# Cloudiness in my Water!



## TFMBIGDOG99 (Mar 19, 2006)

My 135 stays having this white cloudy tint to it.. Pisses me the f*ck off! All params are in check. Ammonia-0, Nitrites-0 Nitrates-10, PH-6.4.. Filtration is a eheim 2219, 2 emperor 400's.


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## kelrx8 (Apr 1, 2006)

check for some rotting food in the most unlikely place.


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## Leasure1 (Jul 24, 2006)

Maybe your bacteria died for some reason. Temp, cholrine. Maybe it just needs a boost.


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## harrykaa (Jan 10, 2005)

TFMBIGDOG99 said:


> My 135 stays having this white cloudy tint to it.. Pisses me the f*ck off! All params are in check. Ammonia-0, Nitrites-0 Nitrates-10, PH-6.4.. Filtration is a eheim 2219, 2 emperor 400's.


If you do not have a new substrat there (in an old setup), it is bacterial growth.
When did you last time clean the mechanical media of your filters? And do the filters have a separate bio media in them?

Harry


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## I Like P's (Nov 12, 2006)

So should the water be changed out or left in because it may have beneificial bacteria? I just gravel vac'd my tank 2 days ago and this morning I woke up and it was cloudy as hell?

If the water should not be removed, How long till the cloudiness goes away?


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## Rough996 (Oct 3, 2006)

I Like P said:


> So should the water be changed out or left in because it may have beneificial bacteria? I just gravel vac'd my tank 2 days ago and this morning I woke up and it was cloudy as hell?
> 
> If the water should not be removed, How long till the cloudiness goes away?


It seems this topic died off, but I wanted to restate the question(s)... 
#1 Should the water be changed out or left in because it may have beneificial bacteria?
#2 If the water should not be removed, How long till the cloudiness goes away?


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## rchan11 (May 6, 2004)

Leave the water in there and try using new carbon in your filter.


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## itstheiceman (Oct 5, 2006)

that happened to me before....i woke up in the morn and i could barely see to the other side(and this was in a 35g)...i was like what the f*ck....so i did like a 90% water change, filled it back up...it was still cloudy, i cleaned the propeller and everything in the filter....water was cloudy when i filled it up...took a day to settle


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## robert69 (Jul 16, 2005)

I have exactly the same problem you have. No matter what I do to my tank it remains cloudy. Pisses me off to no end. I have changed almost 85% of the water, cleaned filters, changed carbon, added every kind of water additive(Nitraban, etc.) and it is still cloudy. Damn! What's crazy is that I have another same size tank that I give identical care to and that one is crystal clear! I never have an issue with the other tank. But for whatever reason, this one tank remains horribly cloudy: (


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## Rough996 (Oct 3, 2006)

robert69 said:


> I have exactly the same problem you have. No matter what I do to my tank it remains cloudy. Pisses me off to no end. I have changed almost 85% of the water, cleaned filters, changed carbon, added every kind of water additive(Nitraban, etc.) and it is still cloudy. Damn! What's crazy is that I have another same size tank that I give identical care to and that one is crystal clear! I never have an issue with the other tank. But for whatever reason, this one tank remains horribly cloudy: (


Hey Robert - if you did ALL of that, you probably just need to wait it out and not touch it again for a minute. Maybe add some ammonia detoxifier like prime or ammo lock if your ammonia is unsafe - any reading above zero.

My tank went cloudy after I added a new Emperor 400 to suppliment my existing filters. It threw everything out of whack for over a week. I was very proactive with reducing the toxic ammonia and adding bacteria (that's another discussion). I'm proud to say that my tank is now back to crystal clear. Oh - When it began to show improvement, I changed my carbon - it went clear the next day. Levels are perfect. I can't say that what you're experiencing is the same, but that's what worked for me.

Good luck.


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## robert69 (Jul 16, 2005)

Rough996,

Appreciate the feedback! I will give it some more time and see what happens. I add one emperor on each of my two tanks, but only the one got cloudy, the other is crystal clear. Will wait and see what's up.

thanks again!



Rough996 said:


> I have exactly the same problem you have. No matter what I do to my tank it remains cloudy. Pisses me off to no end. I have changed almost 85% of the water, cleaned filters, changed carbon, added every kind of water additive(Nitraban, etc.) and it is still cloudy. Damn! What's crazy is that I have another same size tank that I give identical care to and that one is crystal clear! I never have an issue with the other tank. But for whatever reason, this one tank remains horribly cloudy: (


Hey Robert - if you did ALL of that, you probably just need to wait it out and not touch it again for a minute. Maybe add some ammonia detoxifier like prime or ammo lock if your ammonia is unsafe - any reading above zero.

My tank went cloudy after I added a new Emperor 400 to suppliment my existing filters. It threw everything out of whack for over a week. I was very proactive with reducing the toxic ammonia and adding bacteria (that's another discussion). I'm proud to say that my tank is now back to crystal clear. Oh - When it began to show improvement, I changed my carbon - it went clear the next day. Levels are perfect. I can't say that what you're experiencing is the same, but that's what worked for me.

Good luck.
[/quote]


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## the_skdster (Aug 15, 2006)

Wow, seems many people are having this problem.
Happy to know that I'm not one of them.








Try cleaning out all your media stuff. Canisters/HOB's and the like. Clean 'em real good. With tank water.
Then give a real good gravel vac.
I don't see the problem still being there if the above are done?

***I don't use Carbon in my filters and issa still Crystal Clear.


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## Rough996 (Oct 3, 2006)

the_skdster said:


> Wow, seems many people are having this problem.
> Happy to know that I'm not one of them.
> 
> 
> ...


Ironically, my tank has been established for years with the existing filters. I JUUUSt added the Emp 400 (to augment the growing P's and their diet) and that's when all h*ll broke lose. I also have never used carbon before, but the EMP 400 is set up to use it... I read rchan11's post - recommending it, and it worked.

I like the idea of using the aquarium water to clean the filters... then cleaning the water with a vac. I'll try that NEXT TIME. I'm crystal clear now, baby!


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## robert69 (Jul 16, 2005)

I'm still sitting back waiting for mine to clear up. It's really getting horrible. It's got that brown/green color cloudiness to it. I've added extra carbon to try and help. Not working. I have changed alomst 85% of the water and gravel vac'd it extensively. I have no excess waste food in the tank anywhere. Again, I have two tanks and both are cared for exactly the same - same water, same equipment, same diet, etc.. Has anyone had this problem for an extended amount of time? This has been going on for a LONG time now......


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## Andrew120 (Nov 8, 2006)

it sounds like your tank is certainly filtered enough, my guess is your messing with the bacteria too much. dont do such huge water changes ...20-30% is all you need...the gravel, if your 1/4" or under, leave it alone , if its more than 1/4", 2x a week stir the gravel lightly lettin all the fishy poo and wrotting food fill the tank the filter will clear it out fairly quickly. also do this before your water change. leave gravel cleaning to 1 a month, and jus clean the surface no more than say 1/2" down. you just wanna get rid of the bad stuff..not make it so clean that you can resell it back on the shelf.

hope this works for you, it did for me after almost a year of battling this prob.


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## robert69 (Jul 16, 2005)

Appreciate the feedback, I will try all of those suggestions and see what happens. I do have more than 1/4" of gravel. I gravel vac weekly. I always thought the more I gravel vac'd the better. Will post you all on the results in another week or so.

thanks!


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## Webo (Jun 26, 2006)

I been having the same problem......

Only thing is that I used to get cloudy water for about 24hours after a water change (0.5 ppm ammoni ain tap water)...now it's constantly cloudy - but water parameters seem fine.

I am going to try the suggestions above - less % water change, stirring the gravel before a gravel vac, and not going too deep durring the gravel vac.
I am also thinkign of adding more filtartion - because if I do not do a water change within a week to 2weeks my ammonia easily goes up to .75-1.0 PPM.

BUt can soemone explain fundementaly what is happening when there is cloudy water and why ? and what it usually is not there?...inotherowrds the bacteria establish usually in the filter media and gravel, so now they are established in the water as well? why?


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