You could spend hours, days and weeks setting up the perfect aquarium, however, that does not hinder the possibility of you acquiring a cloudy fish tank at any point. Not to mention, your fish tank could even have green or yellow water when it becomes cloudy. However, even if it is possible for it to happen, there’s also ways for you to solve it!

Green Cloudy Water:

While the reasons for both types of cloudy water are similar, there are a whole lot of other reasons as to why the water turns green. How green it becomes however, depends solely on the concentration of the problems in your aquarium. Let’s look into why your water could turn green and how to solve those issues.

1. Growth of Algae: We all know what algae is, and how much of a nuisance it can be! It thrives in damp environments, and considering your tank is filled with water, you can be sure to expect it. Not to mention, algae can be very difficult to deal with, once it has started to bloom (grow in large density).
   
   As much as nutrients and light are beneficial for the growth of your aquatic plants and fish, too much of it can be very detrimental to your aquarium. We’ve all heard the saying ‘good things are bad in large quantities’, and algae is a prime example of that. Once it starts to build up, it’ll start competing with the other life forms in your tank and not allow them to flourish!
   
   Solution: While it may be disgusting and annoying to deal with, it is pretty simple to do so. One of the most basic and easiest steps is to change the water in your tank. Look to the quintessential buyers guide for articles to help with this issue, and more! If the algae has spread to any of your decorations or rocks, remove them from the tank and spray them with hydrogen peroxide. Leave these for around 5-10 minutes and then clean them before placing them back in the water. 
   
2. PhytoPlankton: Now, this isn’t just a character from Spongebob, but the reference of it being an annoying one-celled organism underwater, is true. Jokes aside, these are like any other bacteria and can easily build up underwater. They are microscopic and cannot be seen with the naked eye, so if they are causing a problem, it means they’ve accumulated to a large number!
   
   Solution:Despite filters being necessary for your tanks in general, they are essential in helping you fight against the Phytoplankton. If your current filter isn’t doing the job, then maybe it is not up to the task, and you should definitely get a new one. However, once you’ve done that, you’ll be seeing changes in the water very soon!
   
   

Cloudy Yellow Water:

The water in your tank becoming yellow is not really a matter of negligence or of mistakes, and it also very easy to solve.

More often than not, people place driftwoods in their tanks to give it a natural beauty or for the placement of different plants that require it. However, they are also the reason for your water turning yellow. No need to fret though, even if you’ve caught it a little late! Yellow cloudy water is rarely the means for concern, and solving it is also very simple.

Remove your driftwood from the water and then boil it for a little while separately. Once you’ve done this you can place it back into the tank and hallelujah, your tank is going to return to its former glory! To speed up the process, you can always take the initiative to replace some water in the tank.

White Cloudy Water:

While it may seem harmless to have the water become slightly cloudy, this calls for action due to the severe problems it can cause.

1. Build up of Dust: Dust is present everywhere we are, it’s just a case of how extreme it is. However, the area of a tank is always closed, and once it starts accumulating, it can become very dangerous for the fish and plants in the aquarium. 
   
   This mainly occurs due to the gravel base of your tank, which helps to keep your plants rooted (other than providing a great texture of course). So, it has the cons of being able to trap dust particles, and over time causes the aquarium to become cloudy.
   
   Solution: If this occurs in your newly set-up tank, then one of the procedures to solve it is to just wait. No that is not a joke, sometimes the filters take a little while to properly cleanse your tank, and if you wait it out, you’ll see the water become transparent soon. 
   
   However, the better way to solve this is to change the water a few times. By that, we mean some of the water, and around 3 times should do it. 
   
   You should definitely make sure to remove the gravel from your tank and clean them separately, due to the possibility of them becoming dirty. 
   
2. Bacterial build-up: Not all bacteria formation within the water cause it to turn green. Some also make the water turn white and cloudy. However, in these cases, it causes a thick white fog-like situation, and should be dealt with fast. 
   
   Solution: For this problem, the most you can do for your fish tank is to let it cycle. This refers to the nitrogen/nitrate cycle in the tank, which any fish owner needs to understand with in-depth knowledge. The constant addition of fish food, decaying plants and fish feces attribute to this cycle. Once you’re caught up with this whole process and how to navigate it, you’ll find your tank returning to its normal state.
   
3. Dead Fish: This is a problem that really requires no further explanation. If your fish are dead, it’s best to not have them in the tank, and stop the decaying process from taking place in your aquarium. 
   
   Solution: Remove the dead fish from your tank immediately. The decaying process introduces more nitrogen and bacteria into your tank, and will lead to more problems.
   
4. Decorations in the tank: Decorations in an aquarium gives it a homely feel, and can help you feel accomplished about giving your fish a decent home. However, if you’re not careful, they can also be the downfall of your fish and hard work, since they can be dirty and introduce harmful substances into the aquarium.
   
   Solution: Decorations can be harmful and create cloudiness in your tank for a couple of reasons.
   
   The simple one is that they can be dirty, and in that case, you need to remove them and wash them properly. Once clean, they should pose no threat to your aquarium.
   
   However, on the off chance that this doesn’t work, make sure to research on that decoration. In rare instances, some items can be harmful to your aquarium if they react harshly with whatever is in it.
   
5. No Fish in Tank: It becomes very annoying when you haven’t even placed any fish in your aquarium and you see the water turning cloudy. Well, at least you can be happy your fish didn’t have to suffer through it! Regardless, there’s a simple explanation for this, and it’s easily solvable as well. Even without fish, any environment will have bacteria growing in it, and sometimes they can become abundant.
   
   Solution: Place a filter in your water, and allow it time to help clean the water. However, if you already have a filter in place, and you still see this occurring, then allow the filter some more time to do its work. In the instance this does not help, you should definitely get a new filter for the sake of your aquarium and fish.

Conclusion:

While cloudy water (no matter the color) is annoying, more often than not, you’ll find easy explanations for it, and be able to deal with it fast. However, it’s advisable that you never take this situation lightly, and make sure your aquarium goes through all the steps to help fight against this problem.