Does algae bloom cause cloudy water?

[Uzair Aiman]

Hi. Well the title says it all. My tank in undergoing an algae bloom and I just did a water change but the water seemed to still be cloudy.

Does algae bloom cause cloudy water? Or is this cloudiness coming from a different source?

 

[DKPminus]

Typically algae bloom will be green water. Bacteria blooms will make your water cloudy.

 

[Townes_Van_Camp]

…

 

[Uzair Aiman]

Typically algae bloom will be green water. Bacteria blooms will make your water cloudy.

WHat might be the cause of bacterial blooms? And is it a good thing?

 

[DKPminus]

WHat might be the cause of bacterial blooms? And is it a good thing?

If you are cycling Your tank, your bacteria will take hold and grow but requires nutrients to do so. A burst of ammonia/nitrites can kick off a bloom. had it happen after I had been introducing fish. Should not be a problem while cycling but you don’t want to add to much new livestock at once. The ammonia/nitrite burst from more than the established bacteria can process kicking off a bloom.

 

[Timfish]

Algae may or may not be causing your bacterial bloom. WHile some of the bacteria may be beneficial if your water is cloudy it's too much. Water changes usually don't work well as the bacteria are reproducing pretty fast. As mentioned above it should not be too much of a problem during an initial cycle. I see it as a disruption to a normal cycle though as it's not typical and I'd run a UV sterilizor for a week or two if it was my tank.

 

[Uzair Aiman]

Algae may or may not be causing your bacterial bloom. WHile some of the bacteria may be beneficial if your water is cloudy it's too much. Water changes usually don't work well as the bacteria are reproducing pretty fast. As mentioned above it should not be too much of a problem during an initial cycle. I see it as a disruption to a normal cycle though as it's not typical and I'd run a UV sterilizor for a week or two if it was my tank.

A disruption in waht sorts? does it bring a negative effect to my live stock?

 

[Uzair Aiman]

If you are cycling Your tank, your bacteria will take hold and grow but requires nutrients to do so. A burst of ammonia/nitrites can kick off a bloom. had it happen after I had been introducing fish. Should not be a problem while cycling but you don’t want to add to much new livestock at once. The ammonia/nitrite burst from more than the established bacteria can process kicking off a bloom.

Ive already cycled my tank and then a bacterial bloom occured. Then lately there has been cloudy water. I have a pair of clown, turbo snail, a hammer and a frag of gsp

 

[Screwgunner]

Why yes they do. Different one cause Different collors.

 

[Screwgunner]

My tank turned cloudy green. Tried everything the only thing that worked was uv.

 

[vetteguy53081]

Algae blooms not always green but typically is. Also known as bacterial blossom, bacterial bloom is a condition in which a sudden increase in the number of bacterial colonies occurs, specifically bacteria that are suspended in the water column. The bacteria grows so rapidly that collectively they become visible to the naked eye, causing the water to become milky/cloudy/hazy in appearance. This condition most often is seen in a newly started aquarium, but can also occur in a tank in which there is has been an increase in the nutrients in the water, particularly nitrates and phosphates. Excessive feeding of fish without cleaning the debris can also cause a sharp increase in nutrients that results in these blooms .
There are two types of bacteria at work in aquariums:

• Autotrophic Bacteria: Bacteria capable of synthesizing its own food from inorganic substances, using light or chemical energy. The beneficial bacterias are autotrophs.
• Heterotrophic Bacteria: Bacteria that cannot synthesize its own food and is dependent on complex organic substances for nutrition. The heterotrophs in the aquariums mineralize the organic waste (break down the uneaten food, fish waste, dead plant matter, etc. into ammonia).

It is more common that the heterotrophs are seen in bacterial blooms, not the trusted autotroph nitrifiers. It is the heterotrophs which are primarily responsible for creating the "bio-film" (slimy residue found on the tank walls and rocks. As the ammonia production increases due to the increased mineralization, the nitrifiers are slow to catch up and an ammonia spike occurs until the autotrophs reproduce enough to take care of it. Contrary to popular belief, bacterial blooms cause an ammonia spike, not the other way around.
It is unclear whether the autotrophic nitrifiers ever bloom into the water column or if they simply multiply too slowly to cause this effect.
Water changes will play a role as well as filter maintenance.

WHAT FILTER(S) ARE YOU USING ?

 

[DKPminus]

Ive already cycled my tank and then a bacterial bloom occured. Then lately there has been cloudy water. I have a pair of clown, turbo snail, a hammer and a frag of gsp

It can. If you have a bacterial bloom due to a spike in ammonia/nitrites then in turn become nitrates. Low lvls of ammonia’s/nitrite can stress out your fish as can high lvls of nitrates.

 

[Uzair Aiman]

Algae blooms not always green but typically is. Also known as bacterial blossom, bacterial bloom is a condition in which a sudden increase in the number of bacterial colonies occurs, specifically bacteria that are suspended in the water column. The bacteria grows so rapidly that collectively they become visible to the naked eye, causing the water to become milky/cloudy/hazy in appearance. This condition most often is seen in a newly started aquarium, but can also occur in a tank in which there is has been an increase in the nutrients in the water, particularly nitrates and phosphates. Excessive feeding of fish without cleaning the debris can also cause a sharp increase in nutrients that results in these blooms .
There are two types of bacteria at work in aquariums:

• Autotrophic Bacteria: Bacteria capable of synthesizing its own food from inorganic substances, using light or chemical energy. The beneficial bacterias are autotrophs.
• Heterotrophic Bacteria: Bacteria that cannot synthesize its own food and is dependent on complex organic substances for nutrition. The heterotrophs in the aquariums mineralize the organic waste (break down the uneaten food, fish waste, dead plant matter, etc. into ammonia).

It is more common that the heterotrophs are seen in bacterial blooms, not the trusted autotroph nitrifiers. It is the heterotrophs which are primarily responsible for creating the "bio-film" (slimy residue found on the tank walls and rocks. As the ammonia production increases due to the increased mineralization, the nitrifiers are slow to catch up and an ammonia spike occurs until the autotrophs reproduce enough to take care of it. Contrary to popular belief, bacterial blooms cause an ammonia spike, not the other way around.
It is unclear whether the autotrophic nitrifiers ever bloom into the water column or if they simply multiply too slowly to cause this effect.
Water changes will play a role as well as filter maintenance.

WHAT FILTER(S) ARE YOU USING ?

Thats alot to digest. I only use a filter floss as mechanical filter, a bag of carbon and a bag of bio media. Is there any additional filtration medias you suggest?

 

[Screwgunner]

Uv light

 

[Screwgunner]

What kind of bi media

 

[Uzair Aiman]

Uv light

Any suggestions or specifications that I should look out for?

 

[Uzair Aiman]

What kind of bi media

Just those simple spherical ceramic porous balls

 

[Screwgunner]

Petco has the twist ultra violet filters you just put in your tank 50 bucks if your tank isn't to big that will clear it up. Then take it out and keep it will kill parasites and other bad things its like putting alittle sun on your tank .

 

[DKPminus]

Thats alot to digest. I only use a filter floss as mechanical filter, a bag of carbon and a bag of bio media. Is there any additional filtration medias you suggest?

A skimmer is a good start. And if your sump has a spot for it a refugium helps.

 

[Uzair Aiman]

A skimmer is a good start. And if your sump has a spot for it a refugium helps.

I think I dont have the budget to get a skimmer right now. Will chaeto do the job for now? And what do I need to grow chaeto?