Why does my fish tank cloud up?

Question

Just got a fish tank, and it has started clouding up already, the tank has a filter and has 3 goldfish in it, what can i do to stop it clouding up?

Answer 1

This is a good thing actually. Since you just got your tank, it's not cycled out yet. If I posted the whole thing it'd turn into about a full detailed page on whats going on. Short and simple version of this. Fish in the tank are producing ammonia, along with a few other inputs. Bacteria is now growing which oxidizes that ammonia into nitrite. Thats a good thing. Ammonia in your water will kill your fish. Nitrites will as well. Another set of bacteria is going to start growing once nitrites are forming in your water, that will oxidize that into nitrate. Nitrates are not nearly as bad, can be used up by plants, and you keep nitrates low in your water with weekly water changes. The cloudiness is a bacterial bloom, and it's good. Be patient, in most cases this will pass in a few days.

JV

Answer 2

It could be different things. If you JUST got your tank, then you haven't let it cycle yet. The clouding up is natural. Just do water changes until the chemicals stay neutral. If it's kind of greenish or redish, then it's an algae bloom. You need to get a pleco or two, or some snails depending on the size tank that you have. How big of a tank do you have? Goldfish are recommended to have about 20gal per fish, due to how much waste they produce. Only feed them to where they will eat it all in 2 minutes. Any more will just fall to the bottom and through your water parameters off.

My advice, do a water change, you can leave the fish in the tank for this. Check the water parameters. If everything is good, then that's it. You need to keep an eye on it though, especially if you JUST got the tank. Check it everyday if that's the case. After they level out, then you can relaxe a little.

People at the fish store will sell you anything, especially if they smell fresh meat. I got suckered into a sale and a few thousand dollars later, I'm still paying.

Answer 3

Ok, very sorry but ignore some of the previous answers.

Right now there are more questions than answers. Hopefully with 3 goldfish this tank is at least 10 gallons, hopefully more. I am going out on a limb and guessing that the tank has not cycled or that the people who sold it to you did not even mention that.

Here is how it works, are you sitting down? , good. Tanks need 3 main types of filtration to work. Easies to understand is "mechanical" that is usually a blue, white or green "pad" that filters out big chunks of food, debris whatever. Second is "chemical" usually in the form of carbon(charcoal) which filters out chemical impurities, odor, etc.

The most important and least understood is "biological".
When fish pee, poop, exhale or when anything biological (food, plant matter, etc. ) breaks down they eventually turn into ammonia. Ammonia is poisonous to fish (they are swimming in there own toilet, don't forget that). Ammonia all by itself can cause a white cloud. A bacteria that turns biological waste into ammonia flourishes in the beginning because most people overfeed. This bacteria also causes cloudiness. In the first few weeks of tank ownership, you need to be very careful not to overfeed. I would HIGHLY recommend using a couple of products: Marineland Bio-Spira for freshwater, and either Hagen Cycle or Kent Eco-start. Go to a local fish store (not a chain). Use the entire package of Bio spira, even if it is more than you need, this is a one time start up. Use the cycle or eco-start weekly or biweekly for the life of the tank.

Within a few weeks test your water, ammonia needs to be zero, nitrite should be zero or close to it and nitrates should start showing up. At about the one month point do a 25-33% water change. Check your PH weekly starting today.

Goldfish are messy fish, make sure you have a quality filter and keep on eye on your "levels". Learn how to test your water until your comfortable and know what's going on in your tank.

There is still more: read up on biological filtration.

Hope this helps

Answer 4

I'm betting that you didn't cycle the water prior to adding fish and so now it's doing its cycling. You're going to need to be extra careful to monitor the water seeing as you have fish already. Get a master test kit and test the water daily and do frequent 20% water changes until the water cycles, but do not do a squeaky good cleaning on the tank. You need to let some beneficial bacteria build up. Also, with 3 goldfish who are big water polluters, unless you have a minimum 30 gallon tank, you're going to need to monitor and test the water regularly and do water changes 2 to 3 times a week depending on the size of your tank to keep the water clean. Read up on water cycling, water changes, and proper cleaning. Good luck with your goldies! Goldfish Rule!

Answer 5

Your tank is overloaded if it is under 55 gallons. Goldfish need 20 gallons each at maturity, about 10 gallons each when they are babies. What you see is a bacteria bloom caused by excess waste that can't be broken down because the tank isn't cycled yet. You would have been better with just one and adding more if there was room later.
http://www.fishlore.com/NitrogenCycle.htm
http://fins.actwin.com/mirror/begin-cycling.html
http://www.firsttankguide.net/

Answer 6

I set up my tank several days before adding 2 Oscars. Each day the water would startout clear and the next day it clouded up. I introduced the Oscars and they are doing better than great but the water is still cloudy. What's up?

Answer 7

If it's a green cloudy, that's an algae bloom. Too much light and nutrients.

If it's a white/grey cloudy it's a bacterial bloom. Common in newly set up tanks, it's the beneficial bacteria starting to colonize. It means your tank is going through the nitrogen cycle process, here's some info to read on that:

http://freshaquarium.about.com/od/startupcycle/Step_5_The_Cycle.htm

.

Answer 8

your tank is cycling so its perfectly normal. some people do the cycle before adding fish some don't. the fish will cope while the tank is cycling though so don't worry. remember your weekly water changes and your tap safe and you can't go wrong. good luck with your fish and enjoy many relaxing moments while watching them

Answer 9

usually you have to let the tank run 24 hrs before placing fish inside. This circulates and cleans out all the stuff thats in there from factory. (all the little particles and such)
If its still cloudy get an at-home test kit. They are pretty inexpensive and great to find out what chemical is in there that shouldnt be or if the pH level or something is down.
Good luck :)

Answer 10

What Jon V says, however check your water supply for Nitrates aswell, no point in doing water changes if the source has a natural amount of the problem in there.

AJ