Foggy water in my 10 gallon tank

Question
I change water (destilled) and no change in the water.  It stays foggy why?

Answer
Hi Katheryn,

Foggy water usually occurs in new tank set-ups (less than a month). This fogginess is caused by bacterial bloom. Bacteria are constantly growing in your tank. You may be thinking, "Why is there bacteria in my tank?"

Well, fish produce waste, and this waste decomposes, and produces ammonia. Unfortunately, ammonia is toxic to fish. However, nature has a solution, and beneficial bacteria will develop and remove the ammonia and other toxic substances. However, this tanks time. After a month, this process, called 'Cycling an aquarium', or 'Nitrogen Cycle', is finished, and your tank will have a thriving colony of bacteria which continually remove toxins.

You can help your fish by performing 20% water changes every 2-4 days, for until the process is over. It will reduce cloudiness, and will also dilute any toxic concentrations of toxins.

Remember, NEVER change more than 30% of the water at a time, to prevent stress and loss of beneficial bacteria.

I hope this helps!
Good Luck, and Happy Fishkeeping!