Cloudy Water After Water Changes

[FishLover66]

Hi all. This doesn't appear to be a serious issue, as my fish seem to be doing fine, but I was just wondering why an established tank (I've had it for one year) has a relatively new issue with cloudiness. This only happenes after I do a water change and it lasts for about a day then clears up.

It started a couple months back. Typically, I change about 1/3 of the water in my tank weekly with fresh tap water treated with Stress Coat Plus from API (have never had any issue with this dechlorinator and love the way it smells). I vacuum the bottom of the tank and rinse the filter contents (sponge, activated carbon, and biomax) in the dirty aquarium water and place everything back in the filter). After I've filled another bucket or two of dirty water, I replace with clean, treated tap water.

I've never had any issue with cloudiness (except when I first started my tank and then again when feeding zucchini when I first got my otos). This is a new and now regular occurance. Does anyone have any idea what might be causing this?

Thanks.

 

[DrSlackBladder]

Is your tap water cloudy. If I get a glass of water, it sometimes looks cloudy for a minute or so then clears. Otherwise I expect it's just crud that has been disturbed but not removed by the vacuum being swished around.

 

[lee420]

if you have sand it might be kicking up the sand wuen you dump the water in. if so put a plate in there and pour it onto the plate

 

[FishLover66]

I do have sand and it may just be some 'stuff' off the bottom of the tank that eventually settles.... I'll have to pay closer attention to whether the water coming out of the tap is cloudy--I don't think so though. I looks clear in the bucket and when I take a glass of water.

Plus, now that I'm thinking of it, the tank doesn't usually get cloudy WHEN I do a water change, but after a bit of time and then clears up within 24 hours. weird.