Yellow cloud??

My tank started clouding yellow a few weeks ago. No fish have died. They all look healthy. Parameters all check out. I've been doing steady water changes. Upped the carbon in my filter. None of it seems to be helping. Any ideas?

 

Got driftwood or almond leaves in it? What kind of substrate are you using and decorations? Using peat moss of any kind?

 

No, nothing. Same gravel substrate and rock caves that have always been there. No plants, live or artificial. Only new thing I've added is feeder fish for my larger GT. Haven't been over feeding the smaller ones. Heck, I even left town for two days to come home to it being worse.

 

What's your peramaters in the tank? What kind of rock caves is it? I mean you know what kind of rock it is?

 

The caves are just the run of the mill formed granite ones you'd find at any lfs. There's just a little bit of algae growth on them, but that's normal. I've seen algal blooms and it's not it. The glass is algae free. Everything online points to DOC's, but I'm pretty anal about keeping a clean tank. All fish are accounted for so it rules a rotting one out. I'll be home in a bit and test the water again... Troubleshooting all I can and can't put a finger on it. This is driving me mad!

 

The caves are just the run of the mill formed granite ones you'd find at any lfs. There's just a little bit of algae growth on them, but that's normal. I've seen algal blooms and it's not it. The glass is algae free. Everything online points to DOC's, but I'm pretty anal about keeping a clean tank. All fish are accounted for so it rules a rotting one out. I'll be home in a bit and test the water again... Troubleshooting all I can and can't put a finger on it. This is driving me mad!

I'm not so sure it's DOC because you said no driftwood, plants, and don't even over feed. Just gravel, granite, and fish. I get the impression this tank has also been established for awhile.

When was the last time you cleaned your filter media? When was your last water change?

 

Sorry, autism mom kicking in.

Have you vacuumed under the rock caves lately?

If you want me to stop, I will.

 

Lol. Yeah. When I clean I take everything out of the tank. Changed water yesterday. Been feverishly changing the media hoping new carbon would help. Just tested:
Ph: 7.6
HR Ph: 7.8
Ammonia: 0
Nitrite: 0
Nitrate: 0

Sorry nitrate is at a 5

 

New direction......do you use a water change bucket? Do you let water sit in it? Is the bucket slimmy? (Thinking brown algae).

Do you use tap water? Have you tried to fill up a white cup and see if your water is yellow? (Thinking of the plumbing)

 

I use a water change system hooked to the tap. Water looks fine coming from it. The tank has been established for almost a year and up until now it's always been crystal clear. I've been making 50% changes and when I do, the water's just a little milky, but still cloudy nonetheless. It'll only yellow once it's been left for a few days. It's so frustrating! I do appreciate you trying to help though, thanks!

 

It does seem to be DOC, but it does not make any sense if you don't have live plants or driftwood, and not over feeding. Plus your using extra carbon, which should take care of it, but it's not.

When thought of the plumbing and if it was iron, it would be noticed immediately, not a few days later. Your fish are not showing problems from metals, so I don't think it is plumbing.

So all I can think is mineral, DOC, or algy. Have you checked your GH and....ummm...I think it's TDS (brain dead sorry)

Maybe someone can figure this out for you, because I'm running out of directions with being so tired....lol I think I hit all the normal possibilities.

 

I appreciate the help. I'm just gonna stay on the grind and make daily changes for now and hope it clears up. The fish don't seem to be bothered by it, so there's that. It'll work itself out. Thanks again!

 

Sorry I couldn't be much more help.

Hey CindiL? You got any ideas? Or know who might?

 

Hi, welcome to fishlore

When you gravel vac, do you put the end into the gravel to suck up any dissolving solids?

Also, after a water change does the tank seem much clearer? and then does it cloud up over a day again? Is it clear from the front and cloudy from the side?

You said you've been changing the media? Are you throwing out the old cycled media or keeping part of the cycle? Are you rinsing your media in old tank water?

I am thinking bacterial bloom which can happen from a lot of decaying poop or any food in the substrate that's not sucked up. If there is a lot of it over time then the organic decomposing bacteria (not your nitrifyers in your filter) will bloom up into the water column. It should go away on its own and generally extra water changes don't help because they multiply every 15-20 minutes.

If it doesn't go away and you do a couple of really thorough gravel vacuums then you could consider a UV filter.

 

CindyL yeah, when I vac I dig into the gravel all the way to the bottom. Try to get everything. I use dual layers in my HOB, so when I change one I always leave the other. After a water change its cloudy from the side and hazy at best from the front. Even heavy 50%+ changes. Ya know, I have been thinking about adding a UV filter just for added filtration. My HOB is rated for 75G on my 60G aquarium. Up until now it's worked perfectly fine. I thought for a minute there might've been something wrong with the filter itself. Took it apart to look for any blockages. Nothing. Flow rate has always been fine. Should I treat for bacteria? I really don't want to put anything in there I don't need to. And I've read you have to take the fish out to treat with Melafix. I don't have a hospital tank.

 

The type of bacteria in a bloom will not harm your fish so you don't need to treat. Your aquarium sounds like it is underfiltered. You want to aI'm for a GPH rate of 10x the tank size so in your tank you would want a total of 600gph in filtration. Maybe adding another hob would do the trick. A UV filter is good and I like having one running, always keeps my tank crystal clear. They are meant to run at very slow gph rates so the water has time to go over the uv bulb. It won't do much as far as mechanical filtration.

 

Could I use a UV filter that's rated for a smaller tank together with the HOB I already have? Or should I get a UV filter rated for 60G?

 

UV filters are sold by Watts because like I mentioned its more about the wattage then the gallons it flows through. The slower the better for UV filters. You would probably want at least a 13w UV in your 60tank. I have a 9w in my 30 gallon tank and I don't remember if it would take care of a tank that is twice the size, but maybe.

You will still need another hob to get your gph up to 600gph.