Cloudy water is very common and can be caused by several things. Very often cloudy water will not appear the instant an aquarium is set up. If the water is cloudy immediately, or within a couple of hours of filling the tank, it is probably due to the gravel being insufficiently washed. If washing the gravel does not solve this problem, the next most likely cause of cloudy water in a newly filled tank is a high level of dissolved constituents such as phosphates, silicates, or heavy metals. This is very common in new tanks until the biological filter has established itself. This will normally settle out on its own or will be removed by the filter.

When the new aquarium goes through its initial break in cycle, it is not unusual for the water to become cloudy, or at least a little hazy. Cloudy water in new aquariums is usually due to a condition known as bacterial blossom. There are several types of bacteria that are necessary to neutralize wastes produced in your aquarium. Keeping your aquarium very clean by removing debris such as decaying plants and uneaten food, vacuuming the gravel regularly, and performing partial water changes, will quickly resolve most cases of bacterial bloom and will help prevent cloudy water in your aquarium.

Placing the aquarium in direct sunlight and leaving the lights on too long will result in algae growth. To reduce algae growth you will have to limit the amount of time the lights are on, and move the aquarium to a location out of direct sunlight.

How Often Should You Change the Water in Your Tank

To prevent cloudy water in your aquarium it is important to change the water. Most people will tell you to do a 25% water change ever 3 weeks. People with more than one tank will do water changes more often. The best method is probably to do a 25% water change weekly for freshwater aquariums and a 10% water change weekly for marine aquariums. Bear in mind that suspended sediment from cleaning the aquarium can make the water look cloudy until it settles or is removed by the filter.

Changing the water means not only are we keeping our tanks in the best possible condition but our fish as healthy as possible because they love water changes.

Putting too many fish in your aquarium can also be a major cause of cloudy water in your tank. The safest recommended maximum population for your tank is one inch of adult fish for every gallon of water in the tank. If a water quality issue arises or a disease occurs it will spread fast and furiously in an already over-populated tank. If you add three dozen fish all at once, you will place an extremely high bio-load on the tank, which will result in a large amount of waste being produced suddenly. Bacteria that feed upon those wastes begin to grow in large numbers, which will result in cloudy water.

Cleaning Your Filter

As for cleaning your filter, the best way to do water changes is to take a bucket of water out of the aquarium and wash your filter and filter media in this water. By doing it this way you are washing it in water that already has bacteria in it which means your filter and filter media are less likely to lose all of its essential bacteria. Of course you will want to remove most of the debris, but you don't want the filter or the media to be spotless either. If you do need to replace filter media in the future, only replace one third at a time. When you do a partial water change every week, with a 50% water change every month; make sure you clean and change your filter cartridge once a month as well. When changing filter media, including a bit of the old media with the new to help perpetuate the bacteria and make filtering more effective.

Taking these steps on a regular basis should help to prevent cloudy water in your aquarium and give you happy healthy fish.