cloudy water. what to do?

loopy

loopy

Member
Cleaned the tank today, did a water change. All parm's fine, just where they should be. Salinity too.
I still have cloudy water. I have changed the carbons also.
What's up with the cloudy water, it's been like this for a couple weeks???
If you tell me bacteria bloom or algae bloom, please explain and are the good or bad...???
Thanks. Frustrated..........aaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhh:confused:
 
molamola

molamola

Member
When you do these changes, how much water are you taking out? Are you vacuuming the sand, mixing your own salt, rinsing out your filter sponges? How do you go about pouring the new water back into the tank?
 
dskidmore

dskidmore

Active Member

Originally posted by Loopy
If you tell me bacteria bloom or algae bloom, please explain and are the good or bad...???
If that is the problem, it shows excessive nutrients in your water, wonderful for many macroalgaes, horrible for invertabrates (including corals.) If that's the problem, additional water changes may help, but make sure to not stir up the sand or crushed coral in any way, as there may be more stuff in there to cloud up the water.
In addition to MolaMola's questions, I'd like to know what kind of substrate you have, how often you clean the tank normally, and are any of your fish showing signs of stress during this cloudy period?
 
loopy

loopy

Member
The clown fish is acting funny. He stays with his head up, in the corner of the tank for long periods of time, then he goes back to acting normal. All other fish seem fine.
I change 5 gallons a week, I mix my own salt and I have cc for subtrate. It has been cloudy for a couple weeks....it was stinky, but someone adviced me to us activated carbon, and I did and that took care of the smell. It might be clear for a day, then it's back to cloudy. ????????? BTW I have a pitcher just for the tank and I pour the water in very slowly, not making a big disturbance, after it's mixed and the salt is completely disolved.
 
scubadoo

scubadoo

Active Member
Regarding the two types of bloom...bacteria bloom can be serious. IT can be caused by excessive cleaning of subtrate and filter media (changing) and copper or atibiotic usage in the aquarium. ALso an idication of a nutrient problem. If you water is a white/milky color is is probably a bacteria bloom...the more serious of the two.
You need to send me your address again as I lost it along with your email. I have been trying to locate the one piece that needs replaced so the bak-pak skimmer will work for you. The skimmer can help witha nutrient problem. Idiot@c2i2.com
 
scubadoo

scubadoo

Active Member
I missed the stinky water...sounds like a nutrient problem...but it could be compounded if you clean/change all your filter media at once.
 
loopy

loopy

Member
just noticed, with the changing of the season's coming now and the days getting longer, it get's about 10 minutes of sunlight, filtered, a day. Will have to pull the blinds on that window. Very small window, very small amount of sunlight, doubt it hurts...or not???
So I should stagger the carbon changes and cleaning?
scuba.........email,
lindapaints@hotmail.com
 
ophiura

ophiura

Active Member
How long do you mix your water?
Do you test for the alkalinity/pH in your tank versus your mix water?
Do you dose with calcium additives of any sort?
Do you use RO water?
Do you mix up the substrate or siphon it at all?
The cloudiness only starts after the new water is added? Or is it during cleaning at all?
I don't think that amount of sunlight is a major factor.
 
scubadoo

scubadoo

Active Member
Loopy...I found the collection cup O ring that the bak-pak skimmer will need. I found the part on a website...it is 1.95 but with shipping it comse to $7.90. I will still give you the skimmer if you want to purchase the O ring...let me know. It is useless without the O ring as this hols the cup in place and is used to adjust the height. idiot@c2i2.com
Sorry to post this here but I have been having issues with email and sometimes I cannot send.
Thanks...hope ya'll understand.
 
scubadoo

scubadoo

Active Member
Yes, you should always stagger your filter media maintenance. This is where your bilogical filter lives as well as the ******** surfaces in your aquarium.
I know you used copper in the past which probably damaged your bilogical filter. THe smelly water also indicates a nutrient build up as the tank should not stink.
Hard to pin point what is going on but it could be a combination of things. If the cloudiness is greenish then you have an algae bloom..if milky white then it COULD be a bacteria bloom. Since you have cc and your tank has been set-up for a while I do not think it is caused by dirty/new or cc "turnover" from maintenance. ...but you need to answer some of the earlier q's from others.
10 minutes of indirect/filtered sunlight should not cause your problem.
You may want to check your copper level to make sure none has released back from the CC, LR, silicone.
I do not recall what type of filtration you are running.
 
jeffro63

jeffro63

Member
if the o ring is missing on your collection cup instead of spending $8 try putting a wide rubber band around it ........... basically the same thing or you can try an auto parts store and bring the cup along to find one that fits around the cup snuggly
 
scubadoo

scubadoo

Active Member
O ring is not missing just dried out and will no longer hold the cup in place. Up to Loopy if she wants to deal with the O ring or pass. The skimmer with in my garage and the arid desert climate dried the O ring out. Let me know Loop what you want me to do. I am still willing to sen d it if you want to deal with the O ring.
 
loopy

loopy

Member
I don't even know how to set the thing up...lol. Does it have diretions????? I'm not good with mechanical stuff so to speak...lol.
 
ophiura

ophiura

Active Member

Originally posted by Loopy
The water is crystal clear today btw. Go figure.
We'd really like to try too...
Do you add any additives, do you have alk/pH and calcium readings, how do you mix water, how do you go about with the water changes, etc?
 
loopy

loopy

Member
Scuba, don't worry about it so much, why don't you sell it and get some cash? Hey, we would have been coming to madison had we gone to regional youth wrestling today...and then off course if my son finished 1st or 2nd to qualify for state. State is in madison on Easter weekend....what a stupid time for a state youth wrestling tournament...???!!!! But, he is sick, so no wrestling today, and therefor, no state. Pretty upset 12 year old on my hands.........gonna be a really fun day. Yep. uh hu. Some one shoot me now please. lol:jumping:
 
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