High nitrate = Cloudy Water?

[ravekiss]

Does high nitrates cause cloudy water? I have a test kit but it doesn test for nitrates and I'm beginning to wonder if my nitrates are high and this is causing the cloudiness in my tank. Everything else I know is good with the tank. Are they linked in anyway?

[Damon]

No nitrates do not cause cloudy water. It is normally a sign of a bacterial bloom. Has your tank recently cycled? Are you still cycling this tank? What are your other readings?

[ravekiss]

The tank has finished cycling about 1 month. Its been running for over 3 months. Ammonia is 0, Nitrites 0, PH 7.0. Has been cloudy for 1 month.

[Damon]

It could still be a bacteria bloom. Have you added fish over the last month? Is the tank covered tightly? What type of filtration are you using? Tank size and inhabitants?

[ravekiss]

I added 2 baby albino cories last week, the tank has been cloudy for more than 3 weeks before that addition. Its the 10g with 2 platies, 4 cories, 2 guppies, 1 gourami. No the lid has alot of space nearby the Whisper 20 filter.

[soccermouth]

I wouldn't worry about the cloudyness too much. Just change the water two or three times a week for the next couple weeks and it should go away.

[ravekiss]

But thats what I been doing for the past month...no results. Kinda frustrating...

[soccermouth]

It's not too bad though because it won't really hurt the fish. Try doing a couple large (ie 75 to 80%) water changes everyday for the next 3 or 4 days.

[ravekiss]

Would it be ok to do such bigger changes though? Wont it affect the biological filtration?

[fishfreaks]

from what i've read here, yes it will harm your biological filtration. but i must say i feel your pain with the cloudy water. my soulution is to clean the inside of the glass a bit and that usualllly helps.

[soccermouth]

Yeah it will affect it adversely. I guess it's a trade off. I would just let the cloudyness go. It will go away eventually.

[aquariumfishguy]

Provided you're matching water from your tap to the water in your aquarium (minus the waste), there is absolutely no reason why you couldn't do large water changes. I wouldn't do more than a 75% water change personally, and I see no reason to do so every day, but not because it would affect the water quality or biological filtration.

[ravekiss]

I think I'll do a 50% every other day for a while and see how it goes. I did try cleaning the inside of the glass.

[ravekiss]

I think I'll do a 50% every other day for a while and see how it goes. I did try cleaning the inside of the glass.

[Damon]

It won't affect you biological filtration unless you clean all the gravel at once. Depending of your type of filter, they may not be a lot of bacteria in your gravel bed anyways. Gravel clean half and siphon the amount of water out you desire. You can do as many wcs as you like providing you don't disturb the gravel too much and too often.

[ravekiss]

I have a Whisper 20 Power Filter, it has the filter floss media and also a sheet of black sponge infront of the filter floss. i dont intend to disturb the gravel. So 50% is fine, or should I do the 80%?

[Damon]

50% is fine.