Why is my aquarium always so dirty?

 It's a question that most first-time fish enthusiasts have asked at least once and there are several possible answers. 

The dream is always the same. It's to have a beautiful and tranquil water feature right inside our homes. We want it to be vibrant, robust, and full of life with crystalline water and maybe a bubble feature to mimic the sound of a babbling brook We want it all and we want it to be virtually maintenance-free.

We do our research, please do your research!), then rush to the pet store to begin creating our water wonderland. It's all so exciting until. after a short time, our wonderland begins to resemble a toxic waste dump.

Then, the work begins. We're siphoning, scraping, buying chemicals, seeking advice on the internet, or harassing our local pet shop employees every day. This is where many people begin to second guess their decision to invest so much money and time into what now seems like more headache than it's worth.

Before you decide to scrap the whole thing and buy a gerbil you should know that there might be a simple solution to your water quality issues. 

We're going to look at a few reasons why your water looks terrible and what you can do to fix it but, first, let me tell you about myself. My first real job was working as a clerk in a mom-and-pop fish store. This is where my aquarium education began and I instantly bought my first tank. After college and a long career in an unrelated field, I became a General Manager in the Pet Care Industry and remained there for ten years overseeing the daily care, maintenance, and health of thousands of freshwater, saltwater, and cold water species. I've seen or heard about more aquarist problems than most people could imagine and my job was to find solutions. From a corporate perspective, it was about making profits and happy customers but, to be honest, my main priority was keeping the fish healthy. Since healthy fish tend to make happy customers. it was a win-win.

Enough about me, let's spill the dirt on dirty fishwater.

The Nitrogen Cycle

When we add fish to an aquarium and begin feeding them some of the food goes uneaten and drops to the bottom of the tank to decay. This food and fish waste create ammonia in the water. Amonnia is a dangerous and deadly chemical for fish, but, it's also food for nitrifying bacteria. This bacteria eats the ammonia and produces another fish-deadly compound, nitrite. Then, another nitriding bacteria eats the nitrate and converts it to the much safer byproduct, nitrate. This is how the biological food chain makes th water safe for your fish to thrive. 

As this process begins, you may see that your water becomes cloudy. Don't panic. This is a bacteria bloom. This is normal and you should do nothing. It will clear up once the initial cycle is complete. 

Not allowing the nitrogen cycle to complete leads to what's called "new tank syndrome" where ammonia and nitrite levels become so high that the environment becomes lethal for fish.

When the nitrogen cycle is complete the first partial water change should be completed.

Be sure not to overfeed your fish. Overfeeding causes more waste than the bacteria can eat. When this happens your water will remain cloudy and your fish will likely die from ammonia toxicity.

Overcrowding

I get it. There are so many cool fish out there but overcrowding your tank is never a good idea. Too many fish equals too much waste. The rule of thumb is one inch of fish (at adult size) per one gallon of water. Dividing your tank into three sections and buying fish that swim at the bottom, middle, and top of the tank can make your aquarium appear active and full with fewer fish.

Sunlight and too much LED light

Direct sunlight will promote the growth of algae in your aquarium. When algae blooms tiny green particles fill the aquarium creating a green tint in the water. Later the algae settles and grows on the walls, decor, and tank floor. Never place an aquarium too near a window.

LED lighting is bright and comes in several colors and can dramatically enhance the view inside the aquarium but too much LED light will also promote algae growth. Lighting should be limited to the time when you're actively enjoying your aquarium and left off for the remainder of the day.

Tank Maintenance

Overmainting a tank can be just as detrimental as undermainting. Never remove more than one-third of the water when doing a water change. Use the correct size filtration system for your tank, (a little larger won't hurt but never smaller) and gravel vac no more than once every three weeks. Overcleaning kills the healthy bacteria that sustain the balance of your ecosystem.

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