[Date Prev][Date Next][Thread Prev][Thread Next][Date Index][Thread Index]

Re: Aquatic Plants Digest V3 #1193


> Date: Wed, 4 Aug 1999 12:17:01 -0700
> From: "Jeff Malmquist" <jmalm at uclink4_berkeley.edu>
> Subject: Cloudy Water
> 
> I need some help with my tank.  The water is undergoing some sort of
> clouding.  The water is a white opaque color.  I thought maybe green water
> blooms, but its white.  I've tried water changes, but they only temporarily

	Bacteria bloom. These free floating bacteria always seem to get
	in there first before the nitrifying bacteria get a foot hold.
	In the normal sequence of events the free floaters disappear once
	the surface bound nitrifiers are established. The floaters sometimes
	reappear in an established tank if the filter media is trashed for
	whatever reason such as over zealous washing or long power outage,
	or too great a bio-load, but they soon disappear once conditions
	are stablized.

> fix the problem.  Within a day, the water clouds up again.  I searched the
> archives and found nothing on it.  Someone suggested better filtration, so I
> upgraded from an aquaclear 200 to a fluval 203 (on a 20 gallon tank), doing
> a water change with the filter change.  The cludiness faded, and then
> returned again a day later, even with the heavier filtration

	All you're doing here is removing some of the free floating bacteria,
	they'll soon multiply and the opacity returns. Changing the filter
	probably prolonged this stage of cycling (or recycling).
 
> Here is the tank info: 20 Gal, Fluval 203 for filtration, heavily planted,
> and large fish population of mostly tetras and cories, with two swordtails,
> some sae's, and two algae eating shrimp.  pH around 6.6, with yeast CO2
> injection.  Almost 0 on ammonia and nitrites.  kH is around 4-5 (I can't
> find my test kit).  I add Tetra Florapride, but it still clouds over if I
> don't add the fertilizer.

	Your tank is cycling, ammonia and nitrites should be zero when
	you have a colony in your filter and substrate. 
	I'd try reducing the feed a little, stop the fertilizer and change
	only 10-20% of your water weekly. Monitor ammonia, nitrite and 
	nitrate every couple of days. Wash only 1/2 of the filter media in
	old tank water during routine maintenance.

	If none of this has any effect then it could be that you just have 
	too many fish and there's just too much waste for the bacteria
	to cope with, what they can't eat remains available for these 
	free-floaters. A larger tank (yeah!) might be the way to go.

	Regards,

	Tony.
--
	http://members.xoom.com/fakerocks/