# Cloudy water



## Ana6 (Nov 11, 2011)

Hi, 

I have a new 10 gallon housing 1 male betta. The set-up is almost 2 weeks old. 

I did not cycle the tank before adding my fish, but ammonia, nitrate and nitrite all still measure zero or close to it. Planning to do fequent water changes as they go up. 

Ph is 7.2, water temp is 80 degrees. Gravel substrate, some fake plants, some rocks from the LFS, and some white quartz from an old aquarium. I also added a grey-colored fish aquarium ornament that I got at a discount store.

Yesterday I noticed the water looked cloudy. I`ve pulled out the ornament and put it in a separate bowl of water to see if it turns the new water cloudy. I like the ornament and hope it isn`t the problem. 

I did a partial water change. Marginally clearer water, but not perfect. 

Could this be bacteria? White quartz rocks? Other ideas or advice?

merci beaucoup.


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## beaslbob (May 29, 2009)

the cloudiness is the products of the fish wastes and food reacting with light to crreate a "smog".

I would add some live plants especially anacharis to consume those wastes.

then kill the lights and stop adding food for a few days until the water clears.

After then use reduced duration lighting and lighter feeding so the plants thrive but the water remains clear.


my .02


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## Ana6 (Nov 11, 2011)

Thanks. If if was waste though, wouldn`t I have an ammonia/nitrate/nitrite reading?


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## beaslbob (May 29, 2009)

Ana6 said:


> Thanks. If if was waste though, wouldn`t I have an ammonia/nitrate/nitrite reading?


Probably but not necessairly.

the cloudiness itself could be fully consuming those things.


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## meBNme (Oct 7, 2011)

When did you last test the water, and how often are you testing it?


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## Ana6 (Nov 11, 2011)

I have an ammonia monitor on the tank. It has never registered anything, so I thought it might be defective. Last night I bought test strips for nitrate and nitrite and they registered zero.


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## Ana6 (Nov 11, 2011)

He is getting fed 6 pellets a day, plus a frozen bloodworm. 

Sometimes he misses a pellet, so a few may have dropped onto the gravel, but not more than 5 -6 total I think.


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## meBNme (Oct 7, 2011)

Ah! There's the problem.

Strips are about as accurate as your local weather man.

Many of the "pet stores" also use strips. 
Get yourself a reliable kit, like API freshwater test kit.

Those other methods are like using an old half dead dog with nose plugs to sniff out the trsil of a butterfly.


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## beaslbob (May 29, 2009)

Ana6 said:


> He is getting fed 6 pellets a day, plus a frozen bloodworm.
> 
> Sometimes he misses a pellet, so a few may have dropped onto the gravel, but not more than 5 -6 total I think.


that is way overfeeding.

Part of my lights out is also to suspend all feeding. For this very reason.

Kill the lights and stop feeding until the tank clears.

Add some plants then feed a single pellet per day.


I had a betta in a 1g bowl shapped like a fish. With a peace lilly on top and the roots hanging down into the water. And later just some lucky bamboo. I fed a single pellet each day. and no water changes but did replace evaporative water.

the tank stayed clear, the plants grew, and the betta lived for over 3 years.


*old dude


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## jrman83 (Jul 9, 2010)

Bacteria blooms will cloud a tank with or without light...they are photo-reactive, but FW aquarium lighting has no effect. Specialized bulbs in reef aquaria that emit UV or near UV light should remain off during this time, but doesn't crossover to a FW tank.


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## majerah1 (Oct 29, 2010)

How big are the pellets?A young betta can nom a good amount at a single feeding.One pellet a day is simply not enough,IMO.

A bettas stomache is as big as his eye,but if he can eat all the pellets and not become bloated,then let him eat.Him being in such a nice tank he will easily spend the energy by moving about.My bettas eat about that amount,but the pelets are small,so it does go by size of the food.On the bloodworms though.I wouldnt feed them daily.Pick one day,and feed him a few instead of the pellets.Dont feed both he doesnt need them.

To me it sounds like a bacterial bloom which is normal for a tank going through a cycle.It would be in his best interest to get some easy live plants,to help with the wastes,and also provide your little guy some place to get away.Bettas love plants,especially brad leaves to rest on.The plants I like for mine are java moss,java fern cryptocorne wendtii,anubias nana,anubias petit,wisteria,and dwarf lilies.The bettas like to lay between the leaves of the lilies and they provide a great place to nest.

Also I would raise the temp up to 84.All my bettas are much happier at that temp and it helps keep the immune system up,so they are able to fight diseases better.


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## Ana6 (Nov 11, 2011)

I got a plant. It is in a quarantine bowl for the moment, but I'll add it after a few days. 

Three betta pellets in the morning and three at night did not seem like a lot to me. It is in line with this betta blog: Feeding Bettas | Betta Fish Care

But, I am scaling back. 

Thanks everyone.


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## Underwater City (Nov 6, 2011)

beaslbob said:


> that is way overfeeding.
> 
> Part of my lights out is also to suspend all feeding. For this very reason.
> 
> ...


beaslbob:

If you have a planted tank, (I have 10 plants), how many days can you keep the lights off without the plants starting to wilt or die? That's my only concern with shutting the lights out completely for days until the water clears.

I have read that fish can last a week without being fed, (not that they act like it every time they see me), but I feel confident they will be fine for a few days. It's just the plants I'm worried about.

Is 3 days too long? Is 5 days too long? 

And while I'm killing these lights, am I still doing my water changes? If I do a water change once a week at 25%, and keeping the lights off and not feeding fish....is there a guess how many days it would take for the water to become crystal clear again?

I did this for two days when you told me to but started to worry about the plants so turned on one light for them. I still have slightly cloudy water. I'm willing to keep them completely off and not feed fish for a few days if you say that the plants will not die without light for 3-5 days or a week or whatever.

Thanks.


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## beaslbob (May 29, 2009)

Underwater City said:


> beaslbob:
> 
> If you have a planted tank, (I have 10 plants), how many days can you keep the lights off without the plants starting to wilt or die? That's my only concern with shutting the lights out completely for days until the water clears.
> 
> ...


 the idea is the algae/chano in the water dies off very rapidly vrs the plants. plants can "hang in there' for weeks then fully recover once the lights have returned. Besides there is always some ambient lights to help as well. In my most recent case, the only light the tank received was direct sunlight with no artificial lights at all. So I wrapped the tank in black plastic to stop all sun light. The water remain cloudy for 3 weeks until I stopped adding food. Then cleared up in a week. the plants did not grow much during that time but did resume growing once the lights returned.


> And while I'm killing these lights, am I still doing my water changes? If I do a water change once a week at 25%, and keeping the lights off and not feeding fish....is there a guess how many days it would take for the water to become crystal clear again?


 I do no water changes ever. Usually the tank clears up in less then a week despite my most recent experience.


> I did this for two days when you told me to but started to worry about the plants so turned on one light for them. I still have slightly cloudy water. I'm willing to keep them completely off and not feed fish for a few days if you say that the plants will not die without light for 3-5 days or a week or whatever.
> 
> Thanks.


If the water is only slightly cloudy try turning the lights on only half duration. It will probably continue to clear. The idea is to find the light duration and feeding where the water stays clear, algae does not appear yet the plant grow. Same for feeding. Cut back 50% then make adjustments.

Glad to hear it is starting to clear. the is a really good sign. IME after this first time you basically have it licked. But sometimes you have to do it again. After awhile things will just remain in balance. 

my .02


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## jrman83 (Jul 9, 2010)

Underwater City said:


> If you have a planted tank, (I have 10 plants), how many days can you keep the lights off without the plants starting to wilt or die? That's my only concern with shutting the lights out completely for days until the water clears.
> 
> I have read that fish can last a week without being fed, (not that they act like it every time they see me), but I feel confident they will be fine for a few days. It's just the plants I'm worried about.
> 
> ...


That question about how long plants can go can't really be answered, it has more to do with the plant you have than anything else. I have blacked out my tank for 5 days completely and lost about 20% of the plants. They never fully recovered and melted. Even recently lost many plants when a power outage reset my timer to zero for my lights while on vacation and they were out for about 7 days. Lost about 10-15% on that one. So it really has to do wth how delicate the plants are. Swords, Vals, Crypts, etc...your more low light plants that can grow just from ambient light will not be affected too much.


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