Lurking: Back in the Hobby....Need Advice

[Dirt Man]

Hi all, I've been lurking around this news group for a little time. Thanks
for all the good posts, they have helped me tremendously. I have just
returned to the hobby after being out of it for over 15 years. Here's my
dilemma:

I have a 55 gallon tank with an U/G filter with a 160 GPH power head.
Additionally, I have a TetraTec P350 external filter that has been doing a
great job. The tank recently cycled and shortly thereafter the water began
to cloud. In the tank, I currently have:

1 medium Angel
3 medium Platties
2 Pearl Gouramis
1 Female Sword Tail
2 Cory Cats
1 Male Betta
1 small Pleco

Tank stats:
Ammonia = 0
Nitirtes = <.5
PH = 7.6-7.8
GH = 125
Temp = 76F
Last water change was late mid-late January.

I live in Phoenix, so with the warm weather, I am replacing about 1/4 inch
of water every 4 to 5 days. Any ideas what could be causing the cloudiness?
The water seemed crystal clear until the tank cycled........

Thanks all!

AJH

[NetMax]

"Dirt Man" > wrote in message
news:LLFUb.15415$fD.7428@fed1read02...
> Hi all, I've been lurking around this news group for a little time.
Thanks
> for all the good posts, they have helped me tremendously. I have just
> returned to the hobby after being out of it for over 15 years. Here's
my
> dilemma:
>
> I have a 55 gallon tank with an U/G filter with a 160 GPH power head.
> Additionally, I have a TetraTec P350 external filter that has been
doing a
> great job. The tank recently cycled and shortly thereafter the water
began
> to cloud. In the tank, I currently have:
>
> 1 medium Angel
> 3 medium Platties
> 2 Pearl Gouramis
> 1 Female Sword Tail
> 2 Cory Cats
> 1 Male Betta
> 1 small Pleco
>
> Tank stats:
> Ammonia = 0
> Nitirtes = <.5
> PH = 7.6-7.8
> GH = 125
> Temp = 76F
> Last water change was late mid-late January.
>
> I live in Phoenix, so with the warm weather, I am replacing about 1/4
inch
> of water every 4 to 5 days. Any ideas what could be causing the
cloudiness?
> The water seemed crystal clear until the tank cycled........
>
> Thanks all!
>
> AJH

Any NH3/4 or NO3 reading indicates the tank is not cycled, either because
it hasn't had the time, or there exists a condition which is preventing
it from balancing. Furthermore, there are many other types of bacteria
filling in niches, besides the nitrifying bacteria, so bacterial blooms
can still occur, though they become progressively less severe each time.
I'm presuming that it is a bacterial bloom (grey, milky etc).

Your rate of water replenishment will cause your water's GH to increase,
but I don't see that as a problem with your 125ppm. Something in the
back of my mind remembers a condition which is related to hardness, which
can cause the clouding of water, but it escapes me right now. What is
your kH? Is your GH mostly calcium? What is your water supply (wells?).
Is your tap pH very different from your tank's pH after a few days of
circulation? Are you de-chlorinating?

Here they talk about cycling, so maybe something will turn up.
http://faq.thekrib.com/begin-cycling.html

UGFs have a considerable biological filtration capability. Is the water
cloudy coinciding with any other activity (ie: gravel vacuuming?).

I hope something there helps. Your LFS might be more familiar with your
local water's parameters to be able to offer better advice.

Without further information, I would try aging the water you will be
using for your water changes. If this prevents the clouding, then that
will tell us something.

Carbon filtering might also remove something which might be affecting the
bacteria's ability to survive.

NetMax grasping at straws...