WHAT CAUSES TURBID WATER IN THE AQUARIUM
Three common variants of turbid aquarium water:
- fine substrate particles floating freely in the water column;
- green water caused by algae;
- Milky coloured water caused by bacterial blooms.
If you have just installed a new aquarium, the water often becomes turbid. Do not panic about this. The gravel or sand may not have been completely cleaned, so fine suspended solids may have led to this result. These particles gradually settle to the bottom, and are also caught by the water filter, and as a result, the water is clear in 1-2 days.
In addition, a slight turbidity in the water is caused by cleaning the bottom of the aquarium, which is generally quite harmless. The water is then completely clear within 24 hours.
If the water takes on a yellowish or brownish tinge, this indicates a high level of organics. This can lead to a considerable drop in the pH value of the water, damaging the health of the aquarium fish.
Green aquarium water
Greening of the water is caused by algae blooms, which occur when free-floating planktonic single-celled algae multiply rapidly, giving the water a green colour.
At times, the algae multiply at high speed, causing the water to become so turbid that the fish simply become invisible in it.
The cause of green aquarium water is always the same: too bright lighting and poor water quality.
The source of too much light can be either the aquarium lighting or direct sunlight.
The water in the aquarium can be cleaned to a small extent by partial water changes, but this does not eliminate the problem entirely.
The problem of green algae persists even if the aquarium is completely shaded. Algae consume oxygen at night. Strong algae blooms can cause oxygen starvation in the fish, which is why it is important to aerate the water intensively during the various treatments.
Milky coloured water
The water takes on a milky colour due to a bacterial bloom.
General cleaning in the aquarium can cause a bacteria outbreak. High-performance water filters with carbon filter are used for water purification in this case.
The treatment with antibiotics, which kill the bacteria colonies and accelerate the establishment of biological equilibrium in the aquarium, provides good results.
During a bacterial bloom, it is desirable not to feed the fish, or give them so much food, so that within 5 minutes it was completely consumed, as not eaten particles of food leads to explosive growth of bacteria.
Bacterial water blooms are very dangerous. Bacteria need oxygen. A few grams of bacteria consume about the same amount of oxygen as an adult. Prolonged bacterial blooms lead to oxygen starvation of all aquarium inhabitants. It is advisable to check the ammonia level at this time, as the concentration may rise to dangerous levels.
In a saltwater aquarium, a protein skimmer usually helps prevent bacterial blooms by removing free-floating bacteria from the aquarium water.
