I dont get this. I was doing 25% water changes every Monday. I didnt do a water change this monday cause I was thinking maybe Im changing too often. Yesterday I just change both my filter pads on my Topfin60. I have a ex45 on my tank also and my tank is a 65 gallon tall. My tank is rather new I set it up second week of November but why am im getting cloudy water still? When i do a water change it looks good for about two days then it goes back cloudy. All my levels test are good.

Ph 7.0
Nitrite 0
Ammonia 0
Nitrate 40

I want prisine clean water like I see when I go to the petstore. Where am I going wrong?

sounds like your tank maybe overpopulated, whats in it?

Can you please take a photograph?

There may actually be nothing to worry about, sometimes these things happen and often go away as quickly as they appeared.

What type of test kits are you using?

OFL wrote:


X2.
is it in a window? how long you have the lights on?
Don't worry we will help you get it sparkling clean you can give your guest a drink from it

marcus wrote:


Remind me not to accept an invitation to your house Marcus

this is the culprit.
J-MASS wrote
common mistake by new hobbyist. untimely replacing filter media causing bacteria
bloom.

I would replace 50% of your water right away, you have imo your nitrates on high levels and a possible bacterial bloom from changing both filter pads at same time

PAUL wrote:


That's what I thought too.

nitrates are high and if your by a window or have a strong light chances are your going to have and algea problem. make more water changes to lower nitrates, cover up a window if the tank is right under it.
i have plants in my oscar tank so i have my tank is under a window and has a powerful light fixture so i have a uv sterilizer, although my nitrates are low if it were not for the sterilizer i would probably have an algea problem.


too much light or nitrate or both

with this data...what you need is just a water change.... no need to clean
the filter. high nitrates mean you have enough good bacteria colonies that
convert toxic nitrites into nitrates.... water change will bring down the
nitrates. however..since you did replace the filtering media... a bacteria
bloom happens but will eventually settle down in few days.

when i was hit by bacteria bloom leading to green algae, a 20% water change daily
give me crystal clear tank in 5 days....

ummm not so sure, but you may be right. hasn't the topfin got 2 pre filter pads. if the pre filter pads are taken out it still leaves media???? plus he has another filter ex45 not sure what that is? on a 65g 2 filters. removing the pre filter should do much??

do the pre filters have carbon??

Maybe im leaving my lights on too long. I have my light on from 9am-9:45pm its on a timer. I dont have my tank by any window and I changed my filter pads after I realized my water was still cloudy.The filter pad has carbon in them and the ex45 is a tetra filter. For thelast two days I turned my light of on my tank and the water is starting to clear up but will it ever be crystal clear.Im notdue for a water change until Monday.