Water Changes To Eliminate Cloudy Water

Question
QUESTION: Hi Karen,
Thank you so much for helping all of us with our questions.  I am new to your site, but you are a Godsend!!! I have a 40 gallon tank with a 5 inch Oscar, 8 inch Pleco & 3 inch Pleco.  I took your advice for my cloudy tank, and yesterday and today, I did a 50% water change with gravel vacuuming.  The tank really has improved!!! My question is do I continue to gravel vacuum with each 50% water change, or just do the 50% water change until it clears up completely?

Again, thank you for helping so much!!!!!
Al

ANSWER: Hi Al,
I must thank you so much for your kind words!!

It's very much the truth that large water changes are the best solution to almost all water quality problems plus many fish problems!

It really is best to gravel vacuum with every water change. Especially with the big polluters like your plecos and Oscar. Those fish you have will just thrive with big frequent water changes (and grow lots too!)

I hope you get your tank clear soon! Sometimes it takes a few big water changes to get it clear completely.

Best of luck! And You're welcome!
Karen~

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

QUESTION: Hi Karen,
Thank you so much for the quick response and great advice. I just have one more quick question, that I should have included the first time.  Will the 50% water change and gravel vacuuming affect the good bacteria in the gravel, that I am trying to develop thru cycling the tank?

Thank you for all your help and my tank is really looking so much better. I have had it since May 4, 2007 and the cloudy water would not go away.

Answer
Hi There!
The water changes will not affect the bacteria. Just lightly gravel vacuum at each water change. Water changes are essential for when you have fish in a still-cycling tank. It keeps them safe from high ammonia levels but your tank will still cycle just fine.

Best of luck with everything!!!
Karen~