Cloudy Start Up

Question
Hi there. I recently reset-up my twenty gallon tank. While filling the tank with water, I noticed the water was cloudy. I tried to wash the gravel as best as I could, but the water in the tank seemed to still be cloudy. Do you think this will be a permanent kind of cloudyness, or will it settle?

Should I change out all the water in the tank and then refill it with clean, clear water, or will it just go away in a few weeks or so?

Thanks so much!

Answer
Hi Alex,
Cloudy water sometimes happens while cycling a tank.  It's called bacteria bloom, and sometimes it takes weeks, sometime longer for it to disappear.  Your tank is cycling.  Make sure that your ammonia is zero, nitrates zero, and nitrates are low before adding fish.  When your chemistry is right add fish very slowly.  Do not add all the fish at once, as your chemistry would change causing death to your newly bought fish.  Depending on the fish you buy, add one, or two, then wait one week, check your water again, and if your chemistry is perfect add one or two more, etc.  Test kits for ammonia, nitrites, and nitrates are handy to have, and they should be number one in your fish cabinet.  Make water changes of 10% every three days, this will help your water to cycle.  Once it has cycled, and your water chemistry is right, do water changes of 25% every week, and you should have no problem.
Lynda