Serious tank issue. Please help

[Kellyy]

Hello everyone,
I’m pretty much at my wits end with my tank and I would really appreciate any help I can get.

I'll start with some info about my tank:
Started tank on August 10th 2020. 20gal long. Bare bottom. I put a wave maker pump, ai prime light, heater (78°), dry rock, and some nitrifying bacteria in there.
2.5 weeks ago, I added a seachem tidal 55 filter with floss. Right now for livestock I have 1 clownfish, 3 snails, some zoanthids attached to a little montipora, and another small coral which I believe is a frogspawn.

So here’s the problem....
The water looks VERY cloudy when the light is on, I cant see much at all. I moved everything to the front of the glass just to see them somewhat. When the tank light is off, the water looks almost fluorescent yellow. It doesn’t really look green.
Ive been having this issue for 6 weeks now. Water has tested completely normal the entire time. Ive even brought water samples to different shops incase somehow I wasn’t testing it right, but it always comes back perfect.
Before the problem started, I was doing weekly water changes of a couple gallons. Since the problem started, Ive done three huge 95% water changes while syphoning any waste (not that I could even see much lol)
Water looks nice & clear for a few days after that then it rapidly starts to get cloudy and yellow.
Recently I noticed the water seems a little thicker and I even found clear slimey stuff dripping from the glass lid. (Shown in attached video)
Luckily the only time I ever notice a smell is when I’m cleaning the filter and changing the floss
Also.. right before this problem started I added a lawnmower Blenny which died randomly the day after getting it. Then 2 weeks after that the male clownfish of the pair I had died. There was never any ammonia spikes.

Here’s what I’ve tried to fix this so far:
⁃ Three huge water changes
⁃ Frequent cleaning
⁃ Mesh carbon bag
⁃ Seachem “clarity”
⁃ Chemi pure blue in my filter
⁃ Adding (then later removing) more dry rock
⁃ Cleaning filter every couple days, its set on max
⁃ I even tried 3 layers of filter floss

 

[Fishnut]

My guess would be bacteria. I wouldn’t feed the tank or do anything to it for a week and see if it starts to find it’s balance. Also cut back on the amount of light the tank is getting.

 

[ReefPig]

The fact that it’s green cloudy water troubles me.
Bacteria alone is normally just cloudy.

Looks like maybe a combination of bacteria and some sort of micro algae outbreak.
Whats your parameters looking like (NO3, PO4 specifically).

Not sure about the US, but in the UK we can get hold of NSW quite easily, delivered to our homes from various companies.
Maybe do some research and see if you can get hold of NSW, then do some massive water changes and clean up.

I suspect the rock just wasn’t seeded well enough, then with the addition of fish and feeding, it’s caused the bloom.

The reason I say NSW, over normal mixed salt water, is that it’s full of natural fauna and will help to stabilise the tank. Doing normal water changes will help, but ultimately the bloom will come back.

Failing that, I would suggest a small cheap UV system you can hang off the tank for a few weeks until it’s resolved.

 

[reefviper101]

U might want to move the tank out from under your tv and get some microbacter 7 dose every day for a week and cut back on your lighting

 

[Jgg12002]

I’m no expert but I had this in a freshwater tank and I tried everything Finally used a diatom filter and it disappeared.
feeling your pain and good luck.
John

 

[brandon429]

Do a 100% water change

 

[Jack Ravensbergen]

What's the level of nitrate en phosphate currently en is there any chance that you have some sunshine in the tank at one time of the day?
And your fish were breething fast?

 

[Aqua Man]

is that a glass top/cover on your tank?

Which nitrifying bacteria did you use to start tank?

What are you feeding the tank and how much?

 

[Clownfish_Boy]

If your problem is microalgae, then Underwater Creations Vibrant may clear it up. It's worth a try, and can't hurt anything.

 

[Lasse]

I suspect that you have something growing in the water, probably one or another type of microalgae (there is some that can give a yellow tint). If you are able to borrow an UVC filter for a week or two - it should fix the problem if it is a problem with a pelagic micro algae.

Sincerely Lasse.

 

[Tamberav]

Hello everyone,
I’m pretty much at my wits end with my tank and I would really appreciate any help I can get.

I'll start with some info about my tank:
Started tank on August 10th 2020. 20gal long. Bare bottom. I put a wave maker pump, ai prime light, heater (78°), dry rock, and some nitrifying bacteria in there.
2.5 weeks ago, I added a seachem tidal 55 filter with floss. Right now for livestock I have 1 clownfish, 3 snails, some zoanthids attached to a little montipora, and another small coral which I believe is a frogspawn.

So here’s the problem....
The water looks VERY cloudy when the light is on, I cant see much at all. I moved everything to the front of the glass just to see them somewhat. When the tank light is off, the water looks almost fluorescent yellow. It doesn’t really look green.
Ive been having this issue for 6 weeks now. Water has tested completely normal the entire time. Ive even brought water samples to different shops incase somehow I wasn’t testing it right, but it always comes back perfect.
Before the problem started, I was doing weekly water changes of a couple gallons. Since the problem started, Ive done three huge 95% water changes while syphoning any waste (not that I could even see much lol)
Water looks nice & clear for a few days after that then it rapidly starts to get cloudy and yellow.
Recently I noticed the water seems a little thicker and I even found clear slimey stuff dripping from the glass lid. (Shown in attached video)
Luckily the only time I ever notice a smell is when I’m cleaning the filter and changing the floss
Also.. right before this problem started I added a lawnmower Blenny which died randomly the day after getting it. Then 2 weeks after that the male clownfish of the pair I had died. There was never any ammonia spikes.

Here’s what I’ve tried to fix this so far:
⁃ Three huge water changes
⁃ Frequent cleaning
⁃ Mesh carbon bag
⁃ Seachem “clarity”
⁃ Chemi pure blue in my filter
⁃ Adding (then later removing) more dry rock
⁃ Cleaning filter every couple days, its set on max
⁃ I even tried 3 layers of filter floss

A small UV like a green machine will clear that up.

It is a bacterial/algae bloom.

 

[Kellyy]

Update:
Thank you everyone for the replies!!! I tried a couple more suggestions but what ultimately fixed this issue for good was a UV sterilizer. It was running for a month and I haven't had the problem since then