How To Get Crystal Clear Aquarium Water

How to get crystal clear aquarium water? The big question that time and again troubles those who have an aquarium at home. Owning an aquarium is not as easy as it looks as you have to be very cautious about the water and its contents.

Having cloudy water in the aquarium is not a rare thing. It signifies that the environment inside the aquarium is not healthy and needs attention. Moreover, the factors that lead to the cloudy look of the water are uneaten food, plant and fish waste, etc. Along with this, having cloudy water in the aquarium does not provide a good look to your home decor.

In the article below, we will dig deep into the causes and solutions to the problem of cloudy water in the aquarium. The methods described will be easy for you to undertake by yourself without any professional help. DIY clear aquarium water quickly and enjoy the fishes. So let us go ahead and understand many ways to get crystal clear aquarium water.

What makes aquarium water cloudy?

There are several aquarium problems that cause chemical and biological imbalances in the water making the water cloudy and unclear.  The problem can be identified by the color of the water and the properties that it may show. Some of the causes that may cause this problem in an aquarium are:

• Left Residue of Gravels:

  ​​You may love looking at the fish going up and over the gravels. But if not properly taken care of, they can create a lot of mess. The small and large pebbles get dirty inside the water with leftover foods and fish feces. They need to be regularly washed with clean water to remove the dirt present in them.
  
  

• Bacterial Bloom in the Aquarium

  It is a common situation and happens mostly during the initial phases of the tank cycling process. During the cycling of the tank, ammonia is produced to help in the filtration of water. The ammonia does not completely go away from the water and leads to the development of the bacteria in the water. The bacteria consume the ammonia present in the water and the rapid growth of bacteria causes the water to turn cloudy or greyish in color.
  
  

• Low lighting

  The role of light is very important in maintaining the health and hygiene of the fish tank. Poor or low lighting may cause silica to grow in water which will make the color of the water to be rusty brown. Proper natural lighting ensures good oxygen level in the water which is very beneficial for the fish. Remember, excessive exposure to the light or low light, both can be bad for the aquarium. So make sure to get the aquarium an appropriate amount of light. Experimenting with different intensities of light will help you figure out how to stop cloudy water in a fish tank.

• Improper Filteration of the aquarium

  Many times, a few days after buying the aquarium we forget to take proper care of it. We casually put some food for fishes to eat and that’s all. We do not care to pay attention to the filters and many other things in the aquarium which makes things go wrong. The filtration system needs to be regularly checked if it is keeping the flow of water and its other functionalities properly or not.
  
  A long shutdown of the filter may also cause this problem. Movement of water in the fish tank is necessary and if not done, it will start growing the bacteria and make the water cloudy. Further below in the article, you will find out how to stop cloudy water in a fish tank. 
  
  

• High Level of Dissolved Constituents

  Your aquarium water comprises many constituents such as phosphates, silicates, nitrates and much more. They come along with the food that is being fed to the fish.
  Mostly when the food is overfed and is not eaten, it can cause a high level of silicates and nitrates in the water. Because of their increase, there may be a development of silica and the water composition will also be disturbed causing it to get milky.  

The question still persists, how to get crystal clear aquarium water? To achieve that we can follow the below-given steps and methods:

• Observe the cloudy water

  Before you go and add some chemicals to the water that may cause harm to the fish, wait and observe the water. Many times the water takes a while to adjust itself, so before doing anything, just observe the water for about a week. Pay attention to the fish tank regularly for about a week and observe the changes happening in the water. Figure out what is making the water cloudy.
  
  If the problem is with the gravels and other small particles. Then clear aquarium water quickly, take out all the gravels and wash them. Then again put them inside the tank and fill with water.
  
  

• Add bacteria to clean the water

  Bacteria cultures help in eradicating the excessive amounts of ammonia and nitrate from the water. These nitrates and other substances are one of the causes of the milky water of the tank. You can buy bacteria from an online or retail store. Some gravel already comes with bacteria over them and they can be a good solution for this problem. Nitrosomonas and Nitrobacter are the best bacterial species that can be used to deal with this problem. You can buy some bacterial products from the link given below that may help you to clean the water.

• Plant appropriate live plants

  Another way to clear the aquarium water is by placing suitable live plants in the aquarium. Live plants help in reducing the levels of nitrates and silicates in water. By planting them, you will notice that the water will start cleaning itself in a few days.
  
  You can buy some live plants online and the links are provided down below

• Find out the right filter for your tank

  There are numerous filters that can be installed in an aquarium. The use of inappropriate filter may lead to the cloudiness of water. The density of fish, the use of live plants and the type of aquarium determines the kind of filter you need for your fish tank.
  
  There are three types of filter that can be used:

• Mechanical Filters

  They pass the water from a material which has an efficiency of catching the unwanted particles and removing them.
  
  

• Mechanical Filters

  They make use of bacteria which make the toxins change into properties and become less toxic in nature.
  
  

• Chemical Filters

  These filters use various chemicals to remove toxins from the water.
  
  Determine which filter fill be the most appropriate for your fish tank and use that to filter the water. 

• Consciously Add Fishes to the Tank

  There are multiple fishes that can be added to the fish tank. However, adding different varieties of fish in a similar tank may become an issue of health for the fishes. Always before adding the fishes, do a little research on the various kinds of fishes and what fish type will be suitable for your tank. Remember, not to add too many fishes together in a tank. It may cause many health problems for the fishes inside and also will make it more difficult to clean the tank.

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Conclusion

The answer to the question, how to get crystal clear aquarium water, should be now clear to you by reading the above-given information. The aquarium can have a number of health benefits for you and if maintained properly, it can become a significant part of your house. So make sure to keep a healthy environment for your fish and regularly keep a check on its maintenance. By ensuring that you will have to spend less time on its cleaning and more time to enjoy it.