Water milky and white

Hey guys! I have a 55 gallon (long) freshwater tank. I have it a little overstocked with fish but they are healthy and enjoying themselves fine. The tank is fairly new ( one month ). But the last week or so, the water is getting cloudy white. I was wondering what I can do . I started the tank with bacteria starter and it has two EX70 whisper filters. So its really filtered well! Also I have two 10" bubblers running the span of the tank. So its aerated well also. The tank has atleast 10 live plants. I checked the water chemical strip test and everything looks ok. Why is the water white??? Will it go away??

 

Hello. We are going to need a lot more information about your tank to give proper advice. I'll ask the questions so you can answer them and others can help as I am about to get off the computer in a few minutes.

1. What is your exact stocking of fish and plants?
2. Test strips are very inaccurate. It would be a good idea to get a liquid test kit like the freshwater master kit made by API.
3. Pictures help a lot.
4. What is your water change schedule?
5. What temp is your tank kept at?
6. How much light does it get, both natural and artificial?
7. Do you have algae accumulation in the tank (walls, decorations, plants, etc)?

I will offer one piece of advice as I have personally seen tanks get white and cloudy when nitrates get out of control due to overstocking and lack of filtration and water changes. That would be my first guess but without answers to the above questions, it is speculation.

Good luck and provide as many details as possible as they will be necessary for us to help you and your fish!

 

 

 

 

Neon tetras 8
Gourami 1
Bala shark 2
Molly 4
Black skirt tetra 5
Ghost catfish 2
Angelfish 2
Fancy tail guppy 2

25% water change every 2 weeks. Water temp is at 77-78 degrees.

 

Doesn't seem to have any algal growth on walls. Only a very small bit of green on top corner of wall. And a bit of brown at the corner of sand and glass. Gets a lot of LED light. I barely turn it off.

 

HI and welcome.

And if that is not the case, then here is detailed info that will address what is going on.

 

I would start only leaving your lights on for 6-8 hours a day and see if it clears up, it might still be an algae bloom even if you're not really seeing any on the walls.

Do any of your fish sir the sand up at all? The first sand I had got stirred up a bit by my pleco and my water almost always looked slightly cloudy. Switched to different sand, no problems since.

 

To me this is bacterial bloom. Heterotrophic bacteria (partly from the starter) having a party. Only sollution : patience. No waterchanges, no changes of light, aso !!!
Can take some days, but wil clear !!!

 

I agree with DoubleDutch.

 

 

Looks like it's clearing up

 

 

Good to hear!