# cloudy water



## cichlidfiend (Jan 28, 2011)

well ive had my 40 gallon tall tank since xmas...its been cleaned very well. I have a 40-60 gallon power filter and an elite heater and bubble bar. the first week the water was clear my oscar did well and is still doing well even with cloudy water..i must have researched how to fix this for hours on end and i finally did i fifty percent water change, waited for a week cleaned out one of the filter pads and replaced the carbon in it, slowed down his feeding and i try keeping the light off a little longer now. the tank has cleared up alot and it is looking much better but is still a little cloudy...what should i do?


----------



## M1ster Stanl3y (Dec 10, 2010)

White cloudy or green? White its bacteria. Did you cycle your tank before adding fish? Green it s algae.


----------



## NeonShark666 (Dec 13, 2010)

Your tank hasn't finished cycling yet. The reason the water is cloudy is from a bacteria bloom, probably caused by the waste your Ocsar generates and/or the food you feed him. Don't start cycling with a large fish like an Oscar. Small Clouds or Danios are much better. Female Bettas also work well. Floating or rooted plants should be in your tank. They help with the cycling process.


----------



## jrman83 (Jul 9, 2010)

You need to get a liquid test kit and test for ammonia. You need to track what is going on with your tank during the cycle and testing is the only way to do that. It will keep you from losing fish.


----------



## peteyboyny (Oct 18, 2010)

maybe this will help a little...
Tips for Cycling Your New Aquarium - The First Tank Guide - Getting Your Fish Tank Up and Running with Minimal Headaches


----------



## Gizmo (Dec 6, 2010)

There are two possible causes for your cloudy water.

1. Bacteria bloom from the establishment of a nitrogen cycle.
2. Green water-borne algae.

Ways to tell:
1. Turn off your tank light but keep the room lit. Look into the tank. If the water has a greenish hue it is algae. If it is brown or just plain murky, it is bacteria.
2. Get a water testing kit. Test for ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate. If you see elevated levels (greater than 1 ppm) of ammonia and/or nitrate, it's a good indicator that bacteria is colonizing your tank that will consume the ammonia and/or nitrite and turn it into nitrate.

IF you test positive for ammonia and/or nitrite, hit us up for further instructions on how to take care of and facilitate your tank's nitrogen cycle establishment. The bacteria bloom is perfectly natural and harmless and will clear in time.

However...

IF the tank has a green water problem (which I suspect, being that you've had fish in there awhile and the tank has been running a month), you need to do a blackout. Here's the dig - 

Algae is microbial. It is very light-hungry and nutrient-hungry. If either are in abundance, it will thrive. The easiest way to eliminate green water is to do a complete blackout. Turn off the light and cover your tank with a black plastic garbage bag to shut out ALL light. This will starve the algae, kill it, and your filter will do the rest. Plants aren't hurt nearly as bad as the algae and might yellow a bit, but overall they will be fine. Typical durations for a blackout are 5-7 days, only allowing for feeding. If you have an air bubbler in there your fish will be fine for oxygen, but if not I would consider getting one. They're cheap, and are useful in many ways.


----------



## corE3105 (Jan 26, 2011)

don't clean/replace the filter and its media either, until maybe 6 weeks


----------



## jrman83 (Jul 9, 2010)

Green water is hard to tell and even harder when you turn out the light. Stick the tip of a white towel in the tank, if its an algae bloom the towel should show it. I have had my tank cloud up a number of times and it has never been algae.

Once you do get testing supplies, preferrably liquid type, test your tap for ammonia also.


----------



## Gizmo (Dec 6, 2010)

jrman83 said:


> Stick the tip of a white towel in the tank, if its an algae bloom the towel should show it.


^+1


----------



## susankat (Nov 15, 2008)

just put some of the water in a white cup and you can tell that way.


----------



## cichlidfiend (Jan 28, 2011)

i did the white towel trick and the cup but its not green..


----------



## cichlidfiend (Jan 28, 2011)

and should i try and move the fish to another aquarium or leave them


----------



## jrman83 (Jul 9, 2010)

Can you test your water for ammonia or not?


----------



## cichlidfiend (Jan 28, 2011)

well i cant at the moment but i do small water changes twice a week...and it gets better every week. i screwed up with the fish while cycling but i really want this to work.


----------



## jrman83 (Jul 9, 2010)

Leave the fish in the tank if you are doing regular water changes. Just watch them. If they are looking stressed, do a water change. You really need to get a test kit for at least ammonia. I'd recommend the API master freshwater kit however. It will allow you to test for ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, and ph. All you need really.


----------

