How To Get Rid Of Bacterial Bloom In Aquarium | Causes & Preventions

Have you ever experienced cloudy water in Your Aquarium? If yes, then those are the aerobic bacteria suspended in the water known as bacterial bloom. This can harm the fish in the Aquarium when at a peak level.

Bacterial Bloom and its causes?

Bacterial Bloom is a situation experienced by aquarium owners in which the water in the aquarium takes a translucent, milky look. This change of color is due to the suspension of aerobic bacteria in the water.

Before moving to how to get rid of bacterial bloom in aquarium, let’s see what causes this situation? There are various factors that can result in the formation of bacterial bloom in the aquarium. Let’s take a look at some of them,

1. New Aquarium

   Bacterial bloom usually develops in new aquariums. When water is added for the first time, after a few days the chlorine level in the aquarium starts dropping down. This leads to a decrease in the biological material in the tank as it gets consumed by the bacteria. This whole process takes some days after which the water in the tank gets cleared.
   
   

2. New Fishes

   Bacterial Bloom also happens when you add fish to the aquarium for the first time. This is because more waste material is present in the tank. Bacteria feed on it which leads to bacterial bloom. Thus, it is suggested not to add too many fish at once. Adding a controlled quantity of fish will let the tank balance itself and give enough time for the beneficial bacteria to establish themselves. In case, if the cloudiness does not dissipate in a few days, you need to add some beneficial bacterias manually.
   
   

3. Dead entities

   The presence of dead fish and plants also leads to the development of bacterial bloom in the Aquarium. Dead fish release chemicals and dead plants release nutrients that trigger the formation of bloom.
   
   

4. Feeding Extra food to the fish

   In case you are feeding extra food to the fish in the pond. There will be a greater amount of bacterial bloom as it produces more than the required amount of nitrates and phosphates.
   
   

5. Equipment Failure

Last but not least, a failure in your aquarium equipment which can also lead to bacterial bloom. Keeping a proper check on the equipment like filters will also help in curing bacterial bloom in the aquarium.

Is Bacteria Bloom bad for fish?

After studying the above section, you must be wondering will it hurt my fish and most of all how to get rid of bacterial bloom in Aquarium. To answer these questions, let’s move ahead in this article.

The presence of bacteria is not harmful but the consumption of oxygen by them becomes harmful for the fishes in the tank. This is the reason you will notice that fish start panting near the surface of the water. In any case, you notice the inhabitants suffocating in the deoxygenated water, it is advised to increase oxygenation in the water.

Eradicating Bacterial bloom from your Aquarium

1. Water

The first and the most crucial element of an aquarium that needs immense care is water because the fish’s survival depends on it. Keeping this factor in control is a part of how to get rid of bacterial bloom in Aquarium. Regular oversight of water for any harmful entities in it is essential, it becomes more important in case the aquarium is placed outdoors.

Along with the oversight, the water in the aquarium should also be changed after a fixed period of time. This will help in increasing the oxygenation and also reducing the excess nutrients in the water. Numerically, thirty percent of water change is advisable for controlling bacterial bloom in the tank.

In addition to water change, also clean the substrate of the Aquarium to any sort of organic material as the bacteria love it.

2. Fish food

Food is important for every one of us. And for the fish in the aquarium, food is the second crucial item that stands in this list. Feeding the fish controlled amount of food is also what needs attention and forms a part of how to get rid of bacterial bloom in Aquarium.

Overfeeding of the fish should be avoided as the extra food will trigger the formation of bacterial bloom. On the other hand, it will be clearly visible to you if the fish are overfed. Normally the fishes eat up the food in two minutes but if the food is still present in the tank for more than two minutes. It means that you are overfeeding them.

3. Beneficial Bacterias

Not all bacteria are bad, there are some good bacteria too. They also form a part of how to get rid of bacterial bloom in the Aquarium strategy. Now, what are beneficial bacteria and how they will help?

Beneficial bacteria are the ones who work in reducing the nitrogen cycle and introduce a balance to the aquarium. Adding a sufficient amount of these bacteria to the aquarium a couple of times a day will help in eradicating bacterial bloom in a short interval of time.

Perform the process of adding bacteria for at least three consecutive days to see the best effect. This is an overall excellent way to improve the health of your Aquarium.

Some of the products that fall under the category of beneficial bacteria that you can try:

4. Water Equipment

Another important equipment for an aquarium is the water filter. Having a well maintained and functioning aquarium will help in cleaning up the bacterial bloom automatically. Actually, after cleaning the filter, the bacterial bloom can go away overnight.

Do make sure that the filter inside your aquarium is pumping water at a specified volume and is not clogged by dirt or slime. In any case, if it is clogged. Unclog it with the help of declogger to improve its functioning.

Keep a check on the internal circuitry and connectivity of the filter as it may electrify water in worst-case scenarios.

5. Enzymes

Enzymes form the final pillar in the process of treating bacterial bloom in Aquarium. The addition of enzyme mixture in the aquarium speeds up nutrients processing which in turn reduces the time period of bacterial bloom in the fish tank.

These enzymes are one of the best answers to eradicating bacterial bloom not going away in your aquarium. Regularly dozing the tank with enzymes will lead to the processing of waste material and also balance the aquarium ecosystem.

Taking care of all the above factors will help you answer how to get rid of the cloudy fish water tank. Do try the product mentioned in the links above.

Prevention of new tank syndrome

As it is always said that “ Prevention is better than cure”.  Hence, consider these points for preventing bacterial bloom from wreaking havoc in your aquarium.

• Keep a close check on the working of the filter on a daily basis. Doing this will prevent you from greater damage in the future.
  
  
• Add beneficial bacteria and enzymes on a planned interval to prevent any last stage hassle.
  
  
• Clean the substrate on a regular basis along with changing the water.
  
  
• Keep a close check on the dead fish and plants in the Aquarium, remove them as soon as you notice them.
  
  
• Keep an oversight on the nitrate and phosphate levels in the tank using testing kits.

Video Introduction

Final Thoughts

Bacterial bloom is not a very serious issue and can be taken care of easily if one follows some simple steps. Getting rid of bacterial bloom in Aquarium sounds like a tough question but it is a lot easier to eliminate bacterial bloom. I hope that this article answers all the questions that you have regarding the bacterial bloom problem.