Why is my container murky?
i have a 55 gal tank with angels, gouramis, barb, corys and a pleco. it never used to be murky, but it is now, the only difference (i know of) is that there is more plants presently. i have a water test paraphernalia and it isn't ammonia.
it might be from the soil brought by the plants if they weren't hydroponically grown. best bet take out the water verbs tank completely including the gravel, reassemble tank with plants and reintroduce your fish contained by the tank.
murky sea comes from over-feeding(!), - most of the time.
the more plants, the BETTER! so, don't worry about that.
in the furious, fish don't live in crystal clear water either, rivers take a lot of sediments and soil, so don't worry about that. Since you don't see a build-up within ammonia content, you are somewhat on the safe side. just make certain that you have a sufficiently strong filter with charcoal. remember, a Plecostomus may stir up a lot of bottom ruins, too.
could be the plants...or bacterial or algae bloom
HI, HAVE U TRIED DOING A WATER CHANGE AND GIVING YOUR GRAVEL A GOOD CLEAN, CHANGE AT LEAST 2/3RD'S OF YOUR WATER BUT CLEAN GRAVEL WITH A CLEANER. MAKE SURE YOUR FILTRATION IS ALSO WORKING AND IS BIG ENOUGH TO CONTROL A TANK OF THAT SIZE.
Answers: Do you preform maintenance on your plants? All dead leaves should be removed quickly. Once per month or 6 weeks, your plant should be view to ensure the roots are not starting to rot and any dead sections removed. (Benefit to having them surrounded by pots not directly in the tank)
Have you noticed your pleco's or cory's "digging" at your plants? After the subsequent water change, try tossing in a slice of zucchini for your pleco. They will and do verbs at the plants when they are not fed well. Are you running a Co2 unit on the reservoir for the plants?
Also, test your tap water for nitrates. This too can be a problem
