Cloudy water

[LandlockedZissou816]

Hello,
I have a question about my water. My tank is about a year old, everything has been running smoothly for a while now. I changed my AI Prime HD light settings from David Saxby to the BRS AB+ settings, and about 3 days later I got home from work to tank with extremely cloudy water. I have done nothing different otherwise. My best guess is an algae bloom or something, but I want to get some other opinions. Can you tell me what seems to be going on here?

Thanks!

 

[Rtaylor]

Bacterial bloom, usually clears up in a day or two.

 

[Supa]

+1 bacterial bloom. Watch for an ammonia spike just to be safe.

 

[ncross2]

I have something that looks very similar but it does not go away. It’s milky under the blue lights but if I turn it to just white lights the water is green. Anybody have any ideas for fighting it? For background info…

100 gal display 30 gal sump
2 Radion XR30s
2 MP40s
2-3 inch sand bed and live rock
Ammonia Nitrates and Phosphates as close to 0 as the color tests read.
I run carbon and GFO
I run a protein skimmer which is pulling greenish brown skim
I have a 25 watt UV sterilizer that’s running about 300-400gph through it which was the reccomended flow rate to kill everything.
The tank was about 1 year old before I broke it down and started it back up. The cloudy water came back though. My LFS’s (plural) are out of ideas and I sent the water out for the ICP test and everything came back within appropriate reef tank parameters. Any ideas as to what it is or a new way to fight it? I’m about ready to break the tank down permanently.

 

[Rtaylor]

I have something that looks very similar but it does not go away. It’s milky under the blue lights but if I turn it to just white lights the water is green. Anybody have any ideas for fighting it? For background info…

100 gal display 30 gal sump
2 Radion XR30s
2 MP40s
2-3 inch sand bed and live rock
Ammonia Nitrates and Phosphates as close to 0 as the color tests read.
I run carbon and GFO
I run a protein skimmer which is pulling greenish brown skim
I have a 25 watt UV sterilizer that’s running about 300-400gph through it which was the reccomended flow rate to kill everything.
The tank was about 1 year old before I broke it down and started it back up. The cloudy water came back though. My LFS’s (plural) are out of ideas and I sent the water out for the ICP test and everything came back within appropriate reef tank parameters. Any ideas as to what it is or a new way to fight it? I’m about ready to break the tank down permanently.

Hmm… have you tried a 2-3 day blackout? If so any impact?
What is your water source?
What treatments have you tried other than I’ve sterilizer?

 

[LandlockedZissou816]

A 15% - 20% water change wouldn't hurt anything, right?

 

[ncross2]

Hmm… have you tried a 2-3 day blackout? If so any impact?
What is your water source?
What treatments have you tried other than I’ve sterilizer?

I tried a blackout. It helped a little but it came back strong. Water source is 5stage RODI from my garage. I’ve dosed Vibrant and at one point I did a 50% water change and dosed Microbacter7 to try and get the healthy bacteria up. No luck.

 

[Rtaylor]

I tried a blackout. It helped a little but it came back strong. Water source is 5stage RODI from my garage. I’ve dosed Vibrant and at one point I did a 50% water change and dosed Microbacter7 to try and get the healthy bacteria up. No luck.

Is the tank near a window?

 

[Dburr1014]

I tried a blackout. It helped a little but it came back strong. Water source is 5stage RODI from my garage. I’ve dosed Vibrant and at one point I did a 50% water change and dosed Microbacter7 to try and get the healthy bacteria up. No luck.

You are having an algae bloom. Kind of derailing the Op thread a little, in the future maybe you can start your own thread.

But, if you do water changes that's just going to give more fresh water for the algae to use up and you're not going to finish the cycle. I would use filter floss and minimize your lighting until it clears up. You're going to have to change the filter floss regularly. The algae is suspended in the water column and you need to filter it out.

 

[Dburr1014]

A 15% - 20% water change wouldn't hurt anything, right?

Actually, I wouldn't do any water changes to a clears up.

 

[Lavey29]

Hello,
I have a question about my water. My tank is about a year old, everything has been running smoothly for a while now. I changed my AI Prime HD light settings from David Saxby to the BRS AB+ settings, and about 3 days later I got home from work to tank with extremely cloudy water. I have done nothing different otherwise. My best guess is an algae bloom or something, but I want to get some other opinions. Can you tell me what seems to be going on here?

Thanks!

What are your parameters?

 

[vetteguy53081]

You first want to determine cause and especially with many who simply cannot afford a UV unit. 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. It generally take a colony of microscopic heterotrophic bacteria to make the water look hazy and cloudy. The colony can also form in a newer tank system where the nitrogen cycle has yet to establish. In this case, the cycle will stabilize and after a while the water again get clear. Heterotrophic bacteria won’t hurt fish but will 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.