# Cloudy Water



## mambee (Apr 13, 2003)

I posted this issue once before under Equipment & Supplies when I was contemplating adding a U/V system.

I have a 150 gallon tank that has been setup 10 years with the following stocking:
1 Uaru
4 Geophagus Surinamensis types
2 Severums
4 Silver Dollars
1 Angelfish
2 Striped Raphael Catfish

The problem is that my water has gotten very murky.

I have 2 canisters running: Eheim 2080 and Eheim 2028. The lighting is low power Beamworks LEDs. I perform 40% water changes every week.

The water used to get cloudy after the water changes and then clear up over the next several days. Now it is so murky that I can barely see the fish when they are in the back.

Am I causing mini-cycles by the large water changes and should I try skipping a week to see if it helps or should I do more water changes until the water clears?

Otherwise the water quality must be fine because my Severums are going through the motions of spawning.

Mike


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## 13razorbackfan (Sep 28, 2011)

Could be many things..doing large water changes won't cause mini cycles because the nitrifying bacteria needed for ammonia conversion are not in your water column. You say you just switched lights? Were you having issues before you changed lights? If not what were you using before? You may have algae die off or algae bloom depending on what you were using and what you went to.

Also....could be heterotrophic bacteria bloom....when was the last time you did a very thorough gravel vacuuming and cleaning of your filters?

One thing you could do...clean filters in old tank water....good gravel vacuum.....and large water change.....75% or around there and then try not feeding for a couple of days and see what happens.


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## mambee (Apr 13, 2003)

I had twin bulb flourescents before and had the problem then.

My substrate is 3M ColorQuartz and my Geos are constantly turning it over. I don't have to vacuum it because the filters don't let anything settle.

I cleaned my 2080 2 weeks ago and used aquarium water to rinse the media.


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## 13razorbackfan (Sep 28, 2011)

mambee said:


> I had twin bulb flourescents before and had the problem then.
> 
> My substrate is 3M ColorQuartz and my Geos are constantly turning it over. I don't have to vacuum it because the filters don't let anything settle.
> 
> I cleaned my 2080 2 weeks ago and used aquarium water to rinse the media.


Have you changed your food or increased feedings? Anything else you can think of? When was the last time you replaced your filter pads or whatever you use for filter media? Maybe it is worn down? Just spit balling here.


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## mambee (Apr 13, 2003)

I haven't changed anything. The only strange thing that I have noticed is that the waste in the canisterf filter is white instead of black organic matter.


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## 13razorbackfan (Sep 28, 2011)

mambee said:


> I haven't changed anything. The only strange thing that I have noticed is that the waste in the canisterf filter is white instead of black organic matter.


Have you tried new filter media to see if that makes a difference?


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## mambee (Apr 13, 2003)

The big Eheim is only 2 years old.


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## 13razorbackfan (Sep 28, 2011)

mambee said:


> The big Eheim is only 2 years old.


Like I mentioned earlier...I am just throwing out suggestions. I don't know for sure what is going on. I would just try and narrow it down one thing at a time. When you clean your eheim canisters do they look as though they are still trapping all your debris/waste? The eheim 2080 is rated for 425(?)gph and the 2028 is 250gph? Are you positive you have enough filtration and that you are not getting a buildup of organics causing either a heterotrophic or algae bloom?

What size are your fish? How deep is your substrate? Even though your fish dig through it you might have some build up of organics. A heterotrophic bloom should be only temporary especially if you are not doing major water changes frequently. So it should have cleared up fairly quickly. If it is staying cloudy for extended periods of time you may be suffering from not enough filtration depending on the size of your fish load. That is why I ask their size.

Has me a bit puzzled seeing how nothing has really changed and it has been set up for 10 years. Just trying to help you narrow it down some.


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## DanniGirl (Jan 25, 2007)

13razorbackfan said:


> What size are your fish? How deep is your substrate? Even though your fish dig through it you might have some build up of organics. A heterotrophic bloom should be only temporary especially if you are not doing major water changes frequently. So it should have cleared up fairly quickly. If it is staying cloudy for extended periods of time you may be suffering from not enough filtration depending on the size of your fish load. That is why I ask their size.


I think *13razorbackfan* is on the right track. Try a thorough tank cleaning. Remove all the rocks and thoroughly vacuum the substrate and see if the water clears.


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## 702Cichlid (Feb 28, 2010)

As an aside, fish that are constantly turning over sand can bury feces pretty easily keeping them from getting into the filter. I concur with *13razorbackfan* and *DanniGirl* that giving the sand a really thorough cleaning is probably a good idea.

You could try reducing the amount of food you're giving for a while and see if that has any effect on the cloudiness.

I'd also probably test your water. It's better to know your parameters are good (or bad) than to simply guess using fish behavior as your only empirical data.


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## mambee (Apr 13, 2003)

The only thing that has really changed over the years is that I have less fish but they are much larger. The Uaru is abou 10" and the Geos are 6". I used to have 2 Eheim 2028s but upgraded 1 to a 2080 because the water was never crystal clear, but it wasn't cloudy.

I also added some new driftwood, which is probably part of the problem. The sand is white and definitely not dirty. It is about 4" deep along the perimeter because of all the digging.

I'll have to test the water.


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## 13razorbackfan (Sep 28, 2011)

mambee said:


> The only thing that has really changed over the years is that I have less fish but they are much larger. The Uaru is abou 10" and the Geos are 6". I used to have 2 Eheim 2028s but upgraded 1 to a 2080 because the water was never crystal clear, but it wasn't cloudy.
> 
> I also added some new driftwood, which is probably part of the problem. The sand is white and definitely not dirty. It is about 4" deep along the perimeter because of all the digging.
> 
> I'll have to test the water.


Yep....driftwood could very well be causing part of the problem.


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## tin man (Dec 26, 2011)

Drift wood is lickly the cause where did you get it? If you brought it in directly from a lake river or pond without cleanning it with beach you most likely have an algi bloom.

If it is oak walnut hickory or red ceader it may be tanis.

The white debree in the filter sounds like bacteria od dead algi.

I would remove the drift wood and see if it clears up, do a few water changes and give it time.


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## mambee (Apr 13, 2003)

The wood is mopani but the white cloudy water problem predates the addition of the wood. I did 3 days of 40 percent water changes and the tank looks a bit better. As I stated previously, the water was always cloudy after water changes but would clear up. This doesn't happen anymore. Someone once before mentioned phosphates being a problem. I don't have this problem with my 90 gallon as the water is nice and clear. This tank is heavily planted.


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## 13razorbackfan (Sep 28, 2011)

mambee said:


> The wood is mopani but the white cloudy water problem predates the addition of the wood. I did 3 days of 40 percent water changes and the tank looks a bit better. As I stated previously, the water was always cloudy after water changes but would clear up. This doesn't happen anymore. Someone once before mentioned phosphates being a problem. I don't have this problem with my 90 gallon as the water is nice and clear. This tank is heavily planted.


Yes....the heavily planted tank will absorb the nitrates and phosphates.


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## mambee (Apr 13, 2003)

I can't add any plants because of my Uaru.

I was thinking that I'd like to add hanging planters, like those used in ripariums, inside the tank on the back with philodendrons or peace lilies growing out of the tank.

Has anyone done anything like this?


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