# Cloudy Water



## cohenge (May 18, 2011)

My brother thought he was doing a good deed on my 55 gallon tank by doing a water change and replacing the filters. Now my tank is cloudy, I put some quick start and prime in tank. How long should it take to cycle? This was done on 10/6. Please Help


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## oyster dog (Jul 2, 2013)

What are your ammonia, nitrite and nitrate readings?


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## cohenge (May 18, 2011)

Ammonia is .25 ppm everything else is fine


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## cohenge (May 18, 2011)

can't anyone help me on this?


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## notchback65 (Apr 3, 2013)

What type of media was in the filter?
Was the media rinsed properly?
Did he possibly feed them for you and maybe overfed them?


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## cohenge (May 18, 2011)

No that were not over fed I use the whisper power filter media . Media was rinsed properly has far as I lnow


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## GTZ (Apr 21, 2010)

cohenge said:


> Ammonia is .25 ppm everything else is fine


Define 'fine'. One persons 'fine' can be different from another persons 'fine'. :wink:
What's in the tank?
Often, cloudiness will take care of itself after a few days. If your water parameters are ok (0 ammonia, 0 nitrite and detectable nitrate) and your fish aren't behaving abnormally, then it will likely sort itself out.


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## cohenge (May 18, 2011)

I have African Cichlids in the 55 gallon tank. Nitrates 0 Nittries 0 the water has been cloudy since 10/6.


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## notchback65 (Apr 3, 2013)

Do you have sand substrate?
If so when my fish dig a lot,it will cloud up my water a bit.


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## cohenge (May 18, 2011)

No sand. Coral and rocks


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## GTZ (Apr 21, 2010)

There should be a detectable level of nitrate if the tank is cycled. Cloudiness is often the result of a heterotrophic bacteria over abundance stemming from an increase in organics in the tank (decomposing food or fish, etc).
Sometimes a heterotrophic bloom will go hand in hand with a nitrifying bacteria bloom (which isn't cloudy). 
So, if your cycle has had a setback, your options are to wait it out while performing smallish daily water changes to keep ammonia and nitrite at or near 0ppm while dosing a detoxifying agent, like Seachem Prime, or, obtain some seeded filter media from a healthy mature tank to add to your filters, or, add a bottled product such as Dr. Tim's One and Only, or Tetra SafeStart to speed up the cycling process.


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## cohenge (May 18, 2011)

I have added quick start & prime, since 10/6 and my tank does not seem to be going thru a cycle yet? Any ideas why it is taking so long?


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## Iggy Newcastle (May 15, 2012)

How long was the tank set up and running before your brother made changes?

Was the tank cycled in the past? If he replaced all the filter media, you'd kind of be starting from scratch. Could take as along as 6 weeks...


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## cohenge (May 18, 2011)

This tank has been up and running for a couple of years, first time ever having problems cycling tank.


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## GTZ (Apr 21, 2010)

Retest nitrate, there should be a positive reading. If the tank has been running for a couple of years and the only changes made recently were swapped filter cartridges, I would think there should be sufficient nitrifying bacteria elsewhere in the tank, substrate, etc., to maintain the bio load.


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## cohenge (May 18, 2011)

I test my water everyday, and this is what I have:
Ammonia .25
Nitrites 0
Nitrates 0

Not sure what else to do.


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## Iggy Newcastle (May 15, 2012)

This:


> your options are to wait it out while performing smallish daily water changes to keep ammonia and nitrite at or near 0ppm while dosing a detoxifying agent, like Seachem Prime, or, obtain some seeded filter media from a healthy mature tank to add to your filters, or, add a bottled product such as Dr. Tim's One and Only, or Tetra SafeStart to speed up the cycling process.


I vote for using Dr. Tim's. Gonna cost you about $50-60 to get it next day air, but will take care of your issues.


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## Tyler_James_L (Jun 19, 2013)

A cause of cloudiness is fine particles in the water, micro bubbles in the water, or a bloom of heterotrophic bacteria. I am sure there are many other causes, but I thought I would mention that.


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