how to fix cloudy aquarium water. Cloudy or milky water is a common problem for new aquarium owners, and they often have questions about how to fix it. A definition, please. What causes this to occur? And what should I do to correct the situation?
Fortunately, cloudy water in a brand-new aquarium isn’t always cause for alarm. Below, we’ll go over some of the simplest ways to figure out what’s wrong with your water and how to fix it.
The water in my brand new aquarium is cloudy; what gives?
Does the water in your brand new aquarium become cloudy after being crystal clear for the first few days? Fear not. On day one, there is very little if any life present in a brand new aquarium. Within a matter of days, numerous microorganisms will enter the tank and attempt to make it their home. Since the water-filtering, equilibrium-creating nitrifying bacteria haven’t had time to colonize the system yet, things are pretty chaotic for the first week or so. To thrive on the minerals and nutrients present in the water, a wide range of free-floating bacteria and other microbes begin to multiply uncontrollably, leading to cloudiness. This problem can be exacerbated when aquarists introduce too many fish at once or overfeed, giving the microbes a greater chance of survival.
What to Do If Your Aquarium’s Water Is Cloudy
The impulse to “do something” is understandable. Clearly, something is “wrong” with the tank and we need to fix it. Instead of trying to get rid of cloudy water after the fact, it’s much more effective to take precautions to prevent it from happening in the first place. Let the cloudiness in a new aquarium clear up on its own. If you want some more advice, keep reading.
When aquarium water starts to cloud up, it’s time to get it tested for ammonia and nitrite. In the vast majority of cases, the levels will be nil, indicating there is no danger.
We know it’s unsettling to open a new aquarium to find cloudy water. The best piece of advice, however, is to be patient and wait it out. In the meantime, you shouldn’t add any new fish, should only feed lightly once daily, should get the water tested, and shouldn’t do anything to the filter.
