cloudy water problem

[Chefdjc91]

Ok, so My tank is a year old but two days ago I added 4 guppies from petsmart, and now the water is really cloudy.
Its a 29 gallon with an apple snail, 6 corys, and now the recently added 4 guppies
The ph is normal
no chlorine or anything
nothing seems like its dying
its just the water is really really cloudy
my filter is working well and I replaced the carbon in it when I bought the fish
What are the reasons as to why the water might be cloudy?

Thanks a lot,
-DJC

 

[Clint]

The added fish caused an ammonia spike and the cloudy water is a bacterial bloom. If you replace the filter instead of just rinsing and squeezing it you are throwing out the bacteria that grows on it and that worsens the ammonia spike.

change 50% of the water today, 50% tomorrow, and do 25% water changes weekly untill it's stablaized. you HAVE been changing about 10% of the water weekly anyway right? You can try that stuff that makes the water clear if you want. I never use it so I dunno how it will affect the snails.

 

[jimscott]

I see that sort of thing when people buy a new tank / setup. They may allow for the removal of chlorine, but are experiencing "New Tank Syndrome" because the filter media hasn't had time to go through the Nitrogen Cycle. This is what Clint was alluding to. Nitrosamonas Bacteria break down harmful ammonia, produced by the fish, into also harmful Nitrite. Then Nitrobacter Bacteria break down the Nitrite into safe Nitrate. It just takes time, weeks, and needs to be done slowly, as in introducing one fish, to kickstart the bacteria, but not causing an overload (cloudy tank / death from poisoning). You could try buying products to hasten the process, but I would recomment the slower, patient approach. Water changes are helpful, in that it removes the poisons, but it's like a bandaid, in that the Nitrogen Cycle needs to be gotten through.

Strange, though, a change in carbon would cause that!

 

[Clint]

If you don't want to wait, get some Bio-spira. No, don't get that cheap "instant" cycle stuff from wal-mart because it's crap in a bottle. Bio-spira and only Bio-spira is the real deal. Keep refrigerated until use.

Jim is totally right, although i'd like to elaborate that NO3 is only safe at relatively low levels. You still have to do water changes, especially if you don't have plants.

 

[CNCreefer]

He said the tank is a year old. Which means it is not a new tank. Also said he changed the carbon, not the filter cartridge.
The only thing I can say is, do some water changes.

 

[Clint]

Hey atleast i'm trying to come up with ideas

The only time that's ever happened to me was when I was young and ignorant with a mature tank. I changed the gravel and got instant milk

 

[Chefdjc91]

*sigh* all of the plants are doing well, I have 4 amazon swords and they are huge and there is this indestructible rhizome plant my friend gave me that never dies, the plants are doing fine its just the water is cloudy
when I said I changed the carbon, I meant I removed the filter cartridge, put in a new one with new carbon and inserted it, So I should just do water changes?
okey dokey, I understand the nitrogen cycle and all of the plants are doing fine. I do not do 10 % water changes every week
that is probably my problem
ok
thanks again
-DJC