remember to rinse them out well when you clean your tank.

Test your water. Since you have not gone thru the cycle process allow your tank to run. This should really help with the algae. If you find your water quality is all your tank isn't near a heat or light source, ok but still getting algae turn the temperature down or off and let it run. You will want to scrape the sides of the tank and do a water change no more than 20% every other day. This should only be done if the algae returns in a heavy form.

If you need any more help, you can im or email me.


Good Luck

Answer 10

why not ask your fish?