Cloudy Water?

Parker Kufel

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Hello, so yesterday night everything was fine, corals all happy and so forth. Today came home from school and the tank water was extremely cloudy. All soft corals are ticked off and not opening at all. Some Stoney corals are doing fine. Past 2 nights turned on blues for about 10 minutes then off while dosing reef nutrition AB+. Also we are getting the kitchen redone and painters have been in and out of house. My water is not clear and smells kind of like the water you see in a fountain in public.
tested phosphates and they read 0.00. Need to be a little higher but would this really cause cloudiness?
Photos below are of a Duncan that is not happy, Softies that won’t extend polyps fully and the water cloudyness.

C13C6FD6-9D47-4CF5-9A55-4054E52459C0.jpeg 09B5079E-F552-406B-BB7A-ABE5B0FE3684.jpeg D6660499-5CEB-4045-A4F6-0A33D1E7D9C6.jpeg
 

CanuckReefer

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Hello, so yesterday night everything was fine, corals all happy and so forth. Today came home from school and the tank water was extremely cloudy. All soft corals are ticked off and not opening at all. Some Stoney corals are doing fine. Past 2 nights turned on blues for about 10 minutes then off while dosing reef nutrition AB+. Also we are getting the kitchen redone and painters have been in and out of house. My water is not clear and smells kind of like the water you see in a fountain in public.
tested phosphates and they read 0.00. Need to be a little higher but would this really cause cloudiness?
Photos below are of a Duncan that is not happy, Softies that won’t extend polyps fully and the water cloudyness.

C13C6FD6-9D47-4CF5-9A55-4054E52459C0.jpeg 09B5079E-F552-406B-BB7A-ABE5B0FE3684.jpeg D6660499-5CEB-4045-A4F6-0A33D1E7D9C6.jpeg
Possible bacterial bloom with the zeroed Phos and dosing the AB+. Have you done a water change? Activated Carbon might elevate the phos slightly but not sure about removing any potential bacteria....
 

vetteguy53081

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I am hoping that painters have covered tank while working in the area?
As for cloudiness, likely bacterial bloom.
Some causes are:
- Overfeeding the fish
- Poor filtration
- Waste buildup or not cleaning the substrate (water changes)
- Overcrowding the aquarium
- A dead fish or invert in the tank
- Constantly cleaning the filter to the point that beneficial autotrophic bacteria can’t build a colony

For these reasons, when the waste increases, the heterotrophic bacteria multiply rapidly to consume organic substances. A colony of microscopic heterotrophic bacteria is what makes the water look hazy and cloudy. The colony can also form in a new aquarium setup where the nitrogen cycle has yet to establish. In this case, the cycle will stabilize after a while and the water again become clear. Heterotrophic bacteria won’t hurt the fish , however, they produce large amounts of ammonia very quickly creating a dangerous and harmful ammonia spike.
Make sure the ammonia levels aren’t too high in the aquarium. If youre using API test kits, you may be getting false readings and ammonia higher than shown. Assure the water receives enough air with airstone during the bloom as blooms can consume O2.
You can also add liquid bacteria like Bacter 7 which will help digest waste.
 
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Parker Kufel

Parker Kufel

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Possible bacterial bloom with the zeroed Phos and dosing the AB+. Have you done a water change? Activated Carbon might elevate the phos slightly but not sure about removing any potential bacteria....
Did a water change yesterday as soon as I noticed water was cloudy.
 
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Parker Kufel

Parker Kufel

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I am hoping that painters have covered tank while working in the area?
As for cloudiness, likely bacterial bloom.
Some causes are:
- Overfeeding the fish
- Poor filtration
- Waste buildup or not cleaning the substrate (water changes)
- Overcrowding the aquarium
- A dead fish or invert in the tank
- Constantly cleaning the filter to the point that beneficial autotrophic bacteria can’t build a colony

For these reasons, when the waste increases, the heterotrophic bacteria multiply rapidly to consume organic substances. A colony of microscopic heterotrophic bacteria is what makes the water look hazy and cloudy. The colony can also form in a new aquarium setup where the nitrogen cycle has yet to establish. In this case, the cycle will stabilize after a while and the water again become clear. Heterotrophic bacteria won’t hurt the fish , however, they produce large amounts of ammonia very quickly creating a dangerous and harmful ammonia spike.
Make sure the ammonia levels aren’t too high in the aquarium. If youre using API test kits, you may be getting false readings and ammonia higher than shown. Assure the water receives enough air with airstone during the bloom as blooms can consume O2.
You can also add liquid bacteria like Bacter 7 which will help digest waste.
Tank was not covered while they were painting and sanding everything…
I always constantly run an air stone on my aquarium set up to insure o2 in the water.
Also I haven’t run my skimmer in over a month.
 

vetteguy53081

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Tank was not covered while they were painting and sanding everything…
I always constantly run an air stone on my aquarium set up to insure o2 in the water.
Also I haven’t run my skimmer in over a month.
Fumes may have reached tank and sump
 

vetteguy53081

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You have to trap suspended matter and utilize carbon to polish the water
I utilize filter socks and floss to trap those particles
 

Mogwai

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Hello, so yesterday night everything was fine, corals all happy and so forth. Today came home from school and the tank water was extremely cloudy. All soft corals are ticked off and not opening at all. Some Stoney corals are doing fine. Past 2 nights turned on blues for about 10 minutes then off while dosing reef nutrition AB+. Also we are getting the kitchen redone and painters have been in and out of house. My water is not clear and smells kind of like the water you see in a fountain in public.
tested phosphates and they read 0.00. Need to be a little higher but would this really cause cloudiness?
Photos below are of a Duncan that is not happy, Softies that won’t extend polyps fully and the water cloudyness.

C13C6FD6-9D47-4CF5-9A55-4054E52459C0.jpeg 09B5079E-F552-406B-BB7A-ABE5B0FE3684.jpeg D6660499-5CEB-4045-A4F6-0A33D1E7D9C6.jpeg
I am having the same issue with my tank for some odd reason. I did my water change on Monday and changed out my carbon for new carbon after 1.5+/- months, cyphoned sand bed (Every 2 weeks). After water change I noticed my water slowly clouding and its been like that since Monday and it's now Wednesday. I'm getting worried honestly. This has triggered my OCD badly. Parameters as of 3/14/2022: PH: 8.2, Salinity:1.024 SG, Nitrates: 2ppm, Dkh: 10-11 (when my normal Dkh is 7 or 8.) Ammonia: 0. Any suggestions?
 

Dakota_reef

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I might get flamed for this, but I've used Seachem Clarity to use as a flocculent which binds with suspended particles so they can be removed. I've used it in reef tanks, too, but usually only upon setup if the tank hasn't cleared up in a week.

I came home once for a FW bloom that was just a white cloud and I could hardly see anything. Clarity cleared it up within a few days and water changes/filter cleaning removed it.

I just had my kitchen painted and while I had my tank covered, the fumes didn't seem to do anything, but sanded particulates could have maybe?
 

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