Captive Aquatics: The Freshwater & Saltwater Aquarium Blog

Many hobbyist at some point will encounter aquarium water that is cloudy, hazy and just plain annoying. You can't see your fish or enjoy your aquarium, when the water is cloudy! Here are the three reasons why you may have cloudy aquarium water: 1. Small Suspended Particles: The water is usually a hazy, brown color that makes it hard to the aquarium inhabitants and decorations. Dust, plant debris and organic wastes are the main causes for suspended particles in the water column. Moving the gravel, decorations or redecorating will stir up any loose particles that can easily cloud your aquarium water. Fixing this is very easy for any hobbyist and just requires normal maintenance (vacuuming gravel, cleaning the glass, water changes) to prevent cloudy water. A flocculation additive like Seachem's Clarity will help these particles stick together, making their removal easier via mechanical filtration. 2. Bacterial Bloom: Bacteria blooms occur when nitrifying bacteria in a aquarium is not established (or there is not enough) allowing bad bacteria to flourish and create a foggy haze in your aquarium. The best fix for bacteria blooms is adding beneficial bacteria to the aquarium water. You can find beneficial bacteria in aquarium additives such...