[LS1Andrew]

Nitrate: at 40 ppm or slightly below
Nitrite: 0 ppm
Hardness: 120 ppm
Alkalinity: 80 ppm
PH: between 6.4 - 6.8

Ammonia: 0 ppm

29 Gallon tank, set it up around 5 months ago.
Temperature right around 79 - 80 F
AquaClear 50gal hang on the back filter

4 peppered cory cats (small)
4 harlequin raspboras
10 platys (2 new fry)
1 neon blue dwarf gourami
1 very small clown pleco L-104

I know it's overstocked, but the water just became cloudy (white) recently. I can see very very tiny specs in the water in the right lighting. I believe the problem started when I washed my sponge filter a bit too well, changed the carbon and did a water change. Ugh, shouldn't have done all that.

Any ideas?

Thanks in advance!
-Andrew

[AKaeTrue]

Hi Andrew,

I believe you're right on target!
It sounds like you over cleaned the tank and washed too much of the beneficial bacteria away.
What you are experiencing is a bacterial bloom.
The new bacteria will soon colonize in the filter and your water will clear on it's own.

So far, your readings indicate that the remaining bacteria is doing it's job at keeping the ammonia and nitrites at 0ppm.
During this process, you may or may not (depending on the amount of bacteria lost during cleaning) experience a rise and fall with ammonia and/or nitrite levels - just keep an eye on them.
But, as of right now, everything appears to be in good shape and all test readings look good.

Bacterial blooms are unsightly, but pose no harm to the fish.

I don't necessarily feel that your 29 gallon aquarium is overstocked. I'd say you're fully stocked rather than overstocked.

Did your filter come with a bio-sponge (a place for the bacteria to live so they don't accidentally get washed away)???

This would be different than a filter insert cartridge with carbon in it.
This is a porous sponge that sits in front of the filter cartridge insert that makes home for the beneficial bacteria. It is never washed or changed.

If your filter did not come with one and you'd like to avoid this situation in the future, you can purchase it separately. (recommended)

Sometimes this requires that you cut the bio-sponge to fit inside your filter; however, you have a larger model filter and may find a size that fits.

If you need more info about the bio-sponge, please don't hesitate to ask.

Kae

[LS1Andrew]

AquaClear Power Filter 50

Stage 1: Mechanical—Foam Filter Insert
AquaClear Foam Filter Inserts perform mechanical filtration by trapping particles and debris as they pass through the insert. This unique foam, designed for use with AquaClear Power Filters, features optimal pore size for efficient mechanical and biological filtration.

Stage 2: Chemical—Activated Carbon insert
AquaClear Activated Carbon Filter Insert contains 100% premium research grade carbon. Premium research grade carbon pro-vides large amounts of surface area for adsorption of undesirable impurities. The activated carbon filter insert will remove unwanted odors, discoloration and impurities resulting in a crystal clear aquarium.

Stage 3: Biological—BioMax Insert
AquaClear BioMax Filter Insert contains BioMax ceramic rings. The surface of BioMax is made up of a complex pore system that allows bacteria to thrive. Each ceramic ring contains approximately 100 square feet of surface area providing more biological power than a traditional cartridge. Use of the BioMax Insert will provide optimal living space for beneficial bacteria and enhance the removal of ammonia and nitrites resulting in a healthy aquarium
Environment.

I washed out the Foam Filter Insert too well and replaced the activated carbon one. The instruction manual didn't say anything about a filter that you never wash or change.


The tank has been cloudy for almost a week now. I have been doing water changes every few days, should I stop doing them completely and wait until it clears on its own?

I also cut back feeding to every other day.


I would love more information on the bio-sponge and any other ideas that you might have. I was just a little concerned that it has lasted a week so far, but maybe I should just leave it alone for a while.


Thanks VERY much
-Andrew

[AKaeTrue]

Hello again,

The extra information you provided about your filter is excellent!
I'm sorry that I'm not that familiar with the particular brand.

It seems as though your filter is the alternate replacement type. Meaning that you replace inserts, clean foam and preform partial water changes at different times.

In this case, I do not believe there is a bio-sponge that would properly fit into the filter. This is OK though.

I have a canister filter that operates the same way your hang on back does.
I never change the water, clean the filter, or replace inserts at the same time (anymore). In addition to this, I added a hang on back filter that I use the bio-sponges with - this insures that I never remove too much bacteria while maintaining the canister.

Your loss of too much bacteria probably took place in the event of making a water change along with cleaning the foam and replacing the carbon all at the same time.
You should be able to thoroughly clean your foam filter - if you don't then you run the risk of having mucky water...
Try only doing one at a time from now on to see if it prevents bacterial blooms.
If this does not work (as it didn't with my canister) you could try lightly rinsing the foam, or you may want to add a second filter with either bio-wheels or bio-sponges (which I did) that you never have to change or clean. This will insure that you never remove too much bacteria during regular maintenance to the aqua clear filter.


You don't need to preform water changes for the bacterial bloom.
Water changes actually slow down the clearing process. It will clear on it's own. Sometimes bacterial blooms seem to get worse (more cloudy) before it gets better (clear) - don't be alarmed if this happens. It will go away.
I had a bacterial bloom that lasted 4 weeks once...
It all depends on how much bacteria needs to be replaced as to how long the bloom will last.

Kae

[AKaeTrue]

Here are some pictures of a bio-sponge and a bio-wheel. They house beneficial bacteria. They do not require replacement or cleaning.

[LS1Andrew]

Thanks very much for the help.

I figured everything would be OK, but it made me a little nervous that it lasted a week. I'll avoid water changes and keep the feeding very light until it clears.

Great information on this site and from you specifically... you should do this for a living and charge $5 each. :D

[AKaeTrue]

Your welcome.
And thank you for the compliment.
If you need anything else, just let me know...

Kae

[LS1Andrew]

Your welcome.
And thank you for the compliment.
If you need anything else, just let me know...

Kae

Thanks for the help, it cleared up nicely.

Since then though, I have gone on vacation for a week and let my dad feed the fish. When I came back, the water was cloudy again!

This seems to be a recurring problem, and it is back to cloudy again. All the measurements check out just like before...

Any ideas?

[LS1Andrew]

Now I'm thinking that I might have used too much AquaSafe dechlorinator.

I just took out 5 gallons (29gal tank) and replaced it with water that has been correctly dosed. I'll leave the tank alone for a week or so and see what happens.

Thoughts?

[AKaeTrue]

So it gets cloudy off and on?

Is it possible that you or someone could be over feeding, over cleaning?

The dechlorinator should not cause any ill effect to your fish.

[AKaeTrue]

After looking back on this post, I noticed you have an alternate replacement type filter.
I have one like this and I had to add another filter that uses bio sponges to house the bacteria
Because regular maintenance on the main filter removes too much beneficial bacteria and my water would cloud.

[LS1Andrew]

After looking back on this post, I noticed you have an alternate replacement type filter.
I have one like this and I had to add another filter that uses bio sponges to house the bacteria
because regular maintenance on the main filter removes too much beneficial bacteria and my water would cloud.

I'll just have to see how it goes I guess. The ammonia now looks like it's between 0 and .25 ppm. I'll keep an eye on that though. What's a safe level? I know 0 is pretty much ideal.

I think overfeeding could be the issue, that or the AquaSafe. Should I just leave it alone for a week? Or should I be doing water changes?

[AKaeTrue]

0 is the ideal level for ammonia and nitrite.
Anything above that is showing that the nitrogen cycle (all the beneficial bacteria that keep the water toxin free) is not preforming at it's fullest;
However, I don't believe a level of .25 is going to put the fish in harms way.
This could be due to several factors, but in your case,
I'm probably leaning toward the type of filter you have.
It's very easy to remove too much good bacteria during regular maintenance
(I had this very problem).
Your aquarium is fully stocked and any change in the amount of good
Bacteria that has built up inside the tank and filters is needed to purify stuff like ammonia (fish waste).
When too much good bacteria is removed, it causes a bacterial bloom.
This is basically a rapid growth of bacteria trying to compensate for the lost bacteria. This clouds the water.

I would not recommend any water changes at this time.

[LS1Andrew]

0 is the ideal level for ammonia and nitrite.
Anything above that is showing that the nitrogen cycle (all the beneficial bacteria that keep the water toxin free) is not preforming at it's fullest;
however, I don't believe a level of .25 is going to put the fish in harms way.
This could be due to several factors, but in your case,
I'm probably leaning toward the type of filter you have.
It's very easy to remove too much good bacteria during regular maintenance
(I had this very problem).
Your aquarium is fully stocked and any change in the amount of good
bacteria that has built up inside the tank and filters is needed to purify stuff like ammonia (fish waste).
When too much good bacteria is removed, it causes a bacterial bloom.
This is basically a rapid growth of bacteria trying to compensate for the lost bacteria. This clouds the water.

I would not recommend any water changes at this time.

Ammonia seems to be back down to 0.

[AKaeTrue]

That's great!
How's the cloudiness?
Is it gone with the ammonia level at 0?

[LS1Andrew]

Thats great!
Hows the cloudiness?
Is it gone with the ammonia level at 0?

Still just as cloudy.

Not really sure what's going on. All the fish seem to be acting completely normal.

[AKaeTrue]

Humm, this is quite challenging.
You should be able to enjoy your aquarium with crystal clear water.
Have you cleaned the foam filter lately, perhaps it's releasing debris back into the water.
Or the carbon, have you changed it?

Just throwing things out there that could be causing the cloudiness.

[LS1Andrew]

humm, this is quite challenging.
You should be able to enjoy your aquarium with crystal clear water.
Have you cleaned the foam filter lately, perhaps it's releasing debris back into the water.
Or the carbon, have you changed it?

Just throwing things out there that could be causing the cloudiness.

Just as an update. I had the water tested by a LFS and the phosphates were way off the scale. Apparently tap water around here very high in phosphates (which would explain why my aponogetons have turned into monsters!) Everything else checked out fine. PH was 7.2, ammonia was 0.

I did a fairly large water change and kept the lights off for much longer than I normally do. I'm only keeping them on for a few hours today, and it seems to be a lot clearer already.

I guess it was an algae bloom, but the water was much more of a white cloud than green... so I'm not so sure. Either way, I cut back on the food and I will cut back on the lights and see what happens.

I'll keep you updated, with some pictures if it ever clears up. :)


(It seemed to get cloudy whenever I left for a week or so at a time, I'm thinking my dad kept the lights on for 15-16 hours a day)

[AKaeTrue]

At last!! Phosphates cloud the water when there are high levels.
You can buy a phosphate absorber cartridge or bag that you add to the filter. I'll see if I can find a product name for you...

[AKaeTrue]

You can click on this link to see the product.
Aquarium Pharmaceuticals Phos Zorb