# My Fish Tank Is Cloudy and Smells Bad



## RedRaider15

So yesterday, I did a big water change and changed all of my filters in my tank... Today, the water is cloudy and has a bad smell. It isnt a rotten smell but it does smell pretty bad!! What do I do as I am leaving to go out of town tonight!!!

Note: The tank has been set up for 1.5 years.


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## Bmann666

hey i have had the same problem with the cloudiness, and for me all it was was when i would change the filter screens the first time i didnt rinse them out under water to get the excess dust/junk that was on it when it was recieved from the factory. after a couple of days the tank eventually cleared up. So the next time i changed the filter screen i rinsed it out and never had the "cloudy" problem again! i hope this helps!!!! and the smell problem maybe a heavy bacteria build up? not to sure check the PH lvls maybe best of luck!!!

mike


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## Byron

The cloudiness is likely caused by a bacterial bloom, and this is common after the filters (canister, etc) are cleaned. Usually it is minor and is gone in a couple days. It is basically harmless as the biological system can easily correct itself.

However, the smell is not good. If you dug into the substrate this is likely the cause. How much water was changed?


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## AbbeysDad

I agree regarding the cloudiness being a bacterial bloom of decomposing bacteria and it should settle out. I'm also concerned about any foul smell and from your pictures it looks like there is a fair amount of decaying matter in the substrate. You might consider a gravel siphon to remove excess detritus that is decaying and creating the foul water odor.


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## Mikaila31

I would start with testing the water.


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## RedRaider15

Yeah, I was thinking that it was a bacterial bloom... My water has never smelled bad until the other day and I always siphon the sand! I am not home and I can only hope for the best! The smell isnt like ammonia though, It's just a different smell that I can not describe...


Also, what pictures are you talking about?


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## 1077

I agree with other's regarding probable bacteria bloom if all filter's /material was cleaned at once,,or under tapwater that may contain chlorine.
Sand substrates make cleanup with vaccum easy, but some make the mistake of poking /sifting the sand before vaccuming which can result in that which we wish to remove,,,getting buried in the sand.
Is best in my view to vaccum first,,then sift the sand if you feel you must.
Between cleaning of all filter's /material,and sand or any other substrate for that matter in one go,,bacteria bloom is probable.
I try not to get too aggressive at one time with regard's to cleaning.
Maybe alternate between cleaning filter's one one week,,then the other the following week,then clean the substrate the next week,etc.Not so easy to remove too much good bacteria this way.


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## AbbeysDad

RedRaider15 said:


> Also, what pictures are you talking about?


I was referring to the photo in your avitar and aquarium log. Perhaps a shadow, but it looked like a layer of decaying organics below the surface of the substrate which I thought was gravel instead of sand.


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## RedRaider15

Alright thank you! And its just a shadow in the picture.


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