Yellow Water Fish Tank

Question
QUESTION: I have well water. I have had my water tested. Ammonia is low. Ph is high so is alkalinity. I have two tanks. One with catfish and one with pike. The pike tank stays crystal clear. I had pike water tested and the numbers were not much different from the catfish tank. I don't believe it's the well water. The catfish tank is yellow all the time. It has been for 4 months. Both tanks have undergravel filters. The catfish one has been there for a month now and my cloudiness is has finally disappeard. I did have driftwood that had been in a tank for 2 years previous so I don't beleive its the driftwood but I removed it anyway. I change the water once a week. I get a different answer from every "pro" I talk to and the percentage changes all the time. It is a 75 gallon tank. The only difference between the tanks now is the catfish eat flakes and the pike eat goldfish. The rocks are also only a month old they are acrylic coated brown rocks and I did not rinse them. I'm sorry this is so long, I just want you to have all the facts. I have 15 catfish about 3-4 inches. I just changed the water in both tanks today. 30 percent in catfish and 50 in pike. The Nitrates were pretty high. So. The catfish tank is just as yellow. and cloudy now but that happens everytime I add new well water. The pike tank is white cloudy again cause the well water. So because the pike tank doesn't turn yellow like the catfish tank it can't be the well water. Are the rocks causing my yellow water. It was yellow before I got the rocks and undergravel filter but I also had just a glass bottom and their waste was stirred up alot. Again sorry so long I understand you need all the info to answer a question.

ANSWER: Hi Chris;

Th only thing other thing I can think of besides the gravel is that perhaps the type of food you are using has a dye in it that's yellow. If it's possible you have been overfeeding, it may help to cut back a bit. Since the nitrates are high that's a distinct possibility.

If the water gets cloudy after a water change it is usually because the biological balance was disturbed and not because of the new water itself. It's better not to change more than 25% at a time and vacuum only 25% of the gravel bed each time. Otherwise, the beneficial bacteria can be disturbed enough that it kind of freaks out to compensate for bacterial population loss and the result is cloudiness. Especially in a new tank (under 8 weeks) that is still trying to establish itself and balance out.

Thanks for all the extra info. It really is helpful. ;-)

At Your Service;
Chris Robbins

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: even well water shouldnt cause cloudiness? i will try less feeding. i am going to switch to floating pellets after this food runs out.  

Answer
Hi Chris;

I have well water here and have used it for 9 years without any problems. We have no filtering system or anything on our well water to alter it in any way. (My tanks have filters, just not our tap water system) Unless your well water has a lot of particulate matter in it (floating microscopic particles) you shouldn't have trouble either. Does it look cloudy if you leave a glass of it out? There could be tiny bubbles but that goes away after a few minutes. Is it yellowish or anything once bubbles go away? If not, it isn't your well water causing cloudiness.

At Your Service;
Chris Robbins