New frag tank problems!!!

[Reefing.with.Rich]

I have run into an issue on a new tank build and figured i would ask the group
I got a new to me frag tank, ran my own plumbing, and got it filled up with fresh saltwater and it was instantly cloudy the next day. There’s no sand or rock in the tank, just 20lbs or so of fresh rock in the sump.
I also added nothing to the tank(bacteria,ammonia,etc)
I reached out to a fellow hobbyist who owns and runs a coral shop and he said it was likely just a bacterial bloom from something inside the tank or sump and suggested I empty the tank and fill it up with fresh saltwater and instantly add my go to bottled bacteria in which I followed his instructions and the following day I was right back in the same boat with super cloudy water that you couldn’t see through. So I assumed bacterial again and left it be. It has now been two weeks with no difference and I even did a 50% water change last night and the water almost seems even more cloudy today. This is the first “used” tank iv set up in the 14 years iv been in the hobby so I’m not sure if it’s something to do with that but was hoping maybe you have some type of idea as to what it could be or what I could be doing wrong.ill post a few pics of the tank as of today. All of the equipment is brand new as well so I dont see that being the issue

 

[Catawba_Valley_Reef]

How did you clean the tank prior to filling it?

Also, is the water coming from the same source every time?

Is the salt brand new or has it been used in another one of your tanks?

 

[Reefing.with.Rich]

How did you clean the tank prior to filling it?

Also, is the water coming from the same source every time?

Is the salt brand new or has it been used in another one of your tanks?

Cleaned the tank with nothing at all besides a pressure washer. Fully fried out and it even sat for a couple weeks before I ended up getting the last of the equipment in to get it running. As for the water, yes it’s from the same source and yes I have another system that’s been up and running for quite some time now with no issues. The salt is HW which is what iv used for years

 

[Catawba_Valley_Reef]

Interesting…I’m wondering if you could bleach the system.

I would potentially try a different water source, unless you are using the same source in other tanks that you have and aren’t experiencing any issues.

I only asked about the salt because maybe this is a bad batch?

The 20 lbs of rock…if it was dry rock it can have a lot of dust and residue if not rinsed…but probably not enough to cause this.

I just don’t know how you would get a bacterial bloom in essentially sterile water. Especially if you didn’t add bacteria and it was dry rock.

I’m at a loss, but just trying to think through it by process of elimination.

 

[MikeReefs]

were the dry rocks rinsed or cured before you put them in your sump? My suspicion points to that but it looks clear in the sump and I don’t think a bloom could possibly start from that, maybe some dust and film if that. I don’t think it can be a bloom if no bacteria was added and the equipment was new

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

What salt mix? High alk mixes of raw salt water are prone to calcium carbonate precipitation. I had a similar thing happen when I started my new tank with all IO. I added some muriatic acid to lower the alk and pH a bit, and the cloudiness disappeared.