My fish tank water is murky. What's causing it and how to fix?

Question

We have four cardinal tetras, three glo danios, three glo tetras and a albino Cory cat. They are all the type to only get an inch to two inches long and so we have them in a twenty gallon tank. Have gravel and silk/plastic/resin/and live plant/decor and proper filter/heater/air. Also have changed filter once a month, siphoned 25% water/debris out every two weeks using water conditioner but don't know why we have murky water and how to remedy this... Pet's info: Fish | Unknown - Fish

Angel Alvarado, LVT · Accepted Answer

Too much light can cause algae growth which will give a murky or cloudy appearance to a tank. Use a timer and set it for a 12hr on/off light cycle. Move the tank away from direct sunlight if necessary. Perform a 20-25% water change every week. Use aged or conditioned water that is temperature matched to prevent stress or shock. Rinse filter media with tank water to preserve bacterial population. Use a test kit to monitor water quality. Ammonia spikes can lead to algae blooms. Ammonia and nitrites should be 0.25ppm or less, nitrates 30ppm or less. If the tank is not "mature" or fully cycled, the excess wastes from fish can feed algae or bacterial overgrowth. It may also be diatoms which are harmless and can appear a few months after a tank had cycled. They'll resolve on their own in a month or two. Keep on top of cleaning and water quality.

My fish tank water is murky. What's causing it and how to fix?

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