# white, cloudy, murky water - HELP!



## Windmills (May 22, 2006)

I have had cloudy white water in my 80 gallon tank for a month now! I have tried 30% water changes bi-weekly for a month, and the water gets a tiny bit clearer for a day or two, and then back to milky white and cloudy!

I have recently tried accu-clear, and it didn't help the problem either.

What should I do???

If you need the stats, they are : ph: 6.4, ammonia: 0, nitrites: 0, nitrates: 20 ppm.

my tank inhabitants and in my sig. 

PLEASE HELP!


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## locojay (May 22, 2006)

I had the same thing happen in my 10g. It lasted for close to six months. I tried all the same stuff and got the same results. It got to the point that I gave up and decided I would get rid of the tank in the next couple months. Then I just cleared up this past week all by itself and is crystal clear now.

Others have had the same results, here's a thread from last week with the same issue link

Hope this helps some, I know it's frustrating.


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## MaryPa (Jan 25, 2006)

That just sounds like "New Tank syndrome",no big deal. It`ll clear up o it`s own time or you can help it by adding some polyfiber to all empty spaces in the filter.


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## rcomeau (Apr 23, 2006)

yeah, white cloudy water can be bacteria growth typical of a new tank, an increase in bioload (added new fish), or loss of bacteria (killed with chemicals or over cleaning). The 20ppm nitrate is evidence that there isn't enough bacteria to keep it low. It will adjust to a new balance on its own over time as long as you don't clean out the bacteria. 

Don't try to clear up the water by replacing your filter media for a while. It holds some/most of the bacteria that needs to increase. Instead, if particulates need to be cleaned out of the filter, rinse out the media in tank water. That will reduce the risk of killing the bacteria in the filter with chlorine from tap water.

Similarly, be sure to change water with dechlorinated water. Otherwise, the chlorine might kill some bacteria and trigger another mini cycle.


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## locojay (May 22, 2006)

rcomeau said:


> The 20ppm nitrate is evidence that there isn't enough bacteria to keep it low.


I think this is wrong. This is only evidence of a recent water change. The tank sounds like it has a fair level of bacteria to me. He/she has a good number of fish and the nitrIte and ammonia are both zero. IMO this is a cycled tank.


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## Damon (Jan 18, 2005)

Sounds like a bacterial bloom to me also. Maybe something recently died or another source of ammonia was introduce. Could be a dieoff of some of the bacterial colony you had. Not uncommon. Just give it time and keep up with tank maintenance. Dont overfeed.


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## Windmills (May 22, 2006)

I've had this tank for over a year, and haven't added any new fish for 2 months, so it can't be new tank syndrome...unless it's going through a minicycle. But I doubt this since my ammonia and nitrites have been 0 all this time, and have not changed since the cloudiness first happened (and before). I know this because I test daily.

I wonder whether this is effecting the fish any...my green cories and loaches are not as active as they used to be.

Any other suggestions?


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## Ringo (Apr 10, 2006)

Increase top-water agitation, and replace carbon in your filters if it has not been replaced recentely.
That should help to take some of the murkyness of the water out.


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## mr.dark-saint (Aug 16, 2005)

If the tank was new I'd say it's just going through a cycle and it'll clear up in two weeks (if left alone with "No water changes"). With all the constant water change I'd say it never gets to finish cycling but again a year old tank. Did you move it or broke the tank down so you could re-decorate the pad? 

I'd just boost up the surface aggitation, cut back the feeding to every third day (once) and do no water changes (unless ammonia gets high then you have to). Then wait two weeks. 

I wonder if the water change water was high in chlorine and it combined with the ammonia (already in the tank) and had a milk-fest? With you doing all that water changes you coul've kept feeding the bloom, too. I know water company does weird things before they take off for 3/4 day weekends as well as winter and summer dosing. They could've switched wells as well.


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## Betta splendens (Nov 30, 2006)

Ive had the same problem with my tanks-my 5 gals with no filter. In those I figured it was something in the tap water, something that goes away in a max of 3 days. 

But I'm assuming you have a sand substrate? When I added a sand substrate (my first time using sand) a couple weeks ago, I thought the cloudynedd wud go away if I let it run through the filter a few days. But it never cleared completely. =( In fact I can't see in the back of my aquaruim (its hexagonal) because the aquaruim light in the white cloudiness is too blinding!

Well I think I'm gona be switching back to rock substrate though...

but I keep an eye on this thread just incase...


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## Windmills (May 22, 2006)

I have flourite substrate, actually.

And as of right now, the water has been getting clearer..it is almost perfectly clear! I did nothing new except just wait and see, and it seems to be clearing up. I'm scared it might come back at any time, but oh well....

Thanks for all the advice, everyone!


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## mousey (Jan 18, 2005)

not that this helps but I met a guy yesterday in a pet store who was having the same problem. The only thing he put it down to was that he had added live plants to his tank a couple of months earlier. Makes no sense to me. The only time I had a murky tank was when the filter was not runny at full efficiency.


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