Another Cloudy water thread -.-

Drix · 09/05/2006, 01:35 AM

Well, I've been a little lazy this summer on the maintenance of my tank. Usually when I'm at school I'm dabbling and checking numbers every weekend, but having the tank infront of my nose every day I dunno, I haven't been doing what I should for maintenance.

Anyhow, about a week ago now I gave it a pretty hard core cleaning. I raised up quite a bit of sand, which is normal, but I felt confident with my results. I threw a second carbon filter bit in my sump to deal with the extra stuff I might have kicked up cleaning and that was it. A week later my tanks still very cloudy. I thaught perhaps it was sand and micro bubbles at first (I turned my sump off which pumps from the basement about 6-8" below the tank) but it hasn't cleared and carbon hasn't really done anything... Aside from adding chemicals I can't test for do you have an idea of what I can do?

My salinity's straight on, my ph was about an 8.2-8.3 I'm a bit reluctant to admit I've run out of nitrate and nitrite packets, but I've never had a problem before and I haven't introduced anything into the tank recently, and for the most part, the tanks self suficcient. I did do one water change (late july) so while I'm overdue I'm not way out of line there (I change once a month) and I just don't know what to do.

Ideas?

Avi · 09/05/2006, 06:59 AM

Well, you don't mention whether or not you have a good protein skimmer going on the tank. It would appear that the cloudiness is due to some suspension of very small particles that was the result of having disturbed the substrate after so long and no skimming or mechanical filtration, but only the use of carbon to address that issue. I would increase the frequency of water changes to every week while this problem continues. In the absence of a skimmer, you might want to consider the use of some other kind of temporary filtration like a Poly Filter as well.

Drix · 09/05/2006, 09:34 PM

Yeah.. Protien skimmer.. I've been meaning to build one of those :-p

I'll add some more filter media this weekend and I guess get a protien skimmer. I go back to college tomorrow so things might get a bit worse before they get better :-\

Thanks

MimicTang · 09/05/2006, 09:40 PM

Probably a mini algae bloom a 5-10 watt UV sterilizer will take care of that for you in 3days.

Submariner is submersible, HOT UVs use teflon tape and your at the mercy of the tape seal in reguards to leaking.

7w is $75 on amazon good investment. Run itin some freshwater on leave it dry for a day or so and you could use it in multiple tanks

MimicTang · 09/05/2006, 09:54 PM

Submariner

09/05/2006, 01:35 AM	#1
Drix Premium Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Massachusetts Posts: 590	Another Cloudy water thread -.- Well, I've been a little lazy this summer on the maintenance of my tank. Usually when I'm at school I'm dabbling and checking numbers every weekend, but having the tank infront of my nose every day I dunno, I haven't been doing what I should for maintenance. Anyhow, about a week ago now I gave it a pretty hard core cleaning. I raised up quite a bit of sand, which is normal, but I felt confident with my results. I threw a second carbon filter bit in my sump to deal with the extra stuff I might have kicked up cleaning and that was it. A week later my tanks still very cloudy. I thaught perhaps it was sand and micro bubbles at first (I turned my sump off which pumps from the basement about 6-8" below the tank) but it hasn't cleared and carbon hasn't really done anything... Aside from adding chemicals I can't test for do you have an idea of what I can do? My salinity's straight on, my ph was about an 8.2-8.3 I'm a bit reluctant to admit I've run out of nitrate and nitrite packets, but I've never had a problem before and I haven't introduced anything into the tank recently, and for the most part, the tanks self suficcient. I did do one water change (late july) so while I'm overdue I'm not way out of line there (I change once a month) and I just don't know what to do. Ideas?

09/05/2006, 06:59 AM	#2
Avi Premium Member Join Date: Feb 2001 Location: Westchester County, NY Posts: 7,327	Well, you don't mention whether or not you have a good protein skimmer going on the tank. It would appear that the cloudiness is due to some suspension of very small particles that was the result of having disturbed the substrate after so long and no skimming or mechanical filtration, but only the use of carbon to address that issue. I would increase the frequency of water changes to every week while this problem continues. In the absence of a skimmer, you might want to consider the use of some other kind of temporary filtration like a Poly Filter as well. __________________ I'd keep the whole ocean if my den were big enough Current Tank Info: 120 gallon reef with 210 lbs. of live rock, Aqua-C EV180 Skimmer, Aquactinic double 250W MH with blue plus t5 support; 58 gallon freshwater planted tank using CO2 and T5s; 30-gallon cube with a few fancy goldfish; and a 110 gallon FOWLR

09/05/2006, 09:34 PM	#3
Drix Premium Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Massachusetts Posts: 590	Yeah.. Protien skimmer.. I've been meaning to build one of those :-p I'll add some more filter media this weekend and I guess get a protien skimmer. I go back to college tomorrow so things might get a bit worse before they get better :-\ Thanks

09/05/2006, 09:40 PM	#4
MimicTang Moved On Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Hartford CT Posts: 1,517	Probably a mini algae bloom a 5-10 watt UV sterilizer will take care of that for you in 3days. Submariner is submersible, HOT UVs use teflon tape and your at the mercy of the tape seal in reguards to leaking. 7w is $75 on amazon good investment. Run itin some freshwater on leave it dry for a day or so and you could use it in multiple tanks

09/05/2006, 09:54 PM	#5
MimicTang Moved On Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Hartford CT Posts: 1,517	Submariner