Cloudy Skys For All!

[Sink or Swim]

I’ve had a 126 litre tank for about 2yrs with a few livebearers, catfish and other bottom feeders. Just this last couple of weeks the tank water gets cloudy every time I add the feed, this usually consists of a pinch of Nutrafin flake and a few Pleco Wafers and the then clears again overnight. However, I have just got the tank pH levels back to a normal level from 5.0 using an Interpet pH Adjuster. Could this have any bearing on it?

 

[Squid]

5.0 that was a low PH eh

What is your filtration on the tank, and how often and how do you do your tank maintenance.. Apart from the PH.. have you checked any of the other stats for the tank, such as ammonia, nitrite and nitrate? This kind of info will help us get a clearer picture of what might be happening..

Squid

 

[Sink or Swim]

I’ve had a 126 litre tank for about 2yrs with a few livebearers, catfish and other bottom feeders. Just this last couple of weeks the tank water gets cloudy every time I add the feed, this usually consists of a pinch of Nutrafin flake and a few Pleco Wafers and the then clears again overnight. However, I have just got the tank pH levels back to a normal level from 5.0 using an Interpet pH Adjuster. Could this have any bearing on it?

Hi. I have only checked for nitrate and current level is reading 10. I aslo have a Fluval 4 filter

 

[Squid]

Your nitrates is a good level, so i presume you are doing weekly water changes of about 20-25%. Your filtration also seems ok for that size tank. That makes this a little confusing for me.. trying to think what would have affected your PH.. My PH plumeted once due to high nitrates during a fishless cycle, or the KH reduced first causing the PH to crash..

How cloudy is it going? Has there been any fish problems which might indicate high levels of ammonia or nitrites?

anyone else?

Sorry..
Squid

 

[Sink or Swim]

I’ve had a 126 litre tank for about 2yrs with a few livebearers, catfish and other bottom feeders. Just this last couple of weeks the tank water gets cloudy every time I add the feed, this usually consists of a pinch of Nutrafin flake and a few Pleco Wafers and the then clears again overnight. However, I have just got the tank pH levels back to a normal level from 5.0 using an Interpet pH Adjuster. Could this have any bearing on it?

Hi. I have only checked for nitrate and current level is reading 10. I aslo have a Fluval 4 filter

Prior to the discovery of low pH levels I did lose a number of fish due my failure to make regular checks. My tank now has had a thorough gravel clean and a substantial water change. I have (touch - wood) not lost anymore fish up to now, just this misty cloud when I add feed.
Thanks for your help anyway

Sink

 

[Squid]

When you did the big tank clean, did you clean the filter sponges.. If so, did you do that in tap or tank water? Sometime the cloudiness is due to bacterial blooms, but its odd that it happens when you add the food.

With regards to that PH changer, a lot of people would not recommend them. Its better to identify what was causing the PH change, and concentrate on trying to manage a consistent PH level. Its probably better to provide a consistent PH for the fish than to cause a big PH swing by adding some of that stuff. Your PH crash must have been down to poor water quality.

You can then look for fish that suit the PH of your water, rather than the other way around. Saying that, if the PH of the local fish shop is the same as yours, then that keeps your options fairly open.

Cheers
Squid

 

[Sink or Swim]

When you did the big tank clean, did you clean the filter sponges.. If so, did you do that in tap or tank water? Sometime the cloudiness is due to bacterial blooms, but its odd that it happens when you add the food.

With regards to that PH changer, a lot of people would not recommend them. Its better to identify what was causing the PH change, and concentrate on trying to manage a consistent PH level. Its probably better to provide a consistent PH for the fish than to cause a big PH swing by adding some of that stuff. Your PH crash must have been down to poor water quality.

You can then look for fish that suit the PH of your water, rather than the other way around. Saying that, if the PH of the local fish shop is the same as yours, then that keeps your options fairly open.

Cheers
Squid

Yes, I am aware to clean filter sponges in the tank water and you are also right with regard to finding the cause of a low pH, but until I do I have to add the smallest amount of pH adjuster to keep it at the correct level as I know it will deteriorate, in addition to that I also replace about 2” of water about every 4 days and do a small gravel clean every 3 weeks. I only clean the gravel that’s accessible without removing any furniture or plants.

That said, there are signs the cloudiness is becoming less severe - so watch this space and I will let know of any developments

Thanks
Sink