Frag tank water white ish and murky how to fix?

[e1v4n]

Hey guys,

4 months ago i started up a frag tank, it is bare bottom and there is only a couple of dead marco rocks in the sump. Everything with the water looked good the first months.. the first tests after cycling the tank were:

Alk: 9.4
Ca: 450
Mg 1450
No2: <2
No3: <1
po4: 0.01
salt: 1.026

Im using aquaforest salt to mix my water.

Tonight i set up the light above the tank, it has been in the dark for 4 months now, except some indirect sunlight. The water is very murky and white, looks like there is "clouds" floating around in it.

Todays tests:

Alk: 8
Ca: 450
Mg 1450
No2: <2
No3: <1
po4: 0.01
salt: 1.026

There has been a drop in alkalinity, theres nothing alive in the tank besides some bacteria.. im not running a sock or a skimmer for the time being.. ive set up a filter sock and put some floss in the down flow. Ive also put some carbon in the sump where the water is flowing beneath the sock.

What else can i do and is this a bacterial bloom?

Will a skimmer solve my issue?

Thanks

 

[blaxsun]

Any images?

 

[e1v4n]

Any images?

hope these will do

 

[Ben.QLD2]

You said there's only been dry rock in the sump and nothing else. No live rock/sand to seed it? Any mature filter media added? Any bacterial preparations added?

Even if you added bacterial preparations, did you feed the bacteria?

Odds are that your tank has not actually cycled, hence the <1 nitrate reading too.

It may be a bacterial bloom after adding light to the tank. Either way, it's not suitable for inhabitants yet. Cycle the tank first and then go from there.

 

[e1v4n]

You said there's only been dry rock in the sump and nothing else. No live rock/sand to seed it? Any mature filter media added? Any bacterial preparations added?

Even if you added bacterial preparations, did you feed the bacteria?

Odds are that your tank has not actually cycled, hence the <1 nitrate reading too.

It may be a bacterial bloom after adding light to the tank. Either way, it's not suitable for inhabitants yet. Cycle the tank first and then go from there.

i didint seed it with anything "live" yet, hence my other tank got a few critters i dont want. im think it cycled at the start of its life. I mesured amonia levels rising and falling, and saw the nitrates go to a visible state.

The murky water was already there once i added the lights, i didint follow up on the tanks looks during these months but i saw the water murky a couple of days ago.

I used starter bacteria and followed it through 2 weeks time, i fed a bit until i started seeing amonia rising.

Maybe i still should use some live seeded rock in the sump?

 

[Tonycass12]

Looks like a Bacteria bloom, it should go away as the tank gets more stable. Most only last a few days.

 

[blaxsun]

+1 on a bacterial bloom.

 

[e1v4n]

Looks like a Bacteria bloom, it should go away as the tank gets more stable. Most only last a few days.

Should i do anything or just wait it out?

 

[blaxsun]

Should i do anything or just wait it out?

A UV would probably clear it up quickly - or you could wait it out.

 

[Tonycass12]

Should i do anything or just wait it out?

I would wait it out for at least a few days. You should start noticing it clearing up by then.