Cleaning the filter does nothing except disrupt the few beneficial bacteria that have had a chance to get established.

Yes! Without question, doing nothing is the best approach for a new fish tank, as long as ammonia and nitrite levels are not on the rise.

Should I do nothing and let nature take its course? Continue reading for some additional tips.

When you begin to see cloudy water in a new aquarium, it's best to just let it run its course. However, taking measures to prevent and avoid cloudy water in advance is a far better approach than attempting to eliminate it once it starts. There is obviously something 'wrong' with the tank, requiring action on our part. The Best Solutions for Cloudy Aquarium WaterĪ natural reaction is to 'do something'. The situation is sometimes compounded and exacerbated when hobbyists add too many fish all at once and/or feed too much, providing these microbes with an additional food source. A variety of free-floating bacteria and other microbes take advantage of minerals and nutrients in the water and begin to multiply unchecked - thus causing the cloudiness. The beneficial nitrifying bacteria that filter the water and create stability and balance haven't had a chance to colonize the system yet, so it's kind of a free-for-all for a week or so. Within days, variety of microscopic organisms will begin trying to establish themselves in the tank. A newly set up aquarium is a biological blank slate there are virtually no life forms present on Day One. In fact, there are some very simple ways to diagnose and treat cloudy water and each will be discussed below.ĭoes your brand new aquarium suddenly have cloudy water after being clear for the first few days? Don't worry. The good news is that cloudy water in a new aquarium isn't necessarily an emergency situation. What does it mean? Why does it happen? And how can I fix it?

One of the most common questions new aquarium owners ask has to do with cloudy or milky water.

The long dark how to get water