This Cloudy Water Is Driving Me Insane.

[FroFro]

36 Gallon bowfront with 9 fish.
 
I've been having cloudy water issues off and on for a month now. Ever since I planted my dwarf grass plugs I haven't excessively vacuumed the substrate so that's not the cause. The filter is clean, I don't overfeed my fish, I refuse to try water clarifier. 
 
I tried doing a ten percent water change every day for a week and it improved a little but would return to cloudy in a few hours. I tried leaving the water be for a week with lighter feedings to see if it would sort itself out. Nada.
 
All my fish are healthy and seem not to care about the cloudy water which is a bacterial bloom according to what I've read. I have no idea how to solve this problem
 
Could it be the plant tablets I put under the gravel for my dwarf grass? All my water parameter test strips come back normal so I am clueless as to what to do!
 
I think my betta Susan laughed at me the whole week I was doing water changes .
 
My lid has an optional cut out for another filter to be added on, do you think purchasing another one will help? I currently have Quiet Flow 30 Power Filter, Aqueon brand.

 

[BettaBettas]

if you really want the cloudy water just instantly gone, then do a 70% or large water change.

but yes another filter should help if you want it that way

 

[Ch4rlie]

if you really want the cloudy water just instantly gone, then do a 70% or large water change.

but yes another filter should help if you want it that way

 
These won't really help
 
Bacterial bloom is just that, a bacterial bloom, meaning even if you do large water changes AND fit another filter. The bloom will simply return until it has fully cycled and settled.
 
First question is simply be - have you cycled the tank or just newly set up this tank?

 

[Seanthebusdriver]

I would reccommened a UV light, it should clear it in 24hours. Because there is no chlorine in the water to kill floating bacteria they (the bacteria) will eat the microscopic bits of food in the water that the fish miss and create a bloom. A UV light will kill this non essential bacteria and no more blooms. Well it worked for me.

 

[Ch4rlie]

Have found that most, if not all, bacterial blooms tend to go away on its own accord after the tank is settled and cycled. Usually takes anything from a few days to a couple of weeks, it will go away eventually.

 

[AbbeysDad]

A decomposition bacterial bloom is most often kick started by a sudden abundance in organic matter resulting in the population explosion of bacteria, Perhaps you inadvertently stirred up the substrate when you were planting. Water changes can help. but it basically has to run it's course. I wouldn't add another filter or a UV Sterilizer to solve a temporary problem (unless you feel your system is otherwise lacking. You could also leverage a product like Seachem Purigen to trap/remove organic compounds.
HOWEVER, I think your best solution is simply patience. As the excess organic matter becomes consumed, the bacteria population will shrink back again.

 

[Byron]

Cloudy or hazy water can be due to several things.  From what you've told us, it would most likely be an organically-related bacterial bloom or diatom bloom.  I have been battling this in one of my 8 tanks for well over a year now.
 
What exactly are the "plant tablets" and how many?  This could be related.
 
There is really nothing you can do for a bacterial or diatom bloom except try to find the cause and rectify it.  However, as my experience has shown, and yours perhaps as well, this is not always easy to do, and it can be mystifying.  Water changes, but substantial ones (70-75% of the tank each time) can help, but long-term this may or may not resolve the problem, depending upon the source of the organics that is feeding the bacterial or diatom bloom.
 
Clarifiers are not a good solution as they can be harmful to fish, and anyway for this sort of issue they are just "band-aids" that don't address the problem so it will return.
 
Special filter media products like Seachem's Purigen and others may or may not work.  I used Purigen and Poly Filter, and neither had any effect, and replacing the latter could be very expensive even if it did.
 
UV sterilizers may work, but they are very expensive and again you are really not dealing with the cause, though having said that this is probably the most effective.  I decided not to go this route in my case, and the tank has cleared, though I can't say how long this may last.  The source of the organics is a complete mystery.
 
One thing that did help in my case, was stopping all liquid plant additives.  To my surprise, the plants in this tank are growing like weeds, compared to the other 7 tanks.  The tank did not suddenly clear, but it seemed a bit better, and after a few weeks it has now cleared, literally overnight.
 
Byron.

 

[FroFro]

 

if you really want the cloudy water just instantly gone, then do a 70% or large water change.

but yes another filter should help if you want it that way

 
These won't really help

 
Bacterial bloom is just that, a bacterial bloom, meaning even if you do large water changes AND fit another filter. The bloom will simply return until it has fully cycled and settled.
 
First question is simply be - have you cycled the tank or just newly set up this tank?
 

My tank is established and cycled and not overstocked. I haven't added any new fish since this cloudiness has happened either so I don't think its a sudden increase in bio-load.

 
Byron.

Seachum Flourite tabs for substrate as I was hesitant to get the liquid plant stuff because I don't like adding any liquids other than conditioner to my water. I followed the instructions on the package but I only used 6 out of the 8 that come inside. They are all buried far underneath the gravel spaced anywhere between 6-10 inches apart with dwarf grass plugs planted directly on top/near them.

 

[eaglesaquarium]

36 Gallon bowfront with 9 fish.
 
I've been having cloudy water issues off and on for a month now. Ever since I planted my dwarf grass plugs I haven't excessively vacuumed the substrate so that's not the cause. The filter is clean, I don't overfeed my fish, I refuse to try water clarifier. 

 
 
I think this may be the culprit, actually.  The lack of vacuuming may have led to an increased amount of organics in the tank, breaking down over time, and this might be why you are suffering a bacterial bloom.   Have you tried a gravel vac to remove these excess organics?  
 
When you have an established tank and a problem that you haven't had before, any change needs to be evaluated.  You stopped vacuuming, you added the plants and you added the substrate tabs.   I doubt its the plants... I also doubt deeply buried substrate tabs would be the culprit, but the lack of vacuuming could be the issue.  An increase in available food means an increase in the bacteria.

 

[Byron]

I have not had issues with the Seachem Flourish Tabs, so not likely the issue.  I asked because the API are known to be "messy," but more importantly there are the terrestrial plant fertilizer "tabs" some use, and if these contain nitrate and/or phosphate (which most do because they are intended for terrestrial plants) this could certainly cause a sudden increase in organics.  So we can move on.
 
Speaking of organics increasing...this can occur in your source water too.  Depending where your water comes from (the reservoir) it can be high in organics.  The cloudiness in new tanks which is a bacterial bloom (when not due to inadequately cleaned substrate) is because of the high organic level in tap water; the various bacteria which here multiply very rapidly, within 20 minutes, will literally explode to consume the organics.  This is also why you usually see a slight cloudiness after water changes or filter cleanings.  [I know this is not the source of my problem, or it would occur in all my tanks.]
 
JD has a good point on the substrate cleaning...I would vacuum in the open areas, going down into the substrate a bit.  The "dwarf grass plugs" I assume are mini potted plants, or roots in the rock wool or whatever...correct?  There may be nutrients here, which means organics.
 
Have you tested the pH and nitrate?  My nitrate doubled during these "blooms," which isn't much as it went from < 5 ppm to 10 ppm, but still indicative.
 
Keep the filter well cleaned; if you are seeing brown gunk/crud, that is (are) organics.  I've had to increase my filter cleaning to help with my cloudiness, so that's another aspect.
 
Byron.

 

[DoubleDutch]

Heterotrophic bacteria causing bacterial bloom will go on their own after they've had their party.
I'd keep my my hands out of my tank and leave it on its own for some time. Waterchanges will restart the proces constantly.
Patience !

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[Captain_Weiner]

I second the UV light suggestion - my tank was perfect apart from cloudiness - 24 hrs of UV and it was crystal!