Excessive bacterial bloom

[My little ocean]

Everyone has discussed bacterial blooms to death and I have tried waiting this out but 3 months is enough. I started a 40 breeder with a cpr hob fuge, with dr timms and ammonia. Then got a refuge starter kit from algae barn. Everything worked great, tank cycled fine, added fish 2 clowns and 2 gobies and never had any issue with parameters. I’ve had a slightly cloudy tank from bacteria and it goes from slightly cloudy to really cloudy. I’ve limited the food, lights and now I’m at witts end. Thoughts and input welcomed.

 

[Garf]

Everyone has discussed bacterial blooms to death and I have tried waiting this out but 3 months is enough. I started a 40 breeder with a cpr hob fuge, with dr timms and ammonia. Then got a refuge starter kit from algae barn. Everything worked great, tank cycled fine, added fish 2 clowns and 2 gobies and never had any issue with parameters. I’ve had a slightly cloudy tank from bacteria and it goes from slightly cloudy to really cloudy. I’ve limited the food, lights and now I’m at witts end. Thoughts and input welcomed.

UV

 

[Murica]

Is it a bare bottom? Did you use dry rock?

 

[My little ocean]

Is it a bare bottom? Did you use dry rock?

I used 40lbs live sand and old rock that I had from previous tanks that I tore down.

 

[My little ocean]

UV

I don’t believe an extra piece of equipment is the answer. I’ve previously ran over 400 gallons of water in one system in multiple tanks and never had a need for uv. This is a fresh start up and I’m trying to “keep it simple”.

 

[ZoWhat]

We really can't form an opinion without you reviewing all your input and output husbandry

You're either inputting too much of one thing

Or not exporting excessive nutrients thru a properly rated Skimmer (or waterchanges)

 

[My little ocean]

We really can't form an opinion without you reviewing all your input and output husbandry

You're either inputting too much of one thing

Or not exporting excessive nutrients thru a properly rated Skimmer (or waterchanges)

Water changes are excessive 50% every two weeks. I test everything weekly and never had any elevated levels of ammonia nitrate or nitrites. I feed an 1/8th of a cube a day and about 8-10 pellets every other day. As stated above only have the cpr hob fuge and exporting algae when needed. For the past 3 months algae growth is minimal due to lack of nutrients.

 

[lafarrow]

have you tried the 72 hour blackout to ensure its not algae bloom?

 

[Dark_Knightt]

Waiting it out is not usually an option that works out. UV, UV, UV. Works every time. No complaints.
I had one that made my tank completely white, to a point where I couldn't see anything. Bought a UV sterilizer, in 3 days my tank was CRYSTAL clear.

 

[vetteguy53081]

Running water through a filter sock and changing every 24 hrs is generally effective. Additionally, as you know, this is part of the nitrogen cycle and likely as you stated keeping it simple, the bacteria is growing so rapidly that collectively they become visible to the naked eye, causing the water to become milky/cloudy/hazy in appearance. Its likely the Heterotrophic Bacteria, which is the bacteria that cannot synthesize its own food and is dependent on complex organic substances for nutrition. The heterotrophs in the aquariums mineralize the organic waste (break down the uneaten food, fish waste, dead plant matter, etc. into ammonia). Also, it is more common that the heterotrophs are seen in bacterial blooms, not the trusted autotroph nitrifiers.
In a newer setup, the heterotrophs get to work quicker than the autotrophs, causing the "cycling bloom" so often seen. Blooms are almost certainly heterotrophic if they are caused by a build-up of organic waste in the substrate, which most, if not all, are.
Bacterial blooms are common in tanks with apparently no organics present (for example, where all that is in the tank is water and ammonia for a fishless cycle). This is caused by the dechlorination of the water suddenly enabling the water to support bacterial populations. The heterotrophs immediately get to work on the organics in the water itself.

 

[moz71]

I know you said no to UV but for this problem it is a no brainer. For a 40 gallon breeder I would just by the cheap green killing machine at Petco and be done with problem in a day possible 2. Did it several times on freshwater and saltwater blooms. Probably the quickest problems I ever solved so quickly and safely.

 

[Dark_Knightt]

I know you said no to UV but for this problem it is a no brainer. For a 40 gallon breeder I would just by the cheap green killing machine at Petco and be done with problem in a day possible 2. Did it several times on freshwater and saltwater blooms. Probably the quickest problems I ever solved so quickly and safely.

Agreed, people always say they dont want a UV until they get one, and it solves their problems XD. I was exactly the same!
Agreed, you dont need a super expensive one, just one that does the job.