Cloudy Water

**sweeneyc** · 01-03-2013, 03:21 PM

My tank finished cycling about two weeks ago and I added a Bristlenose Pleco about three days ago and the water has been cloudy for the past two days. I have no nitrites and no ammonia in the tank, and I haven't checked my nitrate levels yet. I did a 5 gallon water change yesterday, I think helped a little but I am not sure. I really don't want to use chemical clarifers or anything like that, except maybe using biological clarifers.

Any thoughts? Could my tank be going through a mini-cycle?

**imma24** · 01-03-2013, 03:23 PM

Originally Posted by sweeneyc

My tank finished cycling about two weeks ago and I added a Bristlenose Pleco about three days ago and the water has been cloudy for the past two days. I have no nitrites and no ammonia in the tank, and I haven't checked my nitrate levels yet. I did a 5 gallon water change yesterday, I think helped a little but I am not sure. I really don't want to use chemical clarifers or anything like that, except maybe using biological clarifers.

Any thoughts? Could my tank be going through a mini-cycle?

Were any fish added once the tank finished cycling or is the pleco the 1st fish being added?

**Rocksor** · 01-03-2013, 03:41 PM

It's heterotrophic bacteria. Do more water changes and gravel vacuum the gravel to remove the organics feeding it.

**mizzoutank** · 01-03-2013, 03:57 PM

What color is the "cloudy"

generally: green=algae and white=bacteria bloom.

**sweeneyc** · 01-03-2013, 04:04 PM

Nope there weren't any other fish added to the tank after or before the pleco, he is the only one in there.

The color is white.

If I were to gravel vacuum the gravel, won't it remove a lot of the good bacteria down there as well?

**sweeneyc** · 01-03-2013, 04:08 PM

Also, heterotrophic bacteria encompasses most of the bacteria that exists in a fish tank, be they aerobic or anaerobic. Wouldn't removing that bacteria negatively impact the tank?

**Rocksor** · 01-03-2013, 04:12 PM

Autotrophic bacteria is the one we strive for when cycling the aquarium. The ones that consume ammonia at a higher rate and consume nitrites.

Heterotrophic bacteria produces at a much faster rate than autotrophic bacteria, and take up the space of autotrophic bacteria.

http://www.fishforums.net/index.php?...oms-explained/

Reducing the amount of organic waste in your tank is the ultimate solution to treating a bacterial bloom, and avoiding a build up of organic waste in the tank is the best way to prevent a bloom. The best way to do this is to maintain a regular aquarium husbandry routine involving water changes and substrate vaccuuming.

**Goes to 11!** · 01-03-2013, 04:23 PM

Originally Posted by sweeneyc

My tank finished cycling about two weeks ago and I added a Bristlenose Pleco about three days ago

What ammonia source fed your BB inbetween the completion of the cycle and the addition of the pleco?

**sweeneyc** · 01-03-2013, 04:48 PM

ah okay sounds good. so by removing the physical waste in the bottom of my tank it will reduce the Heterotrophic bacteria? Why is that type of bacteria bad? Is not consuming the physical waste a good thing as well?

**sweeneyc** · 01-03-2013, 04:50 PM

well I dosed with the pure ammonia source I had in the beginning when I was cycling, but I did not do it as regularly as I should have been. I probably dosed the amount needed every two days.