What do you do when you feel low? You may have thousands of other options. But you will always agree to one thing. Nothing can make you calmer than the small aquatic world in the corner of your house.
The aquatic plants, along with the beautiful tiny fishes swimming all around, are a treat to watch. Isn’t it?
It is also said that an aquarium lowers your stress, makes you calm, and fills your mind with joy.
But all your pleasure is marred when you see your aquarium water is getting cloudy. And within some days, you notice that you can’t even see the aquatic plants correctly. Do you want to get rid of cloudy aquarium water?
So this article is to help you get a brief idea of cloudy aquarium water and find ways to deal with it.
Tips on How To Get Rid Of Cloudy Aquarium Water
You may feel frustrated seeing your favourite aquarium getting cloudy, but do not panic at all. You can get rid of this.
Let us look at some ways to fix cloudy water in a fish tank:
I. Find out the Reason
The fish and other aquatic life take littletime to get accustomed to their new environment. It is imperative to give them their time to adopt. It would be best if you found out the causes of cloudiness and started planning. If you start adding chemicals to the water, then it may have adverse effects.
ii. Adding Natural Filter
One of the effective ways is to seed the tank with good bacteria to make the natural process run smooth. Also, adding live plants acts as biological filters.
It helps in the foundation of the microscopic community of the tanks. Floating plants for aquariums are something which is in trend these days. Why don’t you read our article to explore the world of aquarium plants?
iii. Regular Maintenance is Essential
You are setting an entire artificial aquatic system. So you must ensure you clean it regularly. Like everything, your aquarium, too, needs maintenance.
Regular cleaning keeps the water clean and aquatic life healthy. To get a more detailed idea of cleaning your aquarium, you may refer to our article.
iv. Changing Water from Time to Time
Have you ever thought about why sea beds are as clear as glass? Every moment, new water flows in from the upstream, or rain adds freshwater. This constant change of water keeps the water clean and the aquatic life healthy.
We need to apply the same thing to our aquariums well. Changing aquarium water will also keep the water clean and do not even make the water cloudy.
List of Causes Of Cloudy Aquarium Water
I. Bacterial Blooming
If your aquarium water is white and cloudy, it may be a sign that it is cloudy. It can happen due to bacteria blooming. It happens because of the new tank’s Nitrogen Cycle cycling process or a significant water change that resettles a tank. Now, What are bacteria blooming?
For a new aquarium setup, there are no lifeforms on the very first day. Various microscopic organisms try to establish themselves in the aquarium.
Many free-floating bacteria and other microbes multiply themselves. They take advantage of the minerals in the water, which results in cloudiness.
ii. Too many fish in the Tank
You may love to have lots of fish in your aquarium, but you need to remember one thing. Never overcrowd your fish tank. It might be harmful to your fish, and this also leads to the cloudiness of water.
iii. Overfeeding the Fishes
You may think that you don’t have too many fish, but still, your aquarium water is getting cloudy. But why?
Then overfeeding is the reason which you might be ignoring. The uneaten food decomposes in the water. It leads to cloudy water as the excess food gives off ammonia and nitrites in the water.
iv. Excess Light
Keeping your aquarium under constant sunlight seems harmful. Also, keeping lights on for too long leads to the growth of algae and thus results in green water.
v. Increased amount of Nitrates and Phosphates
When the number of waste increases in the water, the phosphate and nitrate also increase. It leads to algae growth and, thus, cloudy water.
Frequently Asked Questions and Answer
How Long Does It Take for Cloudy Aquarium Water To Clear?
You might think, how much time does it take the cloudy aquarium water to get clear? But remember, this is not at all permanent. Proper treatment can cure this problem. Different researchers say different things about the duration of the cloudiness of water.
Some say it takes only 1-2 days for the floating bacteria to settle, and then the water gets clear. While others say it takes several months and weeks for the water to get clean.
But you need to be patient during the whole process. The aquatic life takes a little time to adapt to their new environment.
You may wonder that even after changing the water in your fish tank, the cloudiness reappears because the water change cleans the water temporarily. The cloudiness reappears because the new water provides nutrients to the cloudy water bacteria.
The best solution is to leave them in their own condition. The bacteria will consume all the nutrients and die eventually. And this process continues being a part of the process.
Are the Fishes Safe?
The water cloud may seem harmful, but chill; your fishes are safe there as far as they do not grasp at the surface. But you need to be cautious at our end. You need to ensure that you feed your fish very little as long as the cloudiness remains.
But yes, do not dare to add more fish in this situation. It can kill your fish.
Conclusion
Be it out or inside your house, the aquatic world is a treat to watch. But there are several things you need to keep in mind. When we want to have it in our own house, we are setting up an entirely artificial world for them.
We have to take care of each and everything that can keep them healthy and safe.
And as far as the cloudiness of water is concerned, it is better to ignore it in the first place. Let the inhabitants do their work.
Brian wasn’t just another Civil Engineer. His passion for Aquarium life was unknown to many until he decided to showcase it for the world. It seems like he made the right decision after all!