water balance

Question
my water is always cloudy. I think i change it to often. I bought a test kit and checked the strip.The strip did not match the label everything is the wrong color on the chart.do not know what to do.Any help is needed.Thanks,Eileen.

Answer
Hi Eileen, thank you for your question.

I hope you have already found an answer to your question, but in case you have not, I am answering your question from the Question Pool, where questions that were not answered within a couple of days (for whatever reason) are up for grabs from any one of us in the Fish category.

Changing your water too often or too much (or both) will cause cloudy water, you are correct. It forestalls the cycling process. If you are not certain what cycling is, read here for a detailed, plain English explanation:
http://freshaquarium.about.com/cs/biologicalcycle/a/nitrogencycle.htm

Also, have a look here for explanation of cloudy water:
http://freshaquarium.about.com/cs/waterconditions/a/cloudywater.htm

Increasing your biological filtration by adding [more] bio media to your filter will help. Look for "biological media" in the fish department of your local pet store. I recommend the ceramic rings in Hagen's Biomax - there are several sizes to choose from, and surely one of them fits inside your filter, even if you do not have an AquaClear.

It is not necessary to replace bio media - all it needs is a rinse in DECHLORINATED water. Used aquarium water is what I use, from water changes. Never rinse it in tap water! The sanitizer will kill off the beneficial bacteria.

Never replace more than 50% of the water at a time, unless there is an emergency. Follow these guidelines and your tank will "settle in" in no time - no more New Tank Syndrome! I hope that helps.

Best wishes,
Nicole