{"id":5609,"date":"2021-03-31T12:17:45","date_gmt":"2021-03-31T12:17:45","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.coralrealm.com\/?p=5609"},"modified":"2023-02-10T23:04:53","modified_gmt":"2023-02-10T23:04:53","slug":"cloudy-aquarium-water","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.coralrealm.com\/cloudy-aquarium-water\/","title":{"rendered":"Cloudy Aquarium Water &#8211; Causes, Solutions, and Prevention"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">All aquarists will suffer with cloudy aquarium water at some point. Either initially during the set up phase, before the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.coralrealm.com\/best-canister-filter-reviews\/\">filtration system<\/a> has settled down and you\u2019ve established an appropriate feeding regime for your fish, or at some point in the future.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It\u2019s basically inevitable, and every aquarium owner will experience this at some point.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This guide to cloudy aquarium water aims to explain why fish tanks become cloudy, what different colored water could mean, and what you can do to combat this.<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"toc_container\" class=\"no_bullets\"><p class=\"toc_title\">IN THIS ARTICLE<\/p><ul class=\"toc_list\"><li><ul><li><ul><li><\/li><li><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li><ul><li><\/li><li><\/li><li><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li><\/li><li><\/li><\/ul><\/div>\n<h2><span id=\"Why_Is_My_Fish_Tank_Cloudy\"><b>Why Is My Fish Tank Cloudy?<\/b><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-5612 aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/www.coralrealm.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/Why-Is-My-Fish-Tank-Cloudy.jpg\" alt=\"Why Is My Fish Tank Cloudy\" width=\"675\" height=\"412\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.coralrealm.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/Why-Is-My-Fish-Tank-Cloudy.jpg 675w, https:\/\/www.coralrealm.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/Why-Is-My-Fish-Tank-Cloudy-300x183.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 675px) 100vw, 675px\" \/><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">For new aquariums, those that have been running for less than six months, cloudy tank water is quite a common phenomenon.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The clue to the underlying reason behind the murky water often lies with the color. Cloudy aquarium water can be grey, white, green, or brown. All have different causes and solutions.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">There are numerous answers to why is my fish tank water cloudy? Opaque or murky water can be caused by free floating algae, bacterial issues or even something as simple and benign as a recent gravel change.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span id=\"Grey_or_WhiteOpaque_Cloudy_Aquarium_Water\"><b>Grey or White\/Opaque Cloudy Aquarium Water<\/b><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">There are a couple of reasons why your aquarium might have grey or white\/opaque water. We will run over both of them in the following section, and also outline possible solutions.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h4><span id=\"Reason_1_Inadequately_washed_gravel_or_substrate\"><b>Reason 1: Inadequately washed gravel or substrate<\/b><\/span><\/h4>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If your tank water is murky and opaque shortly after filling the tank or after performing a substrate change, then it\u2019s most likely due to inadequately washed gravel\/substrate.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Unfortunately, this could involve emptying your aquarium of water and rinse the gravel properly until water runs clear through the gravel. This is laborious, so best avoided by ensuring that all gravel is thoroughly rinsed before introducing to the aquarium.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It\u2019s possible that a 50% water change will solve the problem, which will avoid the need to remove all your fish. Water changes can be made easier using a product like the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.coralrealm.com\/python-water-changer-review\/\">Python water changer<\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Either way, add the water very slowly to your aquarium once you\u2019ve returned the properly rinsed substrate. If you have to use a bucket, add the water extremely slowly or it will stir up the substrate excessively.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The addition of an exceptionally fine <a href=\"https:\/\/www.coralrealm.com\/mechanical-filtration\/\">mechanical filter<\/a> medium may also help by catching these fine substrate particles, and could prevent the need for any water change.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A polishing pad will remove very fine particles in your water, and hopefully solve the problem. We have selected some Polishing Pad options below to aid your choice<\/span><\/p>\n\n<div class=\"aawp\">\n\n            \n            \n<div class=\"aawp-product aawp-product--horizontal\"  data-aawp-product-id=\"B014G7WTRY\" data-aawp-product-title=\"Aquatic Experts Aquarium Polishing Filter Pad Aquarium Filter Pad Aquarium Filter Floss for Fish Tank Filters Water Polishing Pad for Aquarium Filters  100 Micron 24  x 36  - 1 Pack\">\n\n    \n    <div class=\"aawp-product__thumb\">\n        <a class=\"aawp-product__image-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/dp\/B014G7WTRY?tag=coralrealm-20&amp;linkCode=ogi&amp;th=1&amp;psc=1\" title=\"Aquatic Experts Polishing Filter Pad\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">\n            <img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aawp-product__image\" src=\"https:\/\/m.media-amazon.com\/images\/I\/41vb8TPTiiL._SL160_.jpg\" alt=\"Aquatic Experts Polishing Filter Pad\"  \/>\n        <\/a>\n\n            <\/div>\n\n    <div class=\"aawp-product__content\">\n        <a class=\"aawp-product__title\" href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/dp\/B014G7WTRY?tag=coralrealm-20&amp;linkCode=ogi&amp;th=1&amp;psc=1\" title=\"Aquatic Experts Polishing Filter Pad\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">\n            Aquatic Experts Polishing Filter Pad        <\/a>\n        <div class=\"aawp-product__description\">\n            <ul><li>SPARKLING CLEAR WATER: Our 100 micron filter pad has a dense fiber network to effectively trap fine to extra fine particles floating in your aquarium...<\/li><li>TRAPS FINE PARTICLES - Our 100 Micron Polishing Filter Pads\u2019 dense fiber network traps large to very fine particles floating in your freshwater or...<\/li><li>CUT TO FIT - This 24 inch by 36 inch by 1\/8 inch thick filter pad can easily be cut to size and will save you even more money over purchasing...<\/li><\/ul>        <\/div>\n    <\/div>\n\n    <div class=\"aawp-product__footer\">\n\n        <div class=\"aawp-product__pricing\">\n            \n                            <span class=\"aawp-product__price aawp-product__price--current\">&#36;15.99<\/span>\n            \n            <a class=\"aawp-check-prime\" href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/gp\/prime\/?tag=coralrealm-20\" title=\"Amazon Prime\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\"><\/a>        <\/div>\n\n                <a class=\"aawp-button aawp-button--buy aawp-button aawp-button--amazon rounded aawp-button--icon aawp-button--icon-black\" href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/dp\/B014G7WTRY?tag=coralrealm-20&#038;linkCode=ogi&#038;th=1&#038;psc=1\" title=\"Buy on Amazon\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Buy on Amazon<\/a>\n            <\/div>\n\n<\/div>\n\n    \n<\/div>\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This product is suitable for freshwater and saltwater aquaria alike.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The 100 Micron polishing filter pad\u2019s dense network of fibers traps the ultra fine particles floating in your aquarium, resulting in extremely clear water.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Extremely durable, the polishing pad can be cleaned and reused many times over.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It is easy to cut this pad to fit your own filtration system, and it can be used either alone or in combination with other filter pads in a layered system.<\/span><\/p>\n\n<div class=\"aawp\">\n\n            \n            \n<div class=\"aawp-product aawp-product--horizontal aawp-product--ribbon aawp-product--sale\"  data-aawp-product-id=\"B0019CUA58\" data-aawp-product-title=\"Fluval Water Polishing Pad\">\n\n    <span class=\"aawp-product__ribbon aawp-product__ribbon--sale\">Sale<\/span>\n    <div class=\"aawp-product__thumb\">\n        <a class=\"aawp-product__image-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/dp\/B0019CUA58?tag=coralrealm-20&amp;linkCode=ogi&amp;th=1&amp;psc=1\" title=\"Fluval Water Polishing Pad\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">\n            <img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aawp-product__image\" src=\"https:\/\/m.media-amazon.com\/images\/I\/515FayTIEHL._SL160_.jpg\" alt=\"Fluval Water Polishing Pad\"  \/>\n        <\/a>\n\n            <\/div>\n\n    <div class=\"aawp-product__content\">\n        <a class=\"aawp-product__title\" href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/dp\/B0019CUA58?tag=coralrealm-20&amp;linkCode=ogi&amp;th=1&amp;psc=1\" title=\"Fluval Water Polishing Pad\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">\n            Fluval Water Polishing Pad        <\/a>\n        <div class=\"aawp-product__description\">\n            <ul><li>Extra thick micro-fine polyester pads capture micro particles as the water passes through the pad<\/li><li>Use when cloudy water occurs or after tank maintenance for crystal clear aquarium water<\/li><li>For use with freshwater or marine environments<\/li><li>Contains six water polishing pads<\/li><\/ul>        <\/div>\n    <\/div>\n\n    <div class=\"aawp-product__footer\">\n\n        <div class=\"aawp-product__pricing\">\n                                                        \n                            <span class=\"aawp-product__price aawp-product__price--current\">&#36;7.49<\/span>\n            \n                    <\/div>\n\n                <a class=\"aawp-button aawp-button--buy aawp-button aawp-button--amazon rounded aawp-button--icon aawp-button--icon-black\" href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/dp\/B0019CUA58?tag=coralrealm-20&#038;linkCode=ogi&#038;th=1&#038;psc=1\" title=\"Buy on Amazon\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Buy on Amazon<\/a>\n            <\/div>\n\n<\/div>\n\n    \n<\/div>\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This product by Fluval is a 6 pack of extra thick micro-fine polyester pads, that will capture micro particles as the water passes through the pad.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Particularly recommended for cloudy water situations upon tank set up or after tank maintenance. The result should be crystal clear aquarium water.<\/span><\/p>\n\n<div class=\"aawp\">\n\n            \n            \n<div class=\"aawp-product aawp-product--horizontal aawp-product--ribbon aawp-product--sale\"  data-aawp-product-id=\"B000HHO764\" data-aawp-product-title=\"Fluval FX5 Fine Filter Polishing Pad - 3-Pack Small Breeds\">\n\n    <span class=\"aawp-product__ribbon aawp-product__ribbon--sale\">Sale<\/span>\n    <div class=\"aawp-product__thumb\">\n        <a class=\"aawp-product__image-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/dp\/B000HHO764?tag=coralrealm-20&amp;linkCode=ogi&amp;th=1&amp;psc=1\" title=\"Fluval FX5 Fine Filter Polishing Pad - 3-Pack, Small Breeds\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">\n            <img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aawp-product__image\" src=\"https:\/\/m.media-amazon.com\/images\/I\/51fbjQhe3ML._SL160_.jpg\" alt=\"Fluval FX5 Fine Filter Polishing Pad - 3-Pack, Small Breeds\"  \/>\n        <\/a>\n\n            <\/div>\n\n    <div class=\"aawp-product__content\">\n        <a class=\"aawp-product__title\" href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/dp\/B000HHO764?tag=coralrealm-20&amp;linkCode=ogi&amp;th=1&amp;psc=1\" title=\"Fluval FX5 Fine Filter Polishing Pad - 3-Pack, Small Breeds\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">\n            Fluval FX5 Fine Filter Polishing Pad - 3-Pack, Small Breeds        <\/a>\n        <div class=\"aawp-product__description\">\n            <ul><li>Captures small particles<\/li><li>Suitable for freshwater or marine environments<\/li><li>Best if used in conjunction with Fluval Water Polishing Pads<\/li><li>3-pack<\/li><\/ul>        <\/div>\n    <\/div>\n\n    <div class=\"aawp-product__footer\">\n\n        <div class=\"aawp-product__pricing\">\n                                                        \n                            <span class=\"aawp-product__price aawp-product__price--current\">&#36;6.19<\/span>\n            \n            <a class=\"aawp-check-prime\" href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/gp\/prime\/?tag=coralrealm-20\" title=\"Amazon Prime\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\"><\/a>        <\/div>\n\n                <a class=\"aawp-button aawp-button--buy aawp-button aawp-button--amazon rounded aawp-button--icon aawp-button--icon-black\" href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/dp\/B000HHO764?tag=coralrealm-20&#038;linkCode=ogi&#038;th=1&#038;psc=1\" title=\"Buy on Amazon\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Buy on Amazon<\/a>\n            <\/div>\n\n<\/div>\n\n    \n<\/div>\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This fine filter polishing pad by Fluval is also suitable both for freshwater and saltwater\/marine environments.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It will capture the fine particles within your tank, rendering the water beautifully clear.<\/span><\/p>\n<h4><span id=\"Reason_2_Bacterial_Bloom\"><b>Reason 2: Bacterial Bloom<\/b><\/span><\/h4>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">To fully understand the science behind bacterial bloom, or bacterial blossom as it is commonly known, you need to understand the concept of the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.coralrealm.com\/aquarium-nitrogen-cycle\/\">Nitrogen Cycle<\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In brief, the primary cause of bacterial bloom in an aquarium is an excess of organic matter resulting in the reproduction of heterotrophs to break down the organic waste.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It\u2019s important to distinguish between heterotrophic and autotrophic bacteria. Autotrophic bacteria are the type used in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.coralrealm.com\/biological-filtration\/\">biological filters<\/a> and are useful within the aquarium. They can synthesize their own food.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Heterotrophic bacteria, on the other hand, are unable to synthesize their own food and instead break down organic waste within the tank, and the process creates the bacterial bloom.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The excess organic matter can result from over feeding your fish and the resultant food debris remaining on the tank substrate &#8211; this is one of the primary reasons. Dead fish and\/or aquatic plant detritus will also add to the organic matter load if not promptly removed.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In simple terms, the heterotrophs reproduce quickly in the presence of this organic waste which causes bacterial bloom<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span id=\"Green_Cloudy_Aquarium_Water\"><b>Green Cloudy Aquarium Water<\/b><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Although not particularly harmful to fish, green water is caused by a buildup of free floating algae within the water. This algae will also adhere to the aquarium glass and any decorative items within the tank.<\/span><\/p>\n<h4><span id=\"Causes_Of_Algae_Build_Up\"><b>Causes Of Algae Build Up<\/b><\/span><\/h4>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">There are many contributing factors to algal blooms in aquariums, which then cause green cloudy fish tank water.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A primary cause is excess light and poor light control. Adequate <a href=\"https:\/\/www.coralrealm.com\/led-aquarium-light-reviews\/\">LED lighting<\/a> is essential in fish tanks, but you need to ensure <a href=\"https:\/\/www.coralrealm.com\/best-led-lights-for-planted-aquarium\">aquarium lights<\/a> are not too bright nor kept on for too long. If your <a href=\"https:\/\/www.coralrealm.com\/finnex-planted-24-7-series-review\/\">LED lights<\/a> are too powerful for the size of your tank then you are at risk of algae using this intense light to fuel growth.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Also ensure your aquarium is not in direct sunlight; this will encourage algae growth. It\u2019s also not a good policy generally due to temperature control. The <a href=\"https:\/\/www.coralrealm.com\/best-aquarium-heater\">aquarium heater<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.coralrealm.com\/best-aquarium-thermometer\/\">thermometer<\/a> will control the temperature of the tank, but direct sunlight will heat up the water and can cause fluctuations in temperature.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A high nutrient load will also contribute greatly to algal blooms and growth. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.coralrealm.com\/nitrate-in-aquariums\/\">Nitrate<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.coralrealm.com\/phosphate-in-aquarium\/\">phosphate<\/a> are very important <a href=\"https:\/\/www.coralrealm.com\/best-aquarium-plant-fertilizer\/\">plant fertilizers<\/a> and are important sources of nitrogen and phosphorus respectively. But it concentrations get too high algal growth can get out of control.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h4><span id=\"How_to_remove_a_bacterial_bloom_in_your_Aquarium\"><b>How to remove a bacterial bloom in your Aquarium<\/b><\/span><\/h4>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Start by monitoring carefully the amount of food your fish eat by observing them at regular intervals after feeding them. Add a small amount at a time, ensuring it has all been eaten before adding the next small quantity. It won\u2019t take long to become familiar with the fish eating habits and the correct quantities to feed.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Then continue by feeding to a schedule. It creates a healthy feeding rhythm that the fish adapt to, and prevents uneaten food detritus building up within the tank substrate.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you do notice any eaten food, remove it promptly.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Include some scavenging fish in your tank population. Mostly bottom feeders like catfish and loach species like <a href=\"https:\/\/www.coralrealm.com\/clown-loach-care\/\">clown loach<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.coralrealm.com\/kuhli-loach-care-guide\/\">kuhli loach<\/a>. These scavengers will use their sensitive barbels to locate waste food on the aquarium floor. They do a great job!<\/span><\/p>\n<h4><span id=\"Water_Quality_8211_Nitrate_and_Phosphate_Levels\"><b>Water Quality &#8211; Nitrate and Phosphate Levels<\/b><\/span><\/h4>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Adequate aquarium maintenance is essential to healthy water. Regularly <a href=\"https:\/\/www.coralrealm.com\/how-to-clean-aquarium-filter\/\">cleaning your aquarium filter<\/a> reduces <a href=\"https:\/\/www.coralrealm.com\/nitrate-in-aquariums\/\">nitrate<\/a> levels. Excess nitrates in the water provide fertilizer for both aquatic plants and algae. You have to get the balance right to ensure that algae and plants do not grow and proliferate excessively. Very high nitrate levels will also cause <a href=\"https:\/\/www.coralrealm.com\/nitrate-poisoning\/\">nitrate poisoning<\/a> in your fish.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">All living organisms contain phosphorus. If dead plant or fish detritus or rotting food particles are allowed to accumulate on the tank substrate, this will result in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.coralrealm.com\/phosphate-in-aquarium\/\">phosphate<\/a> levels in the tank becoming excessively high.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Ensure that you vacuum your substrate or gravel and thoroughly rinse your filter and media at every water change to ensure water health.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Clean the tank thoroughly by scraping the inside of the aquarium glass. Remove rocks and tank decorations and be sure to scrub them well. Leave to allow the water to settle and then vacuum the substrate again.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span id=\"Brown_Or_Yellow_Fish_Tank_Water\"><b>Brown Or Yellow Fish Tank Water<\/b><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A brown tinge to your aquarium water is probably due to discoloration by tannins. Tannins are organic compounds within the water but they are not necessarily harmful pollutants, in the same way as nitrates.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">However, tannins may lower the pH in your tank &#8211; not dramatically, but it can lower it.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Tannin is a natural astringent that can leak into the water from the addition of driftwood as a decoration. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.coralrealm.com\/indian-almond-leaves\/\">Indian almond leaves<\/a> also leach tannins into the water.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Pre-soaking driftwood overnight in a bucket of fish ready water can encourage the leaching of excess tannins from the driftwood prior to introducing it into your tank.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span id=\"Preventing_Cloudy_Fish_Tank_Water\"><b>Preventing Cloudy Fish Tank Water<\/b><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-5613 aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/www.coralrealm.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/Preventing-Cloudy-Fish-Tank-Water.jpg\" alt=\"Preventing Cloudy Fish Tank Water\" width=\"675\" height=\"412\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.coralrealm.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/Preventing-Cloudy-Fish-Tank-Water.jpg 675w, https:\/\/www.coralrealm.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/Preventing-Cloudy-Fish-Tank-Water-300x183.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 675px) 100vw, 675px\" \/><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">We\u2019ve looked at the different colors your fish tank can become and discussed the likely causes and potential solutions.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In conclusion, to keep your aquarium water clean and clear, just follow some basic housekeeping rules.<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Keep your fish population within appropriate limits for your tank size. Some fish, such as guppies, can proliferate very quickly resulting in an over-populated tank.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Ensure that your fish are fed well, but are not overfed. Uneaten food simply falls to the bottom of the tank and creates chemical imbalance within the tank water.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Perform regular, appropriate water changes, taking time to scrape the interior surfaces of the glass and cleaning and scrubbing any decorations you keep in the tank. Using distilled or <a href=\"https:\/\/www.coralrealm.com\/rodi-water-in-aquariums\">RODI water<\/a> for water changes will help in keeping your tank clear.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Regularly test your water to ensure the correct levels of nitrogen compounds such as <a href=\"https:\/\/www.coralrealm.com\/aquarium-ammonia\/\">ammonia<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.coralrealm.com\/nitrite-in-aquarium\/\">nitrite<\/a>, and toxic heavy metals. Even very low levels of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.coralrealm.com\/aquarium-ammonia\/\">ammonia<\/a> will cause <a href=\"https:\/\/www.coralrealm.com\/ammonia-poisoning-fish\/\">ammonia poisoning<\/a> in your fish.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Vacuum the substrate regularly with each water change to prevent buildup of detritus on the aquarium floor. Decaying matter can easily hide within the substrate.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Ensure that you have an effective, well maintained <a href=\"https:\/\/www.coralrealm.com\/best-filter-for-betta-fish\/\">aquarium filter<\/a> and that you regularly clean your filter and its associated media.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><span id=\"Conclusion\"><b>Conclusion<\/b><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A clean fish tank with clear sparkling water is obviously the optimal situation. However, there are always challenges along the way when you own a populated aquarium.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In this article, we\u2019ve discussed the various forms of water discoloration that you\u2019re likely to encounter, and offered straightforward solutions to these problems.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In conclusion, though, prevention is simply better than cure. Well, it\u2019s certainly quicker and easier!\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">So by simply getting into the habit of good housekeeping and maintenance practices with your aquarium, you\u2019ll ensure both clear water and a sustainable healthy environment for your fish.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><em>Featured Image Credit:<a href=\"https:\/\/flic.kr\/p\/6Xpb17\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"> Kate Brady\u00a0<\/a>(Flickr)\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>All aquarists will suffer with cloudy aquarium water at some point. Either initially during the set up phase, before the filtration system has settled down and you\u2019ve established an appropriate feeding regime for your fish, or at some point in the future. It\u2019s basically inevitable, and every aquarium owner will experience this at some point. [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":5611,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_lmt_disableupdate":"no","_lmt_disable":"no","footnotes":""},"categories":[17,32,26],"tags":[106,107],"acf":[],"modified_by":"Matt","jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/www.coralrealm.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/cloudy-aquarium-water.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.coralrealm.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5609"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.coralrealm.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.coralrealm.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.coralrealm.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.coralrealm.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=5609"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.coralrealm.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5609\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":7371,"href":"https:\/\/www.coralrealm.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5609\/revisions\/7371"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.coralrealm.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/5611"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.coralrealm.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=5609"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.coralrealm.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=5609"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.coralrealm.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=5609"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}