Milky White Water

[love_fish]

Hello, I've noticed my water has a little milky white tint to it. Is this just algea or something. The tnak has been cycled for a few weeks now, and it's turning a little white. Its not horrible though, I can to straight see the back with ease, but it's certainly not as clear as it should be. If this is just algea, will water changes fix this?

PS - This isn't the medicine that caused this. I noticed this color water before adding meds.

 

[sylvia]

Water changes - lots of them - will improve the situation. The cloudy water is normal for a new tank and is basicaly caused by bacteria (note that these are not the same bacteria that live in your filter/substrate and are responsible for the cycling process). This is usualy followed by a period of green water. The water should all clear in time but water changes will speed it up.

 

[love_fish]

Do you think I got another carbon bag for my filter, one thats active, will help clean this up too?

 

[steelhealr]

Sylvia is right...this is a bacterial bloom that is not uncommon in the startup weeks of a FW tank. Don't panic. You'll get a lot of recommendations including water changes.....clarifiers....meds. Avoid it all (well, except the water changes....they can only help). Be patient and just take care of your tank. I had my 'white water' for almost 2 months and then it just disappeared. Water is crystal clear. It was so bad that I bought a diatom filter. It's sat on the shelf ever since. PATIENCE...DON"T OVERFEED.....CONSISTENT WATER CHANGES....NO CHEMICALS...PATIENCE. SH

 

[love_fish]

Damn, two months! Well, is it ok to add new fish to this tank if water params are good? Will they not like the coloration of the water? Or will they be ok.

 

[Matty]

there is are 2 words that ive learned of late that will help your situation: Diatom filter.

 

[love_fish]

Damn, two months! Well, is it ok to add new fish to this tank if water params are good? Will they not like the coloration of the water? Or will they be ok.

So do you guys know if its ok to add new fish with the water a little colored?

 

[steelhealr]

The bacterial bloom is not deleterious to the fish ....just make sure your ammonia and nitrite are zero, ie, cycle is complete which you said it is. Trust me...don't waste your money on a diatom filter....they are NOT cheap and after 1 or 2 uses, you'll probably never use it again unless you are going to do 'show tanks' and polish your water. SH

 

[love_fish]

The bacterial bloom is not deleterious to the fish ....just make sure your ammonia and nitrite are zero, ie, cycle is complete which you said it is. Trust me...don't waste your money on a diatom filter....they are NOT cheap and after 1 or 2 uses, you'll probably never use it again unless you are going to do 'show tanks' and polish your water. SH

The cycle isn't complete? Yea, my ammonia and nitrite are both 0. I wasn't planning on getting another filter, I'm just going to do like 3/4 water changes throughout the week.

 

[Katchan]

75% water changes is overdoing it a bit I'd say. I'd reccomend a 25% change 2-3 times per week max until the bloom dissapears then a 25%-33% change every 7-10 days after that. Remember frequent changes are better than large changes.

Andrew

 

[Reco]

It happened in my 29G when it had finished beingcycled for only 2 weeks then BAM murky water for about a week or two but I was over feeding and had a bacterial bloom.

So I did water changes once a day and fed my fish once a day aswell.

It cleared up and has been clear ever since.You'll see it will be fine.

 

[love_fish]

75% water changes is overdoing it a bit I'd say. I'd reccomend a 25% change 2-3 times per week max until the bloom dissapears then a 25%-33% change every 7-10 days after that. Remember frequent changes are better than large changes.

Andrew

What I meant was 3 or 4 water changes. Like the slash meant or in that case. But yea, 25% changes, 4 times throught out the week. Actually, it already looks like its clearing up.