# Cleaned Filter, Now Cloudy, Help?



## GuNSm0k3 (Sep 7, 2010)

Hi, Yesterday I changed about 50% water (bit to much normally its about 40%) and cleaned my fx5 for the first time. I kept the canister full of tank water and took out just the sponges that surround the media and cleaned them in a bucket of tank water, wow they where dirty. Put it all back together and had clear water yesterday. Today I came home from work and my tank is all cloudy can barley c my power head length wise (4ft) through the tank. Took some samples and was wondering if my tank is going through a mini cycle or did I destroy to much beneficial bacteria?
Ammonia - 0
Nitrite - 0
Nitrate - 5to10
pH - 6.0
GH - 60 ppm


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## Nzac (Oct 13, 2010)

probably just all the crap floating in the water left in your canister got set free, should have dumped that water and refilled with clean tank water. I always use new dechlorinated tank temp water to refill my canisters when i clean them.


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## pygocentrus da 3rd (Jun 19, 2007)

From my experience with my fx5 i think the sponges around the media house the most bacteria cause i always got cloudy water after cleaning them everytime ..so i rarely clean them and when i do maintence only lighty rinse the media in the basket.. water stays very clear that way also keep some fine filter floss in the top basket that will polish the water quick..the less you clean the fx5 the better it filters in my opinion..peace


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