Cloudy water won't go away!

[isomudkip]

I was in the process of cycling a tank for 8 weeks before I got my Axolotl at the end of June. However, the water was really cloudy and some folks on here said it likely hadn't fully cycled due to the lack of Nitrate readings via my API Master Test Kit. In the past two weeks, however, I have started to see my Ammonia and Nitrites stay at 0 and my Nitrates between 5-10 ppm. It appears as though it is finally cycling. I believe that the Stability that I added really helped. My parameters have been ideal for the past 7 days, but the water is still so milky and cloudy. I believe it to be a bacterial bloom, but nothing I do is helping! It looks absolutely gross and I worry that my Axolotl has trouble seeing. However, his/her gills look wayyyy better than when I got him/her, and he/she eats like a little pig! I see regular bowel movements and he/she seems active, but not too much so. I also should mention that I was doing 30% water changes if I saw my Ammonia, Nitrites, or Nitrates creep or if my water level dropped due to the aquarium fan I have running. I keep the water between 64 and 67 at all times. My tank is bare bottom, and I have one terracotta pot that I sawed in half and sanded, a piece of driftwood that was boiled, a river rock that was boiled and is larger than the Axolotl's head, and two plants. One is an Anubias and one is a Java Fern. I use Prime to dechlorinate my tap water and I did the full week of Stability and now only add it when I clean anything in the tank or do a water change or addition. I am running an Aqua Clear 30 with all of the included filter media.

One other thing I should mention is that one time I did an 80% water change and the water looked fantastic and tested great, but within 48 hours it was back to being cloudy again.

I am thrilled that it appears to be finally cycling or even potentially cycled, but I really wish my water didn't look so disgusting. Any words of advice or encouragement? Thank you, in advance!

 

[Binditheaxolotl]

Honestly, almost complete water changes have helped me. Also polly fil, which I put on the bottom under my foam in my HOB filter. Both are great!

 

[Calgarycoppers]

I use Sera crystal clear but Seachem purigen may be a benefit otherwise let the blood ride its way out the more you mess with it the longer it takes

 

[Binditheaxolotl]

I use Sera crystal clear but Seachem purigen may be a benefit otherwise let the blood ride its way out the more you mess with it the longer it takes

I agree with Calagary, purigen is a huge help. I use poly fil, sponge, purigen, and then bio balls in my HOB and it works great.