Water is a little cloudy why?

[Josh jones]

so the past 3 days my water seems to be not as clear so I test the water and everything is great so I didn't a 5 gal water change (the tank is a 30gal) and changed the filter pads. The filter is rated for a 75 so I know it's moving good amount of water but I have no ideal but if anyone has any ideals please let me know the pictures it really doesn't look cloudy but it is lol thanks for all the help

 

[LetItReef]

Put Chemi-pure or a good activated carbon inside your HOB.

 

[NeptuneGarden]

looks like a minor bacteria bloom

how new is the tank ?

 

[Josh jones]

looks like a minor bacteria bloom

how new is the tank ?

About 3 1/2 months and the filter Pads have carbon in it

 

[twilliard]

Carbon is a great choice!

 

[twilliard]

About 3 1/2 months and the filter Pads have carbon in it

What I have noticed about those pad filters is the amount of carbon within it gets spent quickly due to the low amount of carbon.
They have to be replaced frequently

 

[Josh jones]

Carbon is a great choice!

It has 2 filter pads and both have a built in carbon

 

[Josh jones]

What I have noticed about those pad filters is the amount of carbon within it gets spent quickly due to the low amount of carbon.
They have to be replaced frequently

Yea makes since it has a little black box that has it in it but it's such a small amount I'll try getting some and I'm guessing just stick it in the filter

 

[Tautog]

Buy Chemi pure elite or better yet the blue label one, forget the name, it's made by Chemi pure also

 

[twilliard]

Well you will have to get new pads. No way to add extra carbon to those.
Another alternative is to get a small hob reactor (like the phosban 150) 3/4 full of carbon once a week.

 

[NeptuneGarden]

About 3 1/2 months and the filter Pads have carbon in it

Yep, looks like a bacteria bloom from your tank still settling in. Going to happen from time to time. "something" happened to throw off your water chemistry briefly. Carbon will do nothing to help with this and the amount of carbon in those filter pads is all but useless.

You're running into one of the headaches of having a 30 gal nano-cube. They can be tough to keep balanced ........ but yours is still relatively new as well..... so it's going through normal growing pains. Try adding some of the "bacteria starter" to see if you can help get your good bacteria growing on the rocks a little faster..... or you may not have enough rock all together for the amount you are feeding.... ect. ect. ect.

If your ammonia, phosphate and nitrite testing is reading ok I would not do water changes until needed. Give it a couple of weeks. Keep testing the water daily to make sure no nutrient spikes are happening.

 

[andys]

Petco sells a little all in one uv sterilizer. drop it in for a couple of day and your water will be crystal clear. I only use it when needed and so.far that has only been once. i have loaded it out more than i have used it

 

[twilliard]

Yep, looks like a bacteria bloom from your tank still settling in. Going to happen from time to time. "something" happened to throw off your water chemistry briefly. Carbon will do nothing to help with this and the amount of carbon in those filter pads is all but useless.

You're running into one of the headaches of having a 30 gal nano-cube. They can be tough to keep balanced ........ but yours is still relatively new as well..... so it's going through normal growing pains. Try adding some of the "bacteria starter" to see if you can help get your good bacteria growing on the rocks a little faster..... or you may not have enough rock all together for the amount you are feeding.... ect. ect. ect.

If your ammonia, phosphate and nitrite testing is reading ok I would not do water changes until needed. Give it a couple of weeks. Keep testing the water daily to make sure no nutrient spikes are happening.

Carbon will do nothing to help?
Please elaborate
Carbon will in fact lower the DOC's and clarify

 

[NeptuneGarden]

Carbon will do nothing to help?
Please elaborate
Carbon will in fact lower the DOC's and clarify

White cloudy water in a new tank = bacteria bloom
DOC's are not the problem. Carbon will not remove the bacteria that is reproducing exponentially.

It might help some with removing whatever excess nutrient or tank instability that is causing the bloom, but it may not just as much.

The tank is still "cycling". Carbon does nothing for that.

Petco sells a little all in one uv sterilizer. drop it in for a couple of day and your water will be crystal clear. I only use it when needed and so.far that has only been once. i have loaded it out more than i have used it

This will help more than carbon would...... but I would recommend against it at this point in the tank's life. The tank is still cycling, IMHO

Patience and water testing is what is needed.

 

[twilliard]

White cloudy water in a new tank = bacteria bloom
DOC's are not the problem. Carbon will not remove the bacteria that is reproducing exponentially.

It might help some with removing whatever excess nutrient or tank instability that is causing the bloom, but it may not just as much.

The tank is still "cycling". Carbon does nothing for that.




This will help more than carbon would...... but I would recommend against it at this point in the tank's life. The tank is still cycling, IMHO

Patience and water testing is what is needed.

So bacteria does not have a state of carbon fixation?
If you remove the excess doc's then the carbon fixation ends the life cycle of free floating bacteria :) (unless photosynthetic )

 

[p.pep85]

looks like a minor bacteria bloom

how new is the tank ?

+1

 

[twilliard]

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carbon_fixation
For informational purposes
I see no skimmer on the tank. Next best option is GAC

 

[NeptuneGarden]

So bacteria does not have a state of carbon fixation?
If you remove the excess doc's then the carbon fixation ends the life cycle of free floating bacteria :) (unless photosynthetic )

I understand this ..... my main point is it is a 14 week old tank ....... it's cycling.
Carbon or UV at this point are a band aid that you will be chasing for the life of the tank.

Carbon's job should not be to control DOC's at levels high enough to create bacteria blooms. That's what the nitrate cycle is for.
Let it settle in. Test the water, make sure you are not over feeding.
Patience, patience, patience on new tanks. And especially on new nano-tanks.

 

[StoneFlyTyer]

How much sun light is getting through that window that may cause algae blooms that may cloud your water