Continuous bacterial blooms. How to get rid of it?

[ReeferHolland]

Hello all. My 200L DT had a few bacterial blooms during startup, and is again having one right now. I don't know what causes this and why it keeps coming back and never really solves.
The strange thing is that my 45L QT tank also had a bacterial bloom 2 days ago. So I took another clean QT tank, new clean heater, filter and other stuff, new RODI water and salt, I drip acclimated the 2 fish, then I made sure nothing of the water went into the new QT tank. The water was crystal clear but now after 1 day I already see the white stuff forming again in the water column. I didn't feed the fish yet.

I use tropic marin pro reef salt. I make my own RODI water with aqua medic easyline 300 + DI resin filter.

How is this possible? All the time I thought it had something to do with overfeeding but there are 0 nutritions in a new sterile QT tank so where does the bloom come from?

 

[vetteguy53081]

No please read back in this thread. Someone else had the same issues with the tank close to the kitchen. When baking the fumes might cause it. But I'm not sure yet I have to test this by not cooking for a few days or longer.

I didn't test my tds. Will buy a tds meter asap. But the filters are quite new so how can it have high tds?

If incoming water source is very high, it can be possible but Im giving you the many possibilities for process of elimination

 

[nuxx]

How long has it been setup?

Might just have to wait it out...

UV could help, but more of a bandaid.

 

[ReeferHolland]

How long has it been setup?

Might just have to wait it out...

UV could help, but more of a bandaid.

Well my DT has been setup for 3-4 months. But like I said, my QT with everything new is now developping a new bloom after 1 day. How is that possible?

 

[JZ199]

Is it near a window where direct sunlight is shining into them?

 

[ReeferHolland]

Is it near a window where direct sunlight is shining into them?

Nope

 

[MelancholyBlenny]

Is it near the kitchen or stove where you cook often? My tank is very close to my stove and I was getting bacterial blooms and didn't understand why until I realized it went away after being on vacation for 4 days. I just run carbon 24/7 and change it out every 2 weeks and that seems to have fixed it for me.

 

[ReeferHolland]

Is it near the kitchen or stove where you cook often? My tank is very close to my stove and I was getting bacterial blooms and didn't understand why until I realized it went away after being on vacation for 4 days. I just run carbon 24/7 and change it out every 2 weeks and that seems to have fixed it for me.

Oh wow yes it could maybe be too close. My tank is like 5 meters next to my kitchen. So you think that causes the blooms? How does that work then? I have air filtration in my home that works really good.
Thanks for the insight anyways. I will add some more carbon. How much carbon do you add per Liter of water in this situation? Would you suggest using a reactor?

 

[MelancholyBlenny]

It seemed to be what was causing it in my case, especially when I was cooking something greasy like bacon (which I do in the oven now because of it) I use ROX 0.8 carbon at 1 tablespoon per 10 gallons. A reactor may work well but I don't have much space so I just throw it in a bag in the first sump chamber where the overflow dumps to.

 

[thatmanMIKEson]

Do you have Trochus snails?

 

[ReeferHolland]

Do you have Trochus snails?

Yes I have 3 of them, they do a very good job at cleaning the rocks

 

[ReeferHolland]

It seemed to be what was causing it in my case, especially when I was cooking something greasy like bacon (which I do in the oven now because of it) I use ROX 0.8 carbon at 1 tablespoon per 10 gallons. A reactor may work well but I don't have much space so I just throw it in a bag in the first sump chamber where the overflow dumps to.

How often do you replace it now?

 

[MelancholyBlenny]

Every 2 weeks, sometimes I forget and go an extra week but I try to keep it consistent

 

[thatmanMIKEson]

Yes I have 3 of them, they do a very good job at cleaning the rocks

I ask because my Trochus snails are always releasing this white substance, and the first couple of times seeing it, it may be confused for a bacterial bloom.

 

[thatmanMIKEson]

Thread 'Trochus Snail Releasing Milky Liquid' https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/trochus-snail-releasing-milky-liquid.537244/

 

[ggNoRe]

Are you dosing carbon and/or any bacteria products? Filter, skimming, and UV can help reduce it.

 

[ReeferHolland]

I ask because my Trochus snails are always releasing this white substance, and the first couple of times seeing it, it may be confused for a bacterial bloom.

Im very sure it's a bacterial bloom because its quite heavy

 

[ReeferHolland]

Are you dosing carbon and/or any bacteria products? Filter, skimming, and UV can help reduce it.

I use activated carbon, filter sock, protein skimmer, sponge filter

 

[vetteguy53081]

Hello all. My 200L DT had a few bacterial blooms during startup, and is again having one right now. I don't know what causes this and why it keeps coming back and never really solves.
The strange thing is that my 45L QT tank also had a bacterial bloom 2 days ago. So I took another clean QT tank, new clean heater, filter and other stuff, new RODI water and salt, I drip acclimated the 2 fish, then I made sure nothing of the water went into the new QT tank. The water was crystal clear but now after 1 day I already see the white stuff forming again in the water column. I didn't feed the fish yet.

I use tropic marin pro reef salt. I make my own RODI water with aqua medic easyline 300 + DI resin filter.

How is this possible? All the time I thought it had something to do with overfeeding but there are 0 nutritions in a new sterile QT tank so where does the bloom come from?

Agree, this wont be a sunlight or light issue. If using noPox, this can be one cause. When a sudden increase in the number of bacterial colonies generates and becomes suspended in the water column, it grows so quickly that it becomes more visible causing the water to become milky and hazy in appearance due to an increase in the nutrients in the water especially nitrates and phosphates and even an alk overdose will cause this.
Assure you have not had a spike in ammonia also and lastly, when you get blooms like this, the bacteria grows so quick that they become visible to the naked eye, causing the water to become milky/cloudy/hazy hence what you see with your tank.
Some final causes are poor filtration, overfeeding, high phosphate and nitrates.
Are you using RODI water or tap water from the faucet ?

 

[ReeferHolland]

Agree, this wont be a sunlight or light issue. If using noPox, this can be one cause. When a sudden increase in the number of bacterial colonies generates and becomes suspended in the water column, it grows so quickly that it becomes more visible causing the water to become milky and hazy in appearance due to an increase in the nutrients in the water especially nitrates and phosphates and even an alk overdose will cause this.
Assure you have not had a spike in ammonia also and lastly, when you get blooms like this, the bacteria grows so quick that they become visible to the naked eye, causing the water to become milky/cloudy/hazy hence what you see with your tank.
Some final causes are poor filtration, overfeeding, high phosphate and nitrates.
Are you using RODI water or tap water from the faucet ?

Thanks for the info, but none of the above applies to my tank. I don't use nopox, I don't have high nitrates or phosphates: N=2-5 P=below 0.03 or near zero.
I use RODI water from my aquamedic easyline 300 filter + DI resin.

And like I mentioned: my new QT tank with new water and new gear and no feeding yet is having a bacterial bloom after 1 day. I use TM pro reef salt.

Do you have any other explanation than that my tanks are close to my kitchen stove?