Bacteria Bloom.....help me decide what I need to do....Please!

Hi All!!

I'm back with more issues. My water quality has cleared up nicely for now but I've still been doing regular water changes every three days due to this cloudiness in the water.

I've found out that its more than likely a bacteria bloom.

I've already cut down on feeding and I'm doing regular water changes every 3 days to try and get the cloudyness to go away.

However, another site mentioned that it might be worth getting a filter that's made to filter more water than I have so that it is definitely filtering all of the water in my tank.
I have already added a moving bed filter to the tank and the breeder of my axolotl keeps mentioning an external filter for the tank.

Does anybody have any thoughts on this?
Also can anyone suggest any other ways to try clear up this bacteria bloom?

I want to avoid using chemicals because they're a short term fix. But if I have to then I will.

Thanks everyone!!!!

I'm not sure about the effectiveness of different styles of filters, but I know that it's helpful to have a filter that filters more than the volume of your tank!
Also, the cloudiness will go away eventually on its own.. Maybe cut the water changes back to once a week? Cloudiness is no big deal and if it's a bacteria bloom it should go away on its own without any chemical additives!
But the more filtration your tank has, the better! ?

What filter are you using?

I have an aquael 300 that came with the tank and a moving bed filter that I made out of a 500ml plastic bottle (not very stylish but it works so far)

How many liters/gallons is your tank?

Is your tank heavily stocked with Axolotls?

I'm not sure how beneficial the moving bed filter is other than creating surface area for nitriying bacteria, which your internal should hold a sufficient colony. I only use internal filters, and as long as it can filter the entire volume of your tank or more then you should be fine with just that.

What are the test results for ammonia, nitrite, nitrAte, and PH?

What temperature is your tanks water?

Just to be absolutely sure - sorry if this old news to you! - all added water is de-chlorinated, and you wash any filter media in tank water only?

A tank needs a complex diverse community of bacteria to function properly, and any chemical will be non-specific and probably simply reverse the journey towards a "cycled" tank (a tank with a stable and balanced sustainable ecosystem).

I find tanks take at least 6 weeks to really settle down - so if your tank is younger than this it might still be cycling. Bacteria suspended in the water usually makes the water white - is yours white? If so, patience and I would guess it will find its balance eventually. If it is green it is obviously single-celled algae of course = high nitrates. If your water comes from a river source then it might contain nitrates - a quick phone call to your supplier and you can get a full run-down of what is coming out of your tap.

By the way my axolotl tank I use a "powerhead" type submerged pump sucking water through a drink bottle full of artificial cotton wool from a pillow. By happy chance the "in" flange is a perfect fit for the bottle neck. It's been running 6 years + and the water is always crystal clear so we can see him wandering about when we are having our dinner. I have a foot-long pipe full of slots as the exit, cork to float the end, and this stops the pump making any current. I am pretty sure it is doing some biological filtration too. Magnetic cleaner for glass - but does not need cleaning often. I do 25%-30% water change every week (well that's the aim) - and no food when I am on holiday. 11inch+ axolotl with beautiful bushy gills and clear eyes so I would recommend this set-up.

Hi guys. Sorry i never replied to your messages. You guys were right....patience to stop the bacteria bloom. The water is still a little milky but a lot better than it once was. The breeder of my axolotl recommended the moving bed filter to help keep that ammonia down. Plus my axolotl seems to like the bubbles and constant fresh water.

I have another two questions. My axolotls gills on one side have always been wonky and little bit scraggy. He came that way and i think they've been nibbled at when he was in the tank with his siblings. However, as he is growing his gills loom a little scrawny. Theres nothing worrying me, no white parts or scratching and water perameters are near enough perfect at the minute. Is there anything i can do to promote the growth of the gills or to plump them up a little?

Also, i like varying his diet. I'm looking at live shrimp and a few differeng types of frozen food other than bloodworm. He gets earthworm, bloodworm and pellet at the minute. Anything else he might fancy?

I feed prawns and mussels to mine, for a bit of a change from earthworms and pellets. You could also try some small pieces of fish. I tend to keep a supply of pre-cut frozen treats that I can defrost quite quickly.

Oooo that's something i never thought of. I will give the prawns a try.

My guys love their prawns.

A bit late replying - sorry - but Woodlice! They all seem to love woodlice!

Not the "pill" type (Armadillidium vulgare) as they roll up like a seed or stone and get spat out in my experience.

I am talking the common ones in UK gardens that don't roll up, mostly Oniscus asellus and Porcellio scaber. I use forceps to dunk each one a few times to get rid of the air bubbles, so they sink down to hungry axolotls.