Clean Water Dirty Tank?

Is it possible to have clean water but a dirty tank? All my parameters read just fine and I change the water a couple times a week, but it just feels off.

It's a heavily planted 10 gallon and I have shrimp and nerite snails now but not for the first year it was set up.

 

What feels off?

 

What do you mean by dirty? Like full of algae dirty? A tank can be perfectly healthy while being full of algae. As long as the water parameters aren’t off.

 

It's not algae, I haven't had a problem with it since I've had the shrimp. I did have that blue green algae in the two months I had nothing in it. I've never vacuumed the substrate because of all the plants.

The other thing is a few weeks ago my betta had Popeyes that cleared up pretty quick but there don't seem to be a water issue.

 

Can you have old tank syndrome but not have high levels? My nitrates are at 20 and my ph is high. Even if I don’t have it I’m just curious if it can be.

 

OTS is when you stop doing your weekly maintenance and allow the nitrates to raise up to 40-60.

 

OTS is when you stop doing your weekly maintenance and allow the nitrates to raise up to 40-60.

I think I probably had that a few months ago when I had no fish in it for a while. Does just water changes fix it cause I haven’t done anything else.

 

I think I probably had that a few months ago when I had no fish in it for a while. Does just water changes fix it cause I haven’t done anything else.

Yup. Doing water changes is the cure! lol