Cloudy 10 Gallon

I currently have a 10 gallon planted tank that's been running since June. It house 7 Celestial Pearl Danios, 1 Assassin Snail, and 2 Amano Shrimps. The tank recently became cloudy, I have no idea why. I've tested the water and everything is perfectly fine. So I was wondering why it's cloudy and if I should do a water change or just leave it be.

 

It's probably a bacterial bloom and doing a water change will aggravate it. Just let it be, as long as the water quality is fine and the filter is running just let nature do its thing.

 

Welcome to Fishlore!
I have no idea why your tank is cloudy. (Don't worry, most members are way more helpful)
Can you post a picture of your tank? We love CPDs. (People are going to want to know how long the tank has been cycled and what the water parameters are.)

 

Welcome to Fishlore!
I have no idea why your tank is cloudy. (Don't worry, most members are way more helpful)
Can you post a picture of your tank? We love CPDs. (People are going to want to know how long the tank has been cycled and what the water parameters are.)

I'm not sure either! I was thinking it was a bacterial bloom but I'm not really sure. The tank has been cycled for almost 2 months. In the picture, ignore the duckweed!!
Here are my parameters:

PH: 6.8
A: 0
Nitrite: 0
Nitrate: 5

 

It's not super cloudy, but yes, cloudier than we like to see. What kind of rock is that? Do you know?

 

It's not super cloudy, but yes, cloudier than we like to see. What kind of rock is that? Do you know?

It was way more cloudy 3 days ago, so I was a bit worried. Is there any way I could make it un-cloudy lol? I was just shocked because, I also have a 40 gallon and it had never gotten cloudy like my 10 gallon. I am not sure what type of rock that is, sorry!!

 

One more thing I would like you to do...Open up the hood and look down into the water away from where the filter out put is. Is the water clear? I had a cloudy tank that was driving me crazy, but I noticed while feeding that the water was clear. Even though I could not see the brownish areas on the glass, while taking a white paper towel and wiping the inside, I saw the brown (diatoms) collecting on the paper towel.
I'm really just brainstorming here. I had that in one tank, and unsuitable rock in an other.

 

One more thing I would like you to do...Open up the hood and look down into the water away from where the filter out put is. Is the water clear? I had a cloudy tank that was driving me crazy, but I noticed while feeding that the water was clear. Even though I could not see the brownish areas on the glass, while taking a white paper towel and wiping the inside, I saw the brown (diatoms) collecting on the paper towel.
I'm really just brainstorming here. I had that in one tank, and unsuitable rock in an other.

The water is clear, or it seems to be.

 

Rub across the inside with a paper towel and see if brown starts collecting on the towel. (Don't do the entire tank, just a swipe. The minute you release pressure on that towel, the diatoms with enter the water column. They float around until they can reattach.) Oh, and these are not dangerous. I just don't like them. If that is the problem, let me know and we will go from there.

 

Rub across the inside with a paper towel and see if brown starts collecting on the towel. (Don't do the entire tank, just a swipe. The minute you release pressure on that towel, the diatoms with enter the water column. They float around until they can reattach.) Oh, and these are not dangerous. I just don't like them. If that is the problem, let me know and we will go from there.

Nope, no diatoms.

 

It's probably some dust. Stuff some poly-fill. It's stuffings you can get from a craft store, or open cut open a teddy bear. Stuff that into your HOB/Canister filter and that should help polish the water.

 

Fashooga is right in so far as filter floss with polish the water, but I stop at cutting open teddy bears.

 

It's probably some dust. Stuff some poly-fill. It's stuffings you can get from a craft store, or open cut open a teddy bear. Stuff that into your HOB/Canister filter and that should help polish the water.

Was gonna say the same! I use this when I'm vacuming my gravel to get out all the loose particles that I kick up. Cut a water bottle in half, stuff it full of the polyfil and it should fit right on the intake of your hob filter, assuming you have one. If not you could use an air pump too.

 

Fashooga is right in so far as filter floss with polish the water, but I stop at cutting open teddy bears.

It could be a pillow that you don't want.

Poly-fil is easy to manipulate so you can just take a chunk of it, stuff it into the tank and change it once a month.

 

It could be a pillow that you don't want.

Poly-fil is easy to manipulate so you can just take a chunk of it, stuff it into the tank and change it once a month.

I just murdered a teddy bear so my water can, hopefully, be clear. Lol

 

I just murdered a teddy bear so my water can, hopefully, be clear. Lol

I have no words. (Well not any that won't get me kicked off of the forum. lol)

 

I have no words. (Well not any that won't get me kicked off of the forum. lol)

lol! If the polyfil doesn't help, what else would I be able to do?

 

I had a lot of bacterial blooms with my tank too. Increasing surface agitation with an air stone and staying on top of weekly water changes worked out for me.

 

If you want you can add a water clarifier. Its probs just a bacteria bloom thts all.

 

If you want you can add a water clarifier. Its probs just a bacteria bloom thts all.

How long do these bacteria blooms usually last?

 

I currently have a 10 gallon planted tank that's been running since June. It house 7 Celestial Pearl Danios, 1 Assassin Snail, and 2 Amano Shrimps. The tank recently became cloudy, I have no idea why. I've tested the water and everything is perfectly fine. So I was wondering why it's cloudy and if I should do a water change or just leave it be.

How often and how large are your water changes? When was the last time you did a substrate vac and rinsing of the filter media? What's your feeding schedule?

 

How often and how large are your water changes? When was the last time you did a substrate vac and rinsing of the filter media? What's your feeding schedule?

I do 50% water changes every week. I just did a substrate vac last week and rinsed the filter media 2 weeks ago. I feed once everyday.

 

I don't think it's a bacterial bloom since your readings indicate a cycled tank. Did you do anything differently before noticing the cloudiness? Change any of the media?

It honestly doesn't look that bad. I wouldn't add a water clarifier though. An extra water change wouldn't hurt if it really bothers you.

 

I don't think it's a bacterial bloom since your readings indicate a cycled tank. Did you do anything differently before noticing the cloudiness? Change any of the media?

It honestly doesn't look that bad. I wouldn't add a water clarifier though. An extra water change wouldn't hurt if it really bothers you.

See that's what I was thinking as well, since it's been cycled so I am not really sure. Nope, I did not do anything different. weird

 

Try rinsing the filter media again if it was done 2 weeks ago. I like to rinse mine weekly along with my water changes as a lot of debris/detritus can build up, clogging your media.