How to Clear Up Water Inside a 10 Gallon Aquarium

Aquariums can make a beautiful addition to any home, especially if it's well taken care of. Few things can be less aesthetically appealing than foggy water in your 10-gallon aquarium. Cloudiness can be caused by a number of factors, including poor filtration and overfeeding. Luckily, clearing up cloudy water in a 10-gallon aquarium is a fairly simple task, provided you're patient.

Things You'll Need

  • Siphon
  • Bucket
  • Dechlorinator
  • Liquid water clarifier
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Instructions

    • 1

      Perform a 20-percent water change using a siphon and bucket. Submerge one end of the siphoning device (a plastic or rubber tube will work well) and swiftly move it back and forth until water begins pumping through it. Replace this water with clean water and then add a few drops of liquid dechlorinator to remove chlorine and any other harmful chemicals. To avoid shocking your fish, never change more than 20 percent of the water at a time.

    • 2

      Rinse or replace the filter cartridge. If the mesh in your filter has become clogged with grime, clean water won't be able to pass through. If the mesh tears or if there is more dirt and grime on it than can be easily rinsed off under a running faucet, it is time to replace your filter cartridge.

    • 3

      Add a few drops of liquid water clarifier. These clarifiers, which are available at virtually any pet store for just a few dollars, condense minute water-clouding particles into clumps big enough to be sucked through the filter. They may initially turn your water a brown tea color but that will fade within a few hours. Repeat this process in about 24 hours if you do not see significant improvement.