What to Do ... Besides Sound the Fog-Horns?!

[AcroNem]

Well, this is a fun one. If everything is still doing well and your pop population is exploding I'd say it's a type of Phytoplankton. The good news is your corals and microfauna are getting fed really well. You could potentially run a UV sterilizer, and it would probably kill it, you could also go lights out, or run a crap load of GFO and carbon and do a lot of water changes. But, with any of these solutions you'll be doing some waiting and some nutrient control in the end. I can't think of much that would cause a bloom, even in my systems with the highest bioload I've never had phyto doesn't grow on its own. My NPS system gets fed 22 times per day and have never had any sort of bloom. My main advice would be to just let things ride and watch all your parameters like a hawk once it starts dying off. Definitely leave your skimmer on, reactors etc. Keep us posted.

 

[Maritimer]

Thanks, AcroNem!

Skimmer is on, bioload is actually pretty light - couple of dozen each of coral frags and CUC. Will let the corals enjoy nature's abundance for a while, allow 'pods to populate (my wrasses and dragonet are gonna be HAP-PY!) and see what happens for at least a week or two. Corals mostly look pretty good - for all that it's hard to see 'em!

~Bruce

 

[AcroNem]

Happy to add insight

Maybe I missed this in your original post, but how long has this bloom been going on? The nauplii from pods will be heaven for your corals as well as fish. Speaking of fish how many aee in this system? With a couple of my systems if I could keep phyto growing in it without risking it fouling I'd do it. With this though it can't stay that way. If it's been more than a couple weeks we may want to consider more ways to combat it and help it taper off.

 

[Maritimer]

This is pretty new ... not quite a week yet. Tank has been running a couple of months, and was just clearing up from a heterotrophic bacterial bloom, then dove into this!

No fish in the tank yet - liverock, CUC and corals only. (Well, and one pistol shrimp that I transferred last night...)

~Bruce

 

[Paul B]

That's actually normal in such a new tank. When you cycle a tank it only has enough bacteria in it to process that dead shrimp, scallop, pork chop or whatever you cycled with. When you add all those corals and food, the bacteria go nuts and multiply like crazy and start doing the Macarana, and when they dance they reproduce to process all that food. The surfaces of your rock are already filled with bacteria and the excess just float around which is what you are seeing. They will die off and your tank will be much better and clear with many more bacteria, of the correct type. When that happens you can add a "little" more life. The bacteria need to gradually reproduce.
At this time I would increase circulation because those bacteria are using up a lot of oxygen while they are dancing. That could kill your corals.
It's normal, go out to a nice restaurant and try the Merlot.
Leave the fog horn home, restaurants frown on horns

 

[Maritimer]

Thanks, Paul ... always enjoy your writing style!

What I'm adding now is mostly liverock from an existing year+ old tank, so hopefully the bacteria on that will help.

Circulation should be OK - 2,500-3,000 gph (estimated) in a 220 gallon tank, plus skimmer running full-out.

Maybe I can put a little pole in there, a toothpick or something, and the bugs can try a sexier dance?

~Bruce

 

[Paul B]

The Macarana is very sexy if done correctly.
My writing style is completely different from what you see. I write this on my computer screen in crayon and an out of work Supermodel comes over and types it on the screen under my crayon. Then she cleans the screen.

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

When I mention the Mud and Merlot method. No one takes me seriously.

More merlot for me!

 

[Maritimer]

Darnit!

Just put 2+2 together this morning, and realized that I _totally_ should have scored a couple of those blue T. maxima clams that were on offer at Reef-A-Palooza at 2/$100! Phytoplankton-infested tank would have been awesome for them, and they would have helped (a little, they weren't _giant_ giant clams!) with the phytoplankton!

Mud and Merlot?

~Bruce

 

[Maritimer]

Two days of lights-out (my son's insistence, and little energy on my part for resistance) seem to have had no effect - though the tank wasn't entirely blacked out with trashbags, etc. I turned the lights on again this morning for the corals' benefit.

At the recommendation of AcroNem and another experienced reefer I met with over the weekend, have switched out the carbon/GFO in the sump for new - phosphates aren't _high_, but they're out of balance with nitrates.

Tank is still green, and can no longer see the back of the tank. Aquascaping has become difficult, if not impossible - as has tracking down fallen coral frags. (Fortunately, most of them are in temporary spots in the sandbed near the front glass.) There seems to be green algae taking root on the rockwork / glass, and I'm hoping that will help in competing for any loose nutrient.

~Bruce

 

[AcroNem]

Crazy, hard to believe nothing made a dent. Aside from terrible visibility and fluctuating nutrients how are the inhabitants doing? Are any fish or inverts showing adverse reactions?

 

[Maritimer]

None that I can see ... but I can only see about 12" at all, and less than six with any clarity!

To clarify, I only changed out the carbon/GFO this afternoon, and there aren't any fish in the tank yet, but there are hermits & snails, Asterinas, corals and a pistol shrimp. (Can't see him either, but can hear him cracking.)

~Bruce

 

[AcroNem]

Ah, got it. I'd give the carbon and GFO a little time to make any difference. Glad to hear everything is doing okay, keep us posted.

 

[Maritimer]

Couple of quick photos from today.

Daylights:

Blues:

Pretty colors ... but they're not making me smile.

~Bruce

 

[Maritimer]

Heeyyy y y y y . . .

Does anyone have any thoughts on whether Vibrant would help with this stuff?!

I happen to have some lying about, is why I ask - think I'll ask in the Vibrant mega-thread, too.

~Bruce

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

Yes. It should.

 

[Maritimer]

One work-week ("normal" work-week, not "my" work-week!) and two doses of Vibrant into the program, and . . .

The UV is starting to tempt me.

~Bruce

 

[reeferfoxx]

The UV is starting to tempt me.

This is a short thread thats dated 2012.
https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/very-cloudy-green-water.102166/

 

[Maritimer]

Thanks for the point-out - that's the very same model I've got my eye on, Reeferfoxx!

My tank's bigger than what it's "rated" for, but slow changes are generally good in reefing. (And I needed to replace some meds that aren't carried locally, too . . . )

You're helping to convince me.

~Bruce

 

[Ebbi Flow]

Turn Lights Off for A few Days, Do Water Tests...Figure water change volume due to nitrates and Phosphate levels, heavy phosphate and carbon the tank after Algae and Gravel Vacuum tank...
Get Rid of Nitrates, don't necessarily change all the water..of back to back 50% changes, not cleaning Filter til next day!