Fish tank owners usually encounter different kinds of problems, one of which is cloudy water. Various factors can contribute to this including overcrowding, inefficient filtration system and the presence of too much dirt. Furthermore, the presence of chemicals can also affect the clarity of water. To make your aquarium look clean and nice, it can help to know how to fix cloudy fish tank water.
Materials Needed
Clearing up cloudy fish tanks is truly an easy task. However, you still need to have a few materials at hand before you can start performing this job. First, buy a testing kit to determine the levels of nitrate, nitrite and ammonia present in your fish tank. Next, purchase ammonia drops or nitrate drops, which offer an instant solution to cloudy water.
Steps
Before you fix a cloudy water, it is advisable to let the water settle first. In case the water inside the aquarium has been changed recently, it is normal for the water to become cloudy. In order to determine whether the water is truly dirty, try to check the water only after 24 hours. In case the gravel is causing the cloudiness of the water, it is good to take them out of the tank and then rinse them well. By doing this, the level of dirt can be reduced significantly.
After cleaning the gravel, it is good to check the pump as well as the filter, which are two of the most common causes of cloudy fish tank water. If the cartridges are too old, replace them right away. After replacing them, wait for approximately 6 hours and check if the water clears up. A testing kit is also necessary for you to check the nitrite, ammonia and nitrate levels of the water. This product is readily available in almost any pet store out there.
If the levels of ammonia and nitrate are beyond normal levels, adjust them accordingly by adding ammonia drops or nitrate drops. However, do not put too much drops as these can actually poison the fishes. A fully functional filter can actually fix yellow-tinted or brownish water. In case there is too much organic matter in the gravel, a carbon additive can solve this specific problem.
Overfeeding is not good for your aquarium. In fact, it can make the water murky and green. The reason behind this is the presence of algae, which grow fast with abundant light and excessive feeding. It is also good to put fishes that eat amphipods and copepods, which are bugs that contribute to water cloudiness. Some of the fishes that eat these pests include gobies and Mandarin fish.
