cichlid water change fiasco

Question
Hi,
I have a 15H freshwater tank with 4 african cichlids...I must have cleaned the tank too well because now the water is a cloudy white color.   I have done water changes for the past two weeks with no improvement...in fact it seems to be getting worse and the fish are becoming very stressed (i.e. shaking and scratching).   I treated for ick just as a precauution but to no success... how should i proceed?

Answer
Hi Monique,
  Is your filter working?

  The cloudy whiteness is a result of a "bloom" of certain bacteria.  For some reason they have multiplied at a very high rate.  This is usually because there is too much raw nutrients in the tank, often the result of overfeeding or a dead fish lying somewhere in the tank.  Please check for these possibilities first.

  There are products like AccuClear etc that will help clear the water. Basically the bacteria are very small and normally pass through your filter.  AccuClear and similar products cause the bacteria to clump together, allowing them to be caught on the filter.  I would continue with the water changes and add one of the clearing products and the cloudiness should go away within a week or so.  

-- Ron
  rcoleman@cichlidresearch.com
  Cichlid Research Home Page <http://cichlidresearch.com>