Cloudy Water in your Aquarium?
Cloudy water in your aquarium can be caused by many things, and the most common reasons for this can be simply traced back to a chemical imbalance in the water, algae and green water, bacterial bloom and even debris from your gravel or plants.
Generally the most common is when you first set up your aquarium and put in new plants and gravel or sand. Before you add these to your aquarium or tank it is wise to wash them as they will probably have picked up a lot of dust or have some loose bits on them which need washing away. This is really easy to do, and plants just need gently rinsing in some water whilst with gravel or sand the trick is to rinse it through in a bucket or bowl and then gently filter it out until the water runs clear through it. If things like gravel or plants are the reason for your cloudy water it will usually only last a day or two before it settles down at the bottom of the tank and it shouldn’t be harmful to your fish at all.
If you notice a grey or white haze in the water of your tank it can usually mean you’ve got some bacterial bloom. This is completely harmless to your fish and is simply caused by an imbalance between the bacteria in the water and the waste and debris in the tank from the fish and any plants you have. As the tank matures this will usually sort out in its own time, and it’s usually only an issue with newer tanks. If you want to get rid of it quicker a partial water change of around 20% should speed it up and removing waste and uneaten food (and avoiding over feeding!) will help cut down on the waste that is mixing in the tank.
Another reason for a grey coloured haze could be a chemical imbalance in the water. A simple explanation for this can be harder water with more minerals in, or using a lot of chemical additives in the water. If you use a water conditioner this can help cut down on the hazing by binding metal elements, and regularly changing the water will also help. However, it is worth checking the pH and hardness of the water you are putting into your tank to see if that may be the cause. Bubbles of gas in the water are a common cause of chemical imbalances and this is easily solved by allowing the water to stand and reach room temperature in its own time.
Algae is a common problem in fish tanks and will cause a thick green cloud in the water, though this won’t hurt the fish at all. It does, however, mean you can’t see your lovely fish. The way to solve this is to make sure the tank is kept out of direct sunlight, and if you have a light in the tank don’t keep it on more than 12 hours a day- as this can encourage algae growth- and change the water every so often to minimise the nutrients that fuel the algae. This is often the root cause of the algae, and if you stick to these measures you should be ok, though things like UV filtration or a Diatom filter can help in the short term. However, if the problem keeps occurring you may need to move your tank or look at your filtering system and change it.
