Water is cloudy with a chemical/ metallic smell.

Louisa James

New Member
View Badges
Joined
Aug 4, 2018
Messages
23
Reaction score
19
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
My tank is crashing it’s been cloudy with a chemical/ metallic smell to it. I do believe it’s been a over the course of a month thing. As I had a cloudy issue about 3 weeks ago that I contributed to an of bacterial bloom but it cleared about in about a week. Corals have been struggling lately but now I’m getting a lot of coral death and my star fish and crab. I’ve had this reef for about three years now. My phosphates are at 0 and nitrates are at .50 now I know those are low numbers and I’ve been trying to get them up but I don’t believe it would give off that kind of odd smell. Any help would be great. 125 gallon tank. I can’t test ammonia levels as I had to throw the kit away and live in area I can’t just run and get one.
 

Moscar

Community Member
View Badges
Joined
Jun 25, 2019
Messages
89
Reaction score
71
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
My tank is crashing it’s been cloudy with a chemical/ metallic smell to it. I do believe it’s been a over the course of a month thing. As I had a cloudy issue about 3 weeks ago that I contributed to an of bacterial bloom but it cleared about in about a week. Corals have been struggling lately but now I’m getting a lot of coral death and my star fish and crab. I’ve had this reef for about three years now. My phosphates are at 0 and nitrates are at .50 now I know those are low numbers and I’ve been trying to get them up but I don’t believe it would give off that kind of odd smell. Any help would be great. 125 gallon tank. I can’t test ammonia levels as I had to throw the kit away and live in area I can’t just run and get one.
Check your heater, pumps, any other magnets for swelling:/ corrosion.

Water change is basic first aid.

Maybe large amount of carbon too.
 

Dan_P

5000 Club Member
View Badges
Joined
Sep 21, 2018
Messages
6,569
Reaction score
7,023
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
My tank is crashing it’s been cloudy with a chemical/ metallic smell to it. I do believe it’s been a over the course of a month thing. As I had a cloudy issue about 3 weeks ago that I contributed to an of bacterial bloom but it cleared about in about a week. Corals have been struggling lately but now I’m getting a lot of coral death and my star fish and crab. I’ve had this reef for about three years now. My phosphates are at 0 and nitrates are at .50 now I know those are low numbers and I’ve been trying to get them up but I don’t believe it would give off that kind of odd smell. Any help would be great. 125 gallon tank. I can’t test ammonia levels as I had to throw the kit away and live in area I can’t just run and get one.
@brandon429 these tank syndromes are difficult to pin on a simple cause, thoughts?
 
OP
OP
Louisa James

Louisa James

New Member
View Badges
Joined
Aug 4, 2018
Messages
23
Reaction score
19
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Check your heater, pumps, any other magnets for swelling:/ corrosion.

Water change is basic first aid.

Maybe large amount of carbon too.
Check your heater, pumps, any other magnets for swelling:/ corrosion.

Water change is basic first aid.

Maybe large amount of carbon too.
I took out all things that had magnets in my tank this morning did a water change yesterday and going to do another today. When I changed the water yesterday it seemed better but by evening it went back to what it was. Put carbon in last night. Still need to inspect the magnets. Sounds like I’m looking at the right things. Just so stressed over this.
 

brandon429

why did you put a reef in that
View Badges
Joined
Dec 9, 2014
Messages
29,485
Reaction score
23,570
Location
tejas
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Dan it’s so fun to try and troubleshoot from post clues but need a few more

pics of the tank are #1 importance for me and don’t bother buying the ammonia kit we won’t need it in a tank this old. Curious to see pics


lower light intensity until problem is found prevents coral bleach burning
 
OP
OP
Louisa James

Louisa James

New Member
View Badges
Joined
Aug 4, 2018
Messages
23
Reaction score
19
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Dan it’s so fun to try and troubleshoot from post clues but need a few more

pics of the tank are #1 importance for me and don’t bother buying the ammonia kit we won’t need it in a tank this old. Curious to see pics


lower light intensity until problem is found prevents coral bleach burning
My rocks are all over the pace because I was moving them around to make sure nothing else was dead behind it also I have young kids in my house from time to time so I wanted to make sure nothing got into it.
 

Attachments

  • 0FB5C68F-5523-46FD-9F4D-207936AA2827.jpeg
    0FB5C68F-5523-46FD-9F4D-207936AA2827.jpeg
    129.2 KB · Views: 120
  • 3F9BC031-BBFC-4BA7-803A-278641B4B099.jpeg
    3F9BC031-BBFC-4BA7-803A-278641B4B099.jpeg
    149.5 KB · Views: 101
  • 89588C3B-38DC-430D-A60E-8BAB3B92FEC8.jpeg
    89588C3B-38DC-430D-A60E-8BAB3B92FEC8.jpeg
    119.5 KB · Views: 91
  • 9361459B-B071-4C81-A32E-E20B07051EA1.jpeg
    9361459B-B071-4C81-A32E-E20B07051EA1.jpeg
    148.7 KB · Views: 97
  • 249947E0-E778-436E-BD26-168D7A40471F.jpeg
    249947E0-E778-436E-BD26-168D7A40471F.jpeg
    188.1 KB · Views: 98
OP
OP
Louisa James

Louisa James

New Member
View Badges
Joined
Aug 4, 2018
Messages
23
Reaction score
19
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
My rocks are all over the pace because I was moving them around to make sure nothing else was dead behind it also I have young kids in my house from time to time so I wanted to make sure nothing got into it.
I am aware I have some what I believe in cyno which I’ve been working on I try not to use chemicals if I can. And it had been gettin much better.
 
OP
OP
Louisa James

Louisa James

New Member
View Badges
Joined
Aug 4, 2018
Messages
23
Reaction score
19
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
My rocks are all over the pace because I was moving them around to make sure nothing else was dead behind it also I have young kids in my house from time to time so I wanted to make sure nothing got into it.
 

Attachments

  • 2A17F137-A622-4101-9955-BCA57434B1F1.jpeg
    2A17F137-A622-4101-9955-BCA57434B1F1.jpeg
    206.3 KB · Views: 111

brandon429

why did you put a reef in that
View Badges
Joined
Dec 9, 2014
Messages
29,485
Reaction score
23,570
Location
tejas
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
nice system, the Duncan has had years to make offshoots and the attached war coral as well that looks to be at least a few years growth to allow it to seat into place like that. see the placement of fish/evenly distributed that secondarily rules out free ammonia along with tank age in my opinion

they'd be all messed up/hovering darting about not eating that's the average degree of casting/cloud we see in typical tank work. Im unable to pinpoint any causatives off the details so far, able to rule out ammonia at least. lowered lights until we find something as a lead for sure, run carbon in hang on back filters if possible even a new one from wal mart to help clear the water is only 60 bucks or so, will be neat to see if that's mechanical suspension of cloudy items or chemical clouding/precipitation from doser events etc
 
OP
OP
Louisa James

Louisa James

New Member
View Badges
Joined
Aug 4, 2018
Messages
23
Reaction score
19
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
I took all my fleece socks out and rewashing all of them with hot water that’s why only a mesh sock is there. Cleaned up my skimmer yesterday that’s why it looks so clean. Moved some of coral frags to the sump temporarily so I remove the frag holder I had in there.
 
OP
OP
Louisa James

Louisa James

New Member
View Badges
Joined
Aug 4, 2018
Messages
23
Reaction score
19
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
nice system, the Duncan has had years to make offshoots and the attached war coral as well that looks to be at least a few years growth to allow it to seat into place like that. see the placement of fish/evenly distributed that secondarily rules out free ammonia along with tank age in my opinion

they'd be all messed up/hovering darting about not eating that's the average degree of casting/cloud we see in typical tank work. Im unable to pinpoint any causatives off the details so far, able to rule out ammonia at least. lowered lights until we find something as a lead for sure, run carbon in hang on back filters if possible even a new one from wal mart to help clear the water is only 60 bucks or so, will be neat to see if that's mechanical suspension of cloudy items or chemical clouding/precipitation from doser events etc
nice system, the Duncan has had years to make offshoots and the attached war coral as well that looks to be at least a few years growth to allow it to seat into place like that. see the placement of fish/evenly distributed that secondarily rules out free ammonia along with tank age in my opinion

they'd be all messed up/hovering darting about not eating that's the average degree of casting/cloud we see in typical tank work. Im unable to pinpoint any causatives off the details so far, able to rule out ammonia at least. lowered lights until we find something as a lead for sure, run carbon in hang on back filters if possible even a new one from wal mart to help clear the water is only 60 bucks or so, will be neat to see if that's mechanical suspension of cloudy items or chemical clouding/precipitation from doser events etc
Lowered light to my acclimation setting all blue at 80% I can lower more if needed.
 

brandon429

why did you put a reef in that
View Badges
Joined
Dec 9, 2014
Messages
29,485
Reaction score
23,570
Location
tejas
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
perfect that w do to buy time and be less sunburn

been trying to get that response going in tank CRP posts/ the quick light drop


I think its missed out on too often and we get some bleachings that can otherwise be prevented

plus its harmless to run even on a perfectly normal tank then we can have time to collect ideas from the team on causatives
 
OP
OP
Louisa James

Louisa James

New Member
View Badges
Joined
Aug 4, 2018
Messages
23
Reaction score
19
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
I wanted to show you guys what the cloudy water looks like. When the sun hits the tank for a few moments in the evening you can see the cloudy water moving. You can see it with the lights on too but it’s easiest to get the pick this way. No the sun don’t hit it for long. I did a 60 gallon water change between Saturday and Sunday with really no change cleared up ever so slightly with each water change and the smell would clear till the next morning then everything is back. Checked all magnets and pumps even took some out for 12 hours to try to elongate possible causes. The only thing I haven’t removed from the system is my return water pumps ( I have two for redundancy ) skimmer and algae scrubber.
 

Attachments

  • BDB4A4BF-7B19-48A4-8A4B-4AB3F3169702.jpeg
    BDB4A4BF-7B19-48A4-8A4B-4AB3F3169702.jpeg
    68.4 KB · Views: 106
  • IMG_0309.MOV
    13.7 MB

jjencek

Active Member
View Badges
Joined
Feb 7, 2019
Messages
170
Reaction score
98
Location
Prague - Czech Republic
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
I had similar experience, but it was a new tank without filtration while breeding clowns. Once in a while one of the tanks gets cloudy within a day and it does smell like chemicals. I always figured some kind of bacteria got lucky.

I have been able to clear it by using UV ... OR ... by large volume water change (up to 80%) and adding the good bacteria.

I don't think 80% water change is probably an option for you, but if you have UV, try it.
 

Jilly92

Valuable Member
View Badges
Joined
Aug 6, 2020
Messages
1,153
Reaction score
1,147
Location
Ellijay
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
My tank is crashing it’s been cloudy with a chemical/ metallic smell to it. I do believe it’s been a over the course of a month thing. As I had a cloudy issue about 3 weeks ago that I contributed to an of bacterial bloom but it cleared about in about a week. Corals have been struggling lately but now I’m getting a lot of coral death and my star fish and crab. I’ve had this reef for about three years now. My phosphates are at 0 and nitrates are at .50 now I know those are low numbers and I’ve been trying to get them up but I don’t believe it would give off that kind of odd smell. Any help would be great. 125 gallon tank. I can’t test ammonia levels as I had to throw the kit away and live in area I can’t just run and get one.
Was it dino? I had die off of dino and it released toxins and suffocated all livestock in my tank with acros as well. Are you running carbon?
 

Jilly92

Valuable Member
View Badges
Joined
Aug 6, 2020
Messages
1,153
Reaction score
1,147
Location
Ellijay
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Was it dino? I had die off of dino and it released toxins and suffocated all livestock in my tank with acros as well. Are you running carbon?
If you have any other livestock and are able to move them to a different tank I would ASAP. Maybe add in an airstone too. I saved one fish by putting him in a large pitcher of fresh saltwater with a bubbler.
 
OP
OP
Louisa James

Louisa James

New Member
View Badges
Joined
Aug 4, 2018
Messages
23
Reaction score
19
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Was it dino? I had die off of dino and it released toxins and suffocated all livestock in my tank with acros as well. Are you running carbon?
I do have carbon running. I don’t think it was Dino I’m pretty sure it was cyno I was fighting. Wouldn’t the water changes be helping a little though?
 
Back
Top