Dusty Water

[Gypsy5]

Hi all, hope someone can help me.

We have a 6ft community tank that has suddenly turned very cloudy/dusty - you can actually see very fine dusty particles in the water. It's got an orange/brown tinge to it. The tank has an undergravel filter as well as two small internal filters and has been set up for well over a year.

The pH is usually low (around 6.2) because of bogwood but is currently at 7.4+ which is really strange for this tank. Ammonia 0, Nitrite 0 and Nitrate 40 (which is higher than normal. All fish have been fine except today I've noticed one or two of them flicking (but only a little and mildly) which I assume is something to do with the dust in the water.

The gravel is vacuumed every week when a 25% water change is carried out. On Sunday we did a 50% water change because the water was so bad - you can't see to the back of the tank and then yesterday we did another 20%. The only thing I've changed recently is I removed some fish to take them to the shop and their food was changed to Sera Vipagran as I was given a free tub. The cloudy water started a few days after I started feeding that (usually feed flake) and the colour of the water seemed to match the colour of the food. I stopped feeding that from yesterday and the colour does seem a little paler today, although not much, but it is still extremely dusty and cloudy in there.

Does anyone have any ideas on this please?

Thank you for reading.

 

[fatheadminnow]

I think you answered your own question...lol.

I think the food may be the problem?

How often do you clean your internal filters?

-FHM

 

[Gypsy5]

Internal filters are usually cleaned once a week in water from the tank. I am really hoping it's just the food. I have noticed that my other tanks have browny/orangey water too but are still very clear. Could food affect pH levels too cos we've never had a reading this high from this tank before?

Will keep doing small, regular water changes to see if it improves. Thanks for the reply.

 

[fatheadminnow]

I would not think food would change pH?

If you have wood in your other tanks, the wood would release tannins that would make the tank water have a tea color to it.

I think the new food caused your tank water to do what it is doing.

-FHM

 

[karin]

This coming from a total newbie but I had the same thing, looked like dust that just wasn't being filtered out. I finally got some polishing material for my filter and wow what a difference, cleared up the dust.

 

[fatheadminnow]

Yup, filter floss is a good polish, and I run it in my tanks.

However, the OP's water did this the day the OP put in the new food.

-FHM

 

[Gypsy5]

Well, I changed the food but it's no better in there. Put carbon in the water yesterday and some of that accu-clear but nothig has changed. Have just done a 25-30% water change.

Funny thing is that the snails (pests) are starting to die off in there now.... Fish seem ok though.