Freshwater new tank help

Tray333 · Sep 29, 2021

Ok, I know this is not the correct place to ask about freshwater question, but I know there is a lot of smart people here and I need help. These pictures are from a 20 gallon freshwater new set up aquarium, and I want to know what this white film growing on gravel and fake plants. The water is milky also. Any help would be appreciated to fix this.

nereefpat · Sep 29, 2021

Looks like a bacterial bloom. Was the tank cycled?

LiveFreeAndReef · Sep 29, 2021

Do you have an autofeeder or was there a lot of food put into the tank? I've had a clients tank look like this, the cause was someone dumping a ton of food into the tank

Sharkbait19 · Sep 29, 2021

Definitely a bacterial bloom. How long has the tank been cycling?

LiveFreeAndReef · Sep 29, 2021

Whatever is it, gravel vac as much of that stuff out as you can, refill whatever was taken out by the gravel vac, dose some seachem stability (or other bacteria in a bottle product), and then leave it alone. Hold off on food for 3-4 days too, if the tank wasn't cycled you don't want to be feeding yet.

Tray333 · Sep 29, 2021

It is actually my bosses tank, and I don’t think it was properly cycled before fish were introduced. As far as feeding I assume it has been overfeed. I added start up bacteria yesterday and water clarifier, along with 20percent water change. Is there anything else I can do to fight the bloom?

LiveFreeAndReef · Sep 29, 2021

Tray333 said:
It is actually my bosses tank, and I don’t think it was properly cycled before fish were introduced. As far as feeding I assume it has been overfeed. I added start up bacteria yesterday and water clarifier, along with 20percent water change. Is there anything else I can do to fight the bloom?

I'm willing to bet all that crud is bacteria eating excess food. Suck it outta there, and then get your boss an autofeeder until they learn how to feed the tank properly lol other than that, waiting out a bacteria bloom is the best way to go (after the crud is removed of course)