# cloudy water



## Pudgythepenguin (Jan 3, 2012)

I've been having a problem with cloudy water. The water is a cloudy white color. I've had my tank set up for 6 months now. Its a 16 gallon tank. Its never really been clear. Every time I take a water sample into my local pet store it comes up fine. They suggested to do more water changes (30%) and at first it did clear up for about 3 days then went back to cloudy. I have 1 tiger barb and a pleco in the tank. I don't want to add more fish until it clears up. I've tried doing smaller water changes (10%-15%) every few days and replacing the filter once a month, and nothing has changed. I also tried just letting my tank sit for a month and half, that was suggested by a friend thinking my bacteria level is off and that didn't do anything. I'm feeding every other day, so I know I'm not over feeding. Any suggestions on how to get my water clear?

Jackie


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## kay-bee (Dec 6, 2006)

Carbon is great as a water clarifier but pretty much deals with the symptom not the cause.

What type of filter and filter media do you have?
How large is the pleco?

And what do you mean by this?


Pudgythepenguin said:


> I also tried just letting my tank sit for a month and half


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## Pudgythepenguin (Jan 3, 2012)

kay-bee said:


> Carbon is great as a water clarifier but pretty much deals with the symptom not the cause.
> 
> What type of filter and filter media do you have?
> How large is the pleco?
> ...


I meant not doing any water changes or changing the filter for about a month and a half. 

I have a Aqueon power filter 10, and I'm using carbon filters.
I don't see the pleco all that much but I'd say its about 2.5-3 inches.


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## Pudgythepenguin (Jan 3, 2012)

Here is a picture of my tank.


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## lmb (Nov 1, 2011)

When you say that you "change the filter", are you meaning that you change the filter cartridge? If so, then that's your problem. By replacing the filter cartridge with a new one, your wasting the beneficial bacteria that is on that filter - basically causing a mini cycle and bacterial bloom due to the loss of the bacteria.

Test your water and see what the parameters are (Make sure to use a liquid test kit, not strips. Strips are highly inaccurate and will give false results each time). And don't get your pet store to test it either as they will usually tell you "it's fine" and recommend buying stuff that is completely not nessecary.

In the mean time, start doing daily water changes (10 - 15%) with the addition of Prime or Amquel+ (Optional but I would recommend it. Either will keep the ammonia and nitrite - if there is any - down up to 24 hours < Until the next water change).

Also, the filter that is on your tank is not efficent for it. It does not provide enough Gallons Per Hour (GPH) to support your tank. I would recommend that you get a filter rated for you tank (at least 160 GPH).


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## Pudgythepenguin (Jan 3, 2012)

Yes I've been changing the filter cartridges once a month, that was recommended by the guy that sold me the tank. 
How often should I change the filter cartridge? 
I bought my tank as a "kit", came with the filter and water heater so I figured that would be good with my tank. I will look into getting one that you recommended. 
I tested the water with strips (I will get a liquid test kit). The strips are reading 

Nitrate 0-20
Nitrite 0
Hardness 150
Alkalinity 150
Ph between 7.8-8.4 

Could the ph being high affect anything?


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## lmb (Nov 1, 2011)

Don't ever change the filter cartridge unless there is another part of biological media in the tank filter that will be able to support the tank if you do change it (But in your case your filter doesn't. It really only works on bio-wheel filter from my experience). Just take out the cartridge every water change and swish it around in the water that you are sucking out (It removes the unwanted gunk on the cartridge, but not the bacteria itself doing this. Don't ever swish it around in regular tap though, that won't work/have the same effect).

Well the strips may or may not be wrong. Who knows. But I'd wait until you get the results on the liquid test kit to confirm it. The pH being high shouldn't really affect anything more than the fish (But fish can adapt if acclimated properly so that shouldn't be a problem either).


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## Fishpunk (Apr 18, 2011)

It's likely a diatam bloom. Often these just have to run their course.

In terms of filter media, I use my cartridges until they are physically worn out. I just wash them in used tank water whenever I do a water change. I used the cartridge on my largest tank for over 6 years before the floss wore out to the point it didn't filter anything.


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## Pudgythepenguin (Jan 3, 2012)

Thank you everyone for all of the advise. I'm going to get a bigger filter system today. Is there anything I should do to change filters out since the new one will be clean? Or am I back to square 1? and also after changing the filter out should I wait to do any water changes?


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## lmb (Nov 1, 2011)

Just take all the filter media that's in the Aqueon 10 and put it in the new filter.

Well it depends on if there will be any ammonia or nitrite in the aquarium depending on whether or not you have to do a water change.


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## Pudgythepenguin (Jan 3, 2012)

lmb said:


> Just take all the filter media that's in the Aqueon 10 and put it in the new filter.


I got the Aqueon 20, it takes a larger filter cartridge. Will the smaller cartridge from the 10 still work?


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## Fishpunk (Apr 18, 2011)

Just see if it will fit inside in addition to the regular filter.


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## bgkkilla (Jan 8, 2012)

you said thats sixteen gallons? looks a little bigger to me and i have the same exact problem in my tank but i also have alot more fish my friend recently got a filter tht has an ammonia adding cartridge tht has left his tank sparkling clean which i think is what im going to do next


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## Fishpunk (Apr 18, 2011)

Ammonia absorbing chips/cartidges is a band-aid, not a solution. You need to find a root cause because these things are not necessary at all in a healthy tank.


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## rolltide (Jan 8, 2012)

It might be the food to much can also harm your fish I have learned that from too many fish lol:fish:


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## Guest (Jan 14, 2012)

I am also thinking that you are overfeeding, by feeding every other day. You should feed a little every day. My neighbor had a 55 gallon and she overfed and didn't feed her fish every day, she fed them about every week.

I feed my fish a little food every day. The rule is feed the fish what they can eat in 3 to 5 minutes, if there is still food in the tank then you are overfeeding.

Also do you add salt to your tank?


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## Obsidian (May 20, 2007)

What I would do (and did do) is stop cleaning the tank. Don't change the water. Leave it be. You are cleaning it too much and keeping it "too clean" which prevents the bacteria from taking hold. Let it get nice and dirty, the biofilter will establish then you can start doing water changes again, small. 10%. Wait for it to clear before you do that. When the water is clear, do the WC, do NOT mess with the filter. I waited a good month before I even swished the filter. The only thing you want to do during this time is make sure your levels are not getting danger high. In mine the levels all showed as correct all through the process. It is just enough of a problem to cause the milky water, not big enough to cause numbers to be all messed up. I had 3 tanks like this, treated them all this way, never had the problem again. No new fish until its clear. Reduce feeding to every other day. You are good to go


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## Pudgythepenguin (Jan 3, 2012)

As far is I know its a 16 gallon tank, at least that's what the tag at the pet store said. Who knows if its right though haha. 

What I ended up doing was scraping most of the bacteria from the old filter and put it in the new one, hoping it will help a little bit. and I did a water change 2 days ago. Still the same. 

I tried not doing water changes before for about a month and a half and nothing change, so I was getting irritated and just started to do water changes every few days. 

My fish are not suffering in any way. The levels seem to be fine, just still cloudy.


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## emc7 (Jul 23, 2005)

What are you adding to the water? Conditioners, supplements, etc.?


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## Pudgythepenguin (Jan 3, 2012)

At first I was adding water conditioner to the whole tank after doing water changes, till I learned I should be only adding the water conditioner to the water I'm adding in the bucket, instead of the whole tank. 

So I've been just adding the water conditioner to the bucket for a while now. I have not added anything else to the tank.

Feels like I'm doing something wrong.

When I first started the tank I didn't do any water changes, or change the filter for about 2 months. I originally had 3 tiger barbs, 2 died within 2 weeks which I figured would happen anyways. I did not add anymore fish for about 3 months I would say, and I just added a pleco. 
When I told the guy at the pet store my water was cloudy he told me I should replace the filter cartridge (which now I have learned, don't touch the filter or trust pet store employees.) and do 10% water changes every other day till it clears up. So I did do that, and it did clear up for about 3 days and went right back to the way it was. 

I got advice not to change the filter and don't do any water changes until it clears up. Just adding water to the tank when it evaporates. I did that for a month and a half and didn't clear up at all. 

I'm about ready just to take all the water out and start over.


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## phlyergirl (Nov 6, 2011)

A trick my LFS uses when everything seems to be right except the water is cloudy (meaning it's well cycled so it shouldn't be bacterial bloom) is to put a coffee filter in front of the filter cartridge.


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