General Aquaria Discussion • Cloudy Water & Filter Media Slime - Need Help

[goodfortune21]

I have a 55 gallon tank that was fishless-cycled and has been running with fish (about 20 mbuna) for about 9 months. I am having issues with cloudy water that started about this time last week. I tested for, and got 0 ppm for both ammonia and nitrites. (API Freshwater Master Kit).

I typically do about a 60-70% water change once per week. Nitrates right before water changes are usually around 30 ppm and drop to about 5 ppm post w/c. The only thing that have changed is that I started using an airstone at the back of the tank about 2 weeks ago, and I have noticed a thick white to translucent slime growing on the polyfil and filter media. I use the polyfil to control particulates and I change it with each water change.

Anyone have any suggestions? How do I fix both the cloudy water and the slime? I’m guessing it is bacterial bloom, but I’m not sure. Any advice or suggestions will be greatly appreciated; thanks in advance.

[ken31cay]

1. The airstone alone wouldn't be the cause of the cloudy water or media slime. Was the airstone clean when you introduced it to your tank? Or else think about what other changes to your tank happened during this timed, i.e., something else made it's way into your tank.

1. Cloudy water can occur during a mini-cycle. This can happen if your change too much of your filter material/clean your filter to thoroughly, or introduce too many new fish into the tank.

[ken31cay]

Excuse all the typos in my last post

[Cichlidude]

Here is some help for cloudy water.

http://aquariumscience.org/index.php/6- ... al-blooms/
http://aquariumscience.org/index.php/6- ... ear-water/