Cloudy water

[NTidd]

I've had my tank set up for a few months, and I was on vacation for a week.  My fish were over fed, I have been back for 1 week now, cleaned my tank twice and treated it.  The water has been cloudy ever since I got back and it's not getting any better.  It is a 38g tank, any ideas why it's cloudy?  Thanks.

 

[RedTurquoise]

What color is the cloudiness? Green, pea soup? Whitish Grey?

 

[NTidd]

Whitesh Gray, it's not super cloudy, the water just isn't so clear.

 

[RedTurquoise]

That be a bacteria bloom! What are your ammonia/nitrite levels?

 

[Matt Nace]

Red is right.

You need to vaccum the gravel very well, and do a nice water change.

One of those pull out the plastic plants(if you have them), rocks, decorations, and vaccum well under them.

 

[NTidd]

I already have twice.

 

[RedTurquoise]

Tell us more about your filteration system and the filter media that you use. If you could also take ammonia and nitrite tests would be helpful. Do you know if you water has chloramines or chlorine?

 

[Matt Nace]

I actually deleted this from the original post, but did you clean your filter well?

 

[NTidd]

hmm

The nitrate is about 30ppm and the ammonia is about 1.0 ppm. Also I am using a bio wheel with the activated carbon filters.

 

[RedTurquoise]

The ammonia level is one reason for the cloudiness. Bring the ammonia down via water changes or let your bio take care of it.

 

[NTidd]

Ok, I talked to someone on the fone and they told me that the tank could be recycling, or have nts because of the recent water changes.

 

[RedTurquoise]

New water changes will not develop into nts unless you are removing 'good' bacteria. If that would be the case, my discus growout tank should cycle everyday. I do 90-95% waterchanges daily. I guess it depends on your filter and where most of your bio has cultured. If in the gravel and you really vaccummed, yea, could be the case. It could be re-cycling because of the overfeeding though too.

 

[neomitrx]

Your discus tank probably does try to cycle everyday. You just don't leave the water in there long enough to notice any cloudiness.

With 95% daily waterchanges you don't need any bacteria or filter or anything else.

 

[RedTurquoise]

My bio filter works like mad in actual fact. My tap water has chloramines and I use Seachem Prime that breaks the bond between ammonia/chlorine. So, I have ammonia left and the bio takes care of it.

 

[Matt Nace]

90 to 95%

That must be a baby breeder tank?

That can't be your 90 gallon is it? You are crazy if it is.

 

[RedTurquoise]

LOL! Crazy, well yes! It is my growout tank. Only 30G though!

 

[NTidd]

asdf

My tank is back to normal now.