Yellow water and bacteria bloom

[deputamanu]

Hi guys that’s my first post here and I kinda need your help.

I set up this 20 gallon tank in November and had a sand shifting star, Cuc and a pair of clownfish for a couple of months, after the fishes were gone I didn’t add anything else until last week(2 azure damsel) so the tank is been without any fish for few months but I kept doing water changes and so on.

The tank looks like this since almost two months now.
I’ve been doing 20-30% water changes every week and recently changed activated carbon.
Also I showed the tank to the LFS guy before buying the stock and I’ve been told that the bloom would’ve been gone once I put livestock in but that’s one week after and doesn’t look like it.

Any recommendations?

I’ve been reading about UV steriliser, in case which one would you recommend?

Also does the lighting matter in this case? I have an AI Prime 16HD and I’ve been running the Saxby’s Signature schedule.

Any help is appreciated since is my first experience with the hobby.

I wish it was a happier/healthier introduction post but as I can see the first year is always ups and downs.

 

[Mr. Mojo Rising]

I don’t think I see any power heads in the tank, is there any water movement? What type of filtration are you running?

 

[Sophie"s mom]

You definitely need a UV sterilizer. Coralife makes a fairly small one that would work for you, but it runs thru a canister filter. So if you don't have one, you may need one. You could probably use a pump that has a return on it to hook one up. Do you use activated charcoal at all? That will also help with water clarity.

 

[Sophie"s mom]

Hi guys that’s my first post here and I kinda need your help.

I set up this 20 gallon tank in November and had a sand shifting star, Cuc and a pair of clownfish for a couple of months, after the fishes were gone I didn’t add anything else until last week(2 azure damsel) so the tank is been without any fish for few months but I kept doing water changes and so on.

The tank looks like this since almost two months now.
I’ve been doing 20-30% water changes every week and recently changed activated carbon.
Also I showed the tank to the LFS guy before buying the stock and I’ve been told that the bloom would’ve been gone once I put livestock in but that’s one week after and doesn’t look like it.

Any recommendations?

I’ve been reading about UV steriliser, in case which one would you recommend?

Also does the lighting matter in this case? I have an AI Prime 16HD and I’ve been running the Saxby’s Signature schedule.

Any help is appreciated since is my first experience with the hobby.

I wish it was a happier/healthier introduction post but as I can see the first year is always ups and downs.

Agree with MoJo rising, you need water movement for sure!

 

[deputamanu]

I don’t think I see any power heads in the tank, is there any water movement? What type of filtration are you running?

There’s one in the right corner in the back aiming to the surface to get air in. I use a Fluval CP2. As for the filtration is the one provided with the tank from Waterbox: filtersock, bio balls, filter sponges and activated carbon (changed recently)

 

[Sophie"s mom]

There’s one in the right corner in the back aiming to the surface to get air in. I use a Fluval CP2. As for the filtration is the one provided with the tank from Waterbox: filtersock, bio balls, filter sponges and activated carbon (changed recently)

iT REALLY LOOKS LIKE AN ALGAE BLOOM TO ME. IN WHICH CASE YOU WILL DEFINITELY NEED A UV. Sorry for the caps.