Cloudy Water?

[GouramiGirl87]

I have a 20 gallon established tank. All of the sudden the water has gotten cloudy. I have two small angels and an algae eater. This happened last week but went away. Now its back, is it something serious? I did a water change yesterday, cleaned out my pump and put a new filter in. Should I wait a day or so? HELP!

 

[WILDER]

Plec are big waste producers, i would see if the new filter clears it up, you did use your old sponges from the old fitler.

 

[GouramiGirl87]

Plec are big waste producers, i would see if the new filter clears it up, you did use your old sponges from the old fitler.

but my chinese algae eater is only 4 or 5 in long? But that may very well possibly be the problem. and no its a all brand new filter

 

[WILDER]

Ok, but are you still running your old one, as a brand new filter and sponges you will be cycling again.

 

[GouramiGirl87]

well everything is brand new, new media, everything, i threw out the old one. if i understand what you are saying

 

[WILDER]

Shouldnt of done that, the tank will have to cycle again then.

 

[three-fingers]

Yep, its not the actual filter that cleans the water, its the bacteria inside. If you put in a new filter, or clean out the sponge of the old one with tap water all the good bacteria will be lost, so all the dirty rubbish in the water can be eaten by other 'bad' bacteria, which is what is clouding the water .

One other thing, you cant really keep the Chinese algae eater and the angels in the same tank. Although it seem ok now, the Chinese algae eater will become more aggressive as time goes on and he gets bigger. Soon he will stop eating algae and will suck the slime coats off your angel fish and probably kill them.

Someone i knew had angels and a Chinese algae eater for years perfectly fine together, but eventually the Chinese algae eater got them both .

 

[GouramiGirl87]

But this started before I changed my filter, that is what prompted it, b/c my filter change was slightly over due. And i've always changed the whole filter.