Cloudy tank ammonia?

[Jaxius]

So I started cycling on August 1st. 2 weeks ago my ammonia was 0 to 0.1 hard to tell and I had some N02 and N03 both fairly low readings.
I have been “cycling” for 6 1/2 weeks.
about two weeks ago I added a clown as my parameters were all low and I thought I was “done” but my water went really really cloudy and my ammonia is up a little at about 0.2ppm. Is this normal I thought my cycle had completed but now I think Maybe not. Also my water has been cloudy for 2 weeks with no end in sight. I have carbon running on the tank and have changed approx 150 gallons in water changes in the last 2 weeks.

 

[tankstudy]

Looks like a bacterial bloom. You'll want to run a UV sterilizer.

 

[K7BMG]

Yes I think it is a bloom as well.
Is the clown panting? Both pics show her closer to the surface.

If so, you may need to really agitate the water to add in O2.

I also recommend slow down on the water changes, or hold off completely.

I would adjust your light spectrum to 100% blues 0 Red and white spectrum, and see if that helps, could take 4-5 days to start to see a change. The clown wont care.

UV will help BUT do your research if you go that route.
UV works but proper sizing, flow, and contact time, must be adhered to or you have a expensive and useless piece of equipment.

The bloom can alter your ammonia results.
I am assuming your using the common API tests.
Pick up a alert badge, and keep an eye on that as well.

Do you have a skimmer in operation and is it producing skimate?

 

[brandon429]

Whether or not ammonia is under control is under debate here

your purchases are being influenced by the answer, that's fascinating and very much a sales driver for the hobby. what is needed, and what's bought to feel better.

opposite actions are recommended so far, classic question is how to choose, what is the research that gives the answer

Jaxius let me ask you this

where on the web can you find a 6.5 week cycle other than in a forum post

is it in any books, or cycling charts

has any authors in cycling articles or videos mentioned ammonia control will stall out 6.5 weeks

has anyone with a working seneye nh3 meter ever reported noncompliant nh3 after any timeframe, these are fair ways to research and get large picture impacts. that's an interesting pattern.


independent from cycling completion call, I voted for UV above because having just battled a 32 gallon persistent cloud (Daniels thread in new reefers forum cycling biocube 32) for about 6 weeks straight throwing everything at it, only a turbo twist uv cleaned it up in two days.

UV is just the ultimate cheat, it has no bearing on your cycle since that's about benthic/non circulating bacteria.

 

[brandon429]

in the end, what we think aquatic bacteria do (consistent vs varying for starters) causes us to click to resolve conflict, that's fascinating.

 

[Jaxius]

Clown is not panting or showing any distress other than chilling at the top she eats like a champ I’m feeding TDO pellets and she loves them.
Yes I have a skimmer but it is producing very little skim mate.
My apex shows ORP at 340 to 360 so I think I’m good on oxygen what do you guys think?
I dialed the lights way back to like 20% and upped the White so I could see the blue was making it hard to see in the tank.
I have a 25 watt UV scheduled to be delivered tomorrow and I’m hoping that will clear it up.

 

[brandon429]

they have just been the best cheats for sure. if you could do anything to help the tank like a huge water change, to export some physical mass and make uv work less, that's ideal

a big refreshing wc is good for a nice clean reef like that one, like a crashing wave crest its good and indicated here as pre UV prep for sure, hedges all bets

 

[brandon429]

hey one detail I missed/we see so many cycling threads its easy to over look but I got zapped on one last week

how did you cycle, I didnt see if you used bottle bac and feed for all that wait time, or just set the rocks in water wasn't sure

 

[Jaxius]

I used the Red Sea reef mature starter program and followed it to the letter. There recommended levels and where my tank was at never matched up I always had higher N02 then what they said I should have.

I did add a bottle of dr Tim’s at week 3 as I finished the Red Sea program and still had high NO2. That may of screwed me but I figured it wouldn’t hurt.

I used real reef rock

55 Pounds Real Reef Rock - Mixed Sizes

Biologically Active | Made in the USA | Mixed Sizes Each rock is man-made right in the USA using top quality ingredients. Using the same building blocks that your coral use, Real Reef is made with a variety of minerals, aggregates, and sands, each rock contains not only calcium carbonate but...

www.bulkreefsupply.com

I bought this 25watt UV

25 Watt Classic UV Sterilizer - White Body

Aqua Ultraviolet UV Sterilizers will eradicate algae, bacteria, and protozoa without any harmful chemicals or additives! UV lamps emit a wavelength that will alter and disrupt the DNA or RNA of single-celled organisms. Combining the UV lamp into a large housing allows for maximum contact time...

www.bulkreefsupply.com

Should show up tomorrow. I’m worried it might be under sized but I couldn’t fit the 40 watt version on my tank it’s just way to big physically.

 

[brandon429]

well done planning here I rate it as very likely to work based on other tank thread patterns, years worth. I guess worst-case scenario it might can be sent back/ineffective if not but truly this hardware doesn't let us down too often.

 

[K7BMG]

Clown is not panting or showing any distress other than chilling at the top she eats like a champ I’m feeding TDO pellets and she loves them.
Yes I have a skimmer but it is producing very little skim mate.
My apex shows ORP at 340 to 360 so I think I’m good on oxygen what do you guys think?
I dialed the lights way back to like 20% and upped the White so I could see the blue was making it hard to see in the tank.
I have a 25 watt UV scheduled to be delivered tomorrow and I’m hoping that will clear it up.

The light settings are reverse of my recommendation.

As we don't know if the issue is a Bacterial or Algae bloom.
My gut says Bacterial and therefore the light settings will not make any difference.
If it IS some sort of Algae type of bloom then upping the whites even on a lower power setting will make it bloom more rapidly. Just wanted to cover both bases.

Did you do the research on the UV?

Is it the right size for your water volume?
Do you have the correct pump to provide the higher flow rate required to combat Algae?
I looked briefly at the unit, they do not have a chart that I can find.
Before you open it and install it I recommend watching the BRS UV series of videos.
They explain the importance of proper sizing and flow rates for specific purposes.

Basically to combat algae and bacteria you need high flow rates.
The two are easily killed by UV but if the flow is to low it simply cant kill it off fast enough.
UV to combat parasites and the like have low flow rated for maximum dwell time in the UV chamber, as the UV won't kill them but it sterilizes them so they cant reproduce.

I am afraid buying this one because it fits the space you have will be a useless tool and a waste of 300 bucks.

 

[Jaxius]

*Update

I installed my 25 watt UV on my tank last night, I plumbed it into a spare return pump I had that is about 1700gph, I added a ball valve so I could turn it down.
I installed it last night at 5 pm and this morning at 9 am so 16 hours the water is significantly better it's night and day difference. I would say its 90% better. I have attached a picture, the pictures do not do it justice I promise you. I do need to clean the glass but you get the idea.
Also, I checked ammonia this morning, and it's zero. So my question is did the bacteria bloom give me a false reading on my ammonia test?
Thanks for everyone's help.

 

[Lasse]

I used the Red Sea reef mature starter program and followed it to the letter

It content DOC (Dissolved Organic Carbon) probably NoPox. That´s the reason for the bacteria bloom. A total reading of 0.2 as total ammonia (NH3/NH4) is - IMO - a very common wrong measurement and could be caused of the bloom.

Sincerely Lasse

 

[Jaxius]

It content DOC (Dissolved Organic Carbon) probably NoPox. That´s the reason for the bacteria bloom. A total reading of 0.2 as total ammonia (NH3/NH4) is - IMO - a very common wrong measurement and could be caused of the bloom.

Sincerely Lasse

You think it was the Nopox that caused the bacteria bloom?

 

[Lasse]

Yep - 99.99 % sure

Sincerely Lasse

 

[wonroc]

UV is just the ultimate cheat,

+1 will always use UV. During cycle or not.