Bacterial Bloom

[Dieses Madchen]

Is it normal to have bacterial bloom on a well established tank? My 40g has been setup for 8 months now. Water params: Ammon: 0 Nitrite: 0 Nitrate: 20

Its becoming cloudy the past few days. I will admit, I am 2 days over my normal weekly water change. Just havent had the time, but I have been making sure the water params are good. Ive been late on water changes before, but i have never ended up with a cloudy tank. Nothing new going on, no new chemicals. Just cloudy water bacterial bloom I am assuming and I dont like it.

 

[Fishy friend2]

i have never heard of it happening on an established tank, are you sure that it is a bacterial bloom?

 

[DevotedToDiscus]

Is it a milky white cloudy, or yellow/green?

 

[Dieses Madchen]

like a whitish cloudy. Its not algae. My tank is only on 6 hours a day

Could it be from the cories I added? I forgot to mention I just got some new cories. filter playing a bit of catchup?

 

[DevotedToDiscus]

Is more common than you might think in a tank that is established and running fine. So doubt it has anything to do with your Corys. Do you have gravel? If so give it a super good vacuum, as this can often be the cause. A build up of waste deep in the gravel can spark it. Normally only lasts a week or two max.

 

[Dieses Madchen]

i switched to sand about a week and a half ago. Before I added sand, i scrubbed the tank out really well with hot water.

 

[DevotedToDiscus]

i switched to sand about a week and a half ago. Before I added sand, i scrubbed the tank out really well with hot water.

OK. I think the only answer is to keep up your regular water changes and just let it pass. I've had it occasionally in the past, but it never lasts more than a few days, and then suddenly it has gone. I don't believe it harms fish. Maybe up the air a bit, just to be on the safe side. Sorry I can't give you a better answer, but that's all the information my brain can store at once.....it's very small you know

 

[Dieses Madchen]

My fish seem happy enough. Its just ugly I am pretty sure its bacterial bloom. I have never had an algae problem as I only run my light a few hours a day. Most of the light the fishtank gets is natural light that is not directly on the tank.

 

[DevotedToDiscus]

My fish seem happy enough. Its just ugly I am pretty sure its bacterial bloom. I have never had an algae problem as I only run my light a few hours a day. Most of the light the fishtank gets is natural light that is not directly on the tank.

Am sure it is bacterial. Algae blooms are pretty obvious, and will look worse late in the day and better in the morning. I think you are going to have to ride it out, and let it take its course. Extra water changes might help speed up its demise......... Die you nasty bacteria, or else we will call a jihad against you !

 

[snazy]

Heterotrophic Bacteria bloom possibly, common when there is a lot of waste present(maybe lack of water changes or good syphoning as they live in the substrate)
It is common in established tanks when the right conditions are present and it takes over the available surfaces from the good Autotrophic Nitrosomonas and Nitrospiras. Does you tank glass has a whitish look on it?


Edit:
Presuming this is the case, it is not harmfull to fish, but if this type of bacteria reproduces at very fast rates(less than 30min) and although it converts ammonia and nitrites, it does it at super slow rates compared to the autotrophic bacteria and competes for oxygen and surface with it, which may cause sudden water quality problems.

 

[Dieses Madchen]

I know what bacterial bloom is. Just never had it happen though.

And it ended up not being the case. It was slight algae mixed with leaches tannins from my new wood. The light made it look strange to me. The tank is fine now.

Sun shining too low in the back window on the tank. I stopped using the lights during the day so now it is only seeing the natural sunlight.

 

[Crossfire]

If water changes don't fix it, try using Seachem Purigen in your filter. If its not algae, it'll suck it up. Purigen removes any waterborne organic waste and makes for crystal clear water

 

[Dieses Madchen]

I use Algone Works like a charm. Clears out everything. When it didn't I thought algae, dosed with API Algaefix. Tank is looking good again. It was very strange to me as I never have issues with my tanks. Never had cloudy water, except when I switched to sand. I clean my sand at least once a week.

 

[Crossfire]

I use Algone Works like a charm. Clears out everything. When it didn't I thought algae, dosed with API Algaefix. Tank is looking good again. It was very strange to me as I never have issues with my tanks. Never had cloudy water, except when I switched to sand. I clean my sand at least once a week.

I thought algaefix kills off live plants and invertabrates At least, thats what the label says. That's why I recommended purigen

 

[Dieses Madchen]

I do not have live plants or invertabrates I havent planted to wood yet. So far,t he wood is the only real thing in the tank. Everything else is artificial.