Melefix - cloudy water?

[Tooch]

I've been treating my tank due to a scrape near my Paroons tail. The water seems to have gotten very cloudy... I cut open the blue charcoal bags and dumped out the charcoal already before treatment. This will be the 3rd day. I did a water change prior to starting treatment, and was going to start doing partial water changes today before adding treatment to help the cloudiness. Now, is this just a side effect of the treatment? Will it go away on it's own once treatment is over and filter media is put back in? Or is this due to something else, and water changes need to be made? I wasn't able to get a water test done last night due to family issues, but was curious. Should I start water changes, or is this part of the treatment and due to no actual filtration? Thanks as always, guys! (and gals!)

[Tooch]

Oh yeah, I forgot to mention...

I did a water change right before adding the medication. I added Stress Coat as well as the medication, to also condition the addition of new water. Could a mixture of the Stress Coat with the melefix be causing the cloudiness? If I do water changes during the medication, should I continue to add Stress Coat in the water with the medication?

[madly99]

I've been using Melafix and never noticed any cloudiness in the water - bubbles and small particles maybe, but the water is still pretty clear. I've used different dechlorinators, though - NovAqua or AmQuel - so I don't know if that makes a difference.

Do you not still have other media in your filter? Sponge, floss, filter pad, etc? I think extra particles are to be expected since you have less filtration, but I don't know if I would say my water is cloudy.

I've been doing daily water changes before adding the melafix. I figure clean water helps everything. You definitely need a dechlorinator, though - otherwise you risk killing off your bacteria.

[Tooch]

Thank you for the information! The only filtration I have inthere besides the bio-wheels (which I guess don't really do any filtration) are the blue carbon bags. I cut it open and dumped the carbon out, but put the pads back in. Are water changes during medication alright? I wasn't sure about mixing the de-clorinator with the medicene, or if I should just let the medicene run it's course, or stop medication and start water changes. Curses!

[madly99]

I think water changes and meds are fine unless the instructions say otherwise. You just need to re-dose, which, in the case of Melafix, you are meant to do anyway on a daily basis.

I think stress coat and Melafix are made by the same company, aren't they? So I'd be surprised if they caused cloudy water together.

Actually, if you do a google search on "stress coat cloudy water", a lot comes up, including this old threat. It might be something to do with your dechlorinator.

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[Tooch]

Is this what they would call a "Bacteria Bloom" I wonder? I only vacuum 1/2 the gravel at a time, so I dunno how I could possibly be over cleaning! Like all Oscars, mine is a pig! This is the first time it's done something like this. I'll start doing small water changes every day with no vacuuming. Maybe this will help clear the water up while still leaving enough good bacteria. I wonder if taking out the guts of the filters caused it...