Cheato Gro cloudy water - Carbon Source?

[Miami Reef]

Guaranteed Analysis​

0-0-1.30; Potassium (K) as Soluble Potash (K2O) (min) 1.30%; Boron 0.009%; Carbon 0.005%; Calcium 0.14%; Chlorine 0.39%; Cobalt 0.0004%; Iron 0.1%; Magnesium 0.4%; Manganese 0.0475%; Molybdenum 0.004%; Sulfur 0.16%; Zinc 0.002%.

https://www.brightwellaquatics.com/products/chaeto-gro.php
Every time I dose this I get a cloudy bacterial bloom that lasts the entire day but clears up the following day.

I’m wondering if a bacteria bloom can occur that quickly? Do you think the carbon in the Cheato Gro causes this?

Ps. Bacteria bloom is neither good nor bad to me. I just want to understand what’s happening.

 

[Dan_P]

https://www.brightwellaquatics.com/products/chaeto-gro.php
Every time I dose this I get a cloudy bacterial bloom that lasts the entire day but clears up the following day.

I’m wondering if a bacteria bloom can occur that quickly? Do you think the carbon in the Cheato Gro causes this?

Ps. Bacteria bloom is neither good nor bad to me. I just want to understand what’s happening.

How quickly does the water become cloudy?

 

[Miami Reef]

How quickly does the water become cloudy?

Within an hour.

 

[Dan_P]

Within an hour.

That fast makes me think it is a chemical reaction, though how the heck could trace elements cause a precipitate? If you added 1/2 as much would the cloudiness be 1/2 or disappear?

 

[Miami Reef]

That fast makes me think it is a chemical reaction, though how the heck could trace elements cause a precipitate? If you added 1/2 as much would the cloudiness be 1/2 or disappear?

It would basically be the same cloudiness. I tried doing that last time.

I follow the bare minimum directions and under dose if anything. They want me to dose 5mL/20 gallons twice a week. I just dose that once a week. That instruction was for the first week. I’m actually “supposed” to dose more.

Next time I dose it I will take pictures of the progression of the cloudiness with time stamps.

But in my experience, not even carbon dosing causes such rapid cloudiness. The cloudiness begins from when I just add the dosage, but it doesn’t get noticeable until after an hour. After a few hours it gets cloudy cloudy.

And note that I run an oversized UV sterilizer 24/7. I don’t get bacterial blooms ever except when dosing cheato gro.

 

[Spare time]

That's definitely not normal

 

[Miami Reef]

I do have above average ph (max is 8.35). I dose sodium hydroxide spread out dropped slowly with a 2.2mL/min dosing pump. My alk is 7.6-7.8 on average.

 

[Miami Reef]

Hey! I’m not crazy! Look at this thread I found from a google search! (I didn’t read through it yet) but someone has a very similar issue. https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/u...cloudy-within-an-hour-bacterial-bloom.727100/

 

[Dan_P]

It would basically be the same cloudiness. I tried doing that last time.

I follow the bare minimum directions and under dose if anything. They want me to dose 5mL/20 gallons twice a week. I just dose that once a week. That instruction was for the first week. I’m actually “supposed” to dose more.

Next time I dose it I will take pictures of the progression of the cloudiness with time stamps.

But in my experience, not even carbon dosing causes such rapid cloudiness. The cloudiness begins from when I just add the dosage, but it doesn’t get noticeable until after an hour. After a few hours it gets cloudy cloudy.

And note that I run an oversized UV sterilizer 24/7. I don’t get bacterial blooms ever except when dosing cheato gro.

Just for reference, I am dosing 8 mL per week for almost 100 gallons. I have 5 L of Ulva. Maybe there is room to back off your dose a bit at least temporarily to see how the tank responds.

 

[Miami Reef]

Just for reference, I am dosing 8 mL per week for almost 100 gallons. I have 5 L of Ulva. Maybe there is room to back off your dose a bit at least temporarily to see how the tank responds.

Oh dear, if I had your tank size I would be dosing 25mL.

I don’t even have Ulva/macro algae. Dang. I’m definitely overdoing it by basically following the bottle directions.