A cloudy fish tank can be quite an alarming sight for fish keepers. Most of them go to great lengths just to maintain their ‘aquariums’ cleanliness and stable water conditions. So, when the once clean and clear water begins to appear discoloured and murky, it can be cause for panic. However, before you get too anxious about the situation, it is first essential to understand what is really going on.

There is no single cause for a cloudy fish tank; several possible factors can affect the quality of the water in your aquarium. If you are experiencing this problem right now, you’re on the right page! Read on for some of the most common causes behind cloudy aquariums and how they can be fixed.

1. Algae Problems

If you’ve operated an aquarium for a while now, you are likely already aware of algae issues. These plant-like organisms build up on the sides of your fish tank and your decorations. If left unchecked, algae can turn your aquarium into a green mess since the algae bloom usually appears in a greenish hue.

Algae grow on the same things that plants are fond of – sunlight and food in the form of nitrogen. If you have an issue with algae blooms in your fish tank, it might be because of one of the following factors:

A sudden increase in nitrogen, especially due to excessive fish waste or feeding, may result in the sudden growth of algae. This abrupt algae increase can disturb your fish tank’s balance and adversely affect your fish.

If excessive nitrogen is not the cause, then perhaps your tank placement is to blame. A fish tank that is hit by direct sunlight tends to provide algae with additional energy to keep growing. Like plants, algae can thrive with enough food and sunlight. Hence, to avoid algae problems in your fish tank, make sure to deprive them of their food source by performing a water change regularly and placing your tank in an area that is not directly hit by sunlight.

2. Bacterial Bloom

Bacterial bloom is one of the most common reasons your fish tank is cloudy. A bacterial bloom often has a milky haze-like appearance. It usually results from fish waste and decaying food that provide an abundant source of nutrients for bacterial growth.

Bacteria in your aquarium is not inherently harmful since it is necessary to maintain healthy water conditions and break down waste. However, when the bacterial colonies in your fish tank become excessive and can no longer get the job done, this is when the quality of the water suffers.

Most of the time, a bacterial bloom occurs when a new fish tank has not been adequately cycled or when a significant change in water and aquarium cleaning leads to a mini-cycle as the bacterial colonies in your aquarium undergo a re-population stage.

To prevent unhealthy bacterial blooms in your fish tank, conducting a partial water change is crucial. If your aquarium is relatively new, perhaps you simply need a little more time for your fish tank to balance itself out.

3. Overstocking

Overstocked aquariums have numerous issues. Besides behaviour clashes and stress on the fish, the conditions in an overstocked aquarium can eventually decline until it becomes a toxic environment and lead to the cloudy tank water. To understand the issue, you should consider your aquarium a small ecosystem like a little lake. It has microorganisms that aid in breaking down waste, and the filter systems serve as the springs and streams that aerate the water and cleanse the lake.

Just like a lake that can only support a limited amount of life, the same is true of your aquarium. However, since your aquarium is a closed ecosystem that has no fresh water coming in, it cannot regain its balance without your intervention once things become unstable.

To prevent this, you should keep the stock down to a level the aquarium can maintain. This includes conducting a water change and vacuuming the gravel to get things back to normal. At the same time, you should look for a way to re-home some of the new fishes in your tank.

Conclusion

There could be several possible reasons why your fish tank appears cloudy. Nonetheless, everything ultimately boils down to ensuring that your tank is properly cleaned and well-maintained regularly. To ensure that you have the ability to fix your fish tank when the need arises, you should invest in premium-quality water treatment and cleaning tools from a trusted pet supply store in Singapore.

For the best and most reliable aquarium products and pet supplies, aPetMart is the shop you can count on! We offer a variety of products for different kinds of pets, including dogs, cats, birds, rabbits, hamsters, and fish. For more information about our products, feel free to contact us today.