Reef tank became cloudy for no reason

[Fishko]

Not at all, dilution is your friend, it will reduce both the bacteria and what ever got stured up

Ok thanks. Is it a bad idea to stir up the sand bed usually. I had a little cyano growing. I think explains my phos dropping from .1 to .04

 

[Copingwithpods]

Unless you regularly vacuum it yes

 

[vetteguy53081]

Ya i stirred up the sandbed two days ago. My sumps been pretty clean lately. Just added more carbon

yep- good ole' bacteria bloom. easy one to calm down

 

[sarcophytonIndy]

How long has the tank been set up? Bacterial blooms are very common in newish (less than six months) tanks.

 

[Fishko]

How long has the tank been set up? Bacterial blooms are very common in newish (less than six months) tanks.

About a year and 4 months. I think its from sitrring up the sandbed. Will be doing a large water change tomorrow. Water seems to clear up and corals look happier

 

[t5Nitro]

Bacteria bloom maybe I had it last year. I almost crap my pants.

Probably this ^

Stirred up some nutrients causing a bacterial bloom

How long has the tank been set up? Bacterial blooms are very common in newish (less than six months) tanks.

My tank is young, cycled since January and stocked since February, and is undergoing the same process I assume to be a bacterial bloom. The descriptors Fishko mentioned are identical to what mine is going through now. I'm just curious how long these blooms tend to last? I'd say it's been cloudy for a good 2 weeks. Have a skimmer and chemipure blue on the way this week.

 

[Fishko]

My tank is young, cycled since January and stocked since February, and is undergoing the same process I assume to be a bacterial bloom. The descriptors Fishko mentioned are identical to what mine is going through now. I'm just curious how long these blooms tend to last? I'd say it's been cloudy for a good 2 weeks. Have a skimmer and chemipure blue on the way this week.

Mine lasted maybe a day at max. i added a good amount of rox carbon to my filter sock. my fish didnt seem to mind it if you only have fish currently.

 

[t5Nitro]

Hmm, that's interesting. Your tank is definitely quite a bit older so that may be the difference. Mine is an ongoing process of 2 weeks now.

 

[sarcophytonIndy]

Mine lasted at least three weeks. It was driving me crazy. Then one day the water turned crystal clear, and has been ever since.

 

[t5Nitro]

Mine lasted at least three weeks. It was driving me crazy. Then one day the water turned crystal clear, and has been ever since.

There is hope! Thank you! I agree, it's been driving me a bit crazy myself. Coral health is suboptimal and in fact having a lot of tissue loss on many of the stony ones. Fish are acting per usual and healthy. No hobby grade test kit is at least giving me an abnormal result.

New this weekend I set up an AWC system so I'm having it change 1 gallon daily on my 75. Hopefully that helps with stability and constant clean water.

 

[Fishko]

Hmm, that's interesting. Your tank is definitely quite a bit older so that may be the difference. Mine is an ongoing process of 2 weeks now.

If its been up for two weeks its def a part of the

There is hope! Thank you! I agree, it's been driving me a bit crazy myself. Coral health is suboptimal and in fact having a lot of tissue loss on many of the stony ones. Fish are acting per usual and healthy. No hobby grade test kit is at least giving me an abnormal result.

New this weekend I set up an AWC system so I'm having it change 1 gallon daily on my 75. Hopefully that helps with stability and constant clean water.

ya i tested my params and nothing was funny either, phos was a bit low, i think the carbon really helped. Good luck!

 

[t5Nitro]

Hey Fishko. The tank has been up since January. The cloudy water I meant was a few weeks. I'm probably at around 3 weeks in to a persistently cloudy tank. I can hardly see the back of my 24" deep tank guys, I can't figure it out. Re-tested parameters today:

Todays numbers:
1.024 (will increase it to 1.025/1.026 slowly via AWC).
Ca 455
Alk 9.0
Phos 0.03
NO3 unknown - kit ordered, has not shipped yet.

• New lifereef skimmer has pulled out about 700mL of skimmate since setting it up on the 13th.
• Activated carbon around the clock. There is no bad odor from the tank.
• Filter sock and change every 3-4 days. No filter socks in 24 hours since removing the last 1 and washing them all, tank is definitely more cloudy without the sock.
• Tank changes 3.7L or about 1 gallon daily on a ~95 gallon system.
• Water is RO/DI. 0-2 TDS.
• Back in January finished a fishless cycle with Dr. Tim's ammonium chloride and microbacter 7 + biospira at different times for bacteria. Tank was crystal clear for the first month. Tank was started with real reef dry rock.
• Lost some SPS that were given to me, likely related to new tank / the move / accidental alk spike to 11.9 previously. Hammers and trumpets doing well. I do have a 8-10" galaxea coral colony that has slowly been losing tissue. Is there any reason that colony is the source for continued cloudy water?

Any red flags in any of this that anybody can identify? I've had 2 saltwater tanks prior to this one and had never had this fouled water look, at least none that have persisted that I remember.

 

[t5Nitro]

I think I will increase my AWC from 1 gallon per day (~7%/wk) to 2 gallons per day (~15%/wk) and then look at one of these craft stores for the pillow stuffing to use as filter floss in my overflow box to see if that clears it up! My chewy order shipped as well so I should have some chemipure blue on the way!

 

[Fishko]

I think I will increase my AWC from 1 gallon per day (~7%/wk) to 2 gallons per day (~15%/wk) and then look at one of these craft stores for the pillow stuffing to use as filter floss in my overflow box to see if that clears it up! My chewy order shipped as well so I should have some chemipure blue on the way!

Id maybe try a few larger water changes. Are you running a bare bottom. I honestly dont have a good answer. I would post a new thread with your case. Others would def be able to help you. Good luck

 

[t5Nitro]

Id maybe try a few larger water changes. Are you running a bare bottom. I honestly dont have a good answer. I would post a new thread with your case. Others would def be able to help you. Good luck

Yeah it's a bare bottom. I'll post a pic of my tank in a thread to see what ideas come up.

 

[Fishko]

Yeah it's a bare bottom. I'll post a pic of my tank in a thread to see what ideas come up.

I remember watching some brs about bare bottoms, how long did you cycle, i remember they had a large bacterial bloom after adding more livestock