Cloudy water HELP!

Hunter1998 · 08/16/2012, 08:37 PM

Ok a little background, I have a SW tank currently planned for just a FOWLR. It's been cycling for a month and a half roughly. All test are now at zero except for the Nitrate which is .20, my tank has been cloudy pretty much since start up. A week or so ago a did roughly a 15% water change due to the biggest container I have for a fresh mix is 35 gallons. After this water change it didn't help clear it up any. I have a new batch circulating as I type, going to do another 35 gallon either tonight when I get home or first thing in the morning. I have no live stock what so ever in the tank, I do use a canister filter (I know), running the bottom 2 trays with BioMax and a polishing pad and a bag of purigen in the top tray. Lights are on for a minimum amount of time and some days their never on. How do I get this tank to clear up? It's not a month long sand storm and I'm using a RO/DI unit for my initial setup and water changes. I have a CUC in route that should arrive tomorrow. Any advice? All help is appreciated. Almost ready to try a bottle of something to help clear it up but thought I'd hold off till after this water change and input from you fellow reefers.

Hunter1998 · 08/16/2012, 08:42 PM

Also no skimmer but I do have one ordered that should be here next week. Tried for overnight shipping but they were waiting for one to come in from coralvue.

reefergeorge · 08/16/2012, 08:56 PM

Dumb, but is cloudy or micro bubbles? Cloudiness is usually a bacterial bloom so I would stop any additives, and let the tank fix it, or run a diatom filter for an hour. One of my favorite old school tricks I get out every once in a while.

Hunter1998 · 08/16/2012, 09:08 PM

Not running any additives yet lol. I'll take a closer look as to see if its micro bubbles but don't believe it is. The last water change I did I drained it into a 5 gallon bucket to help keep track of how many gallons I was removing and the water had a green tint to it. The bucket was white so it was easy to tell the water was green. I'll have to look into a diatom filter

Hunter1998 · 08/16/2012, 10:24 PM

Bump, any other ideas?

worm5406 · 08/17/2012, 07:35 AM

No one is awake yet...

Did you test your water to make sure the filters in the ro./di are working correctly? No chemicals... Turn off the lights for like 48 hours. If you have a lot of sunlight cover the tank to prevent natural sunlight getting in. (where is it compared to the sunlight?)

When you fill a canister with ro/di what does it look like?

08/16/2012, 08:37 PM	#1
Hunter1998 Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: California Posts: 112	Cloudy water HELP! Ok a little background, I have a SW tank currently planned for just a FOWLR. It's been cycling for a month and a half roughly. All test are now at zero except for the Nitrate which is .20, my tank has been cloudy pretty much since start up. A week or so ago a did roughly a 15% water change due to the biggest container I have for a fresh mix is 35 gallons. After this water change it didn't help clear it up any. I have a new batch circulating as I type, going to do another 35 gallon either tonight when I get home or first thing in the morning. I have no live stock what so ever in the tank, I do use a canister filter (I know), running the bottom 2 trays with BioMax and a polishing pad and a bag of purigen in the top tray. Lights are on for a minimum amount of time and some days their never on. How do I get this tank to clear up? It's not a month long sand storm and I'm using a RO/DI unit for my initial setup and water changes. I have a CUC in route that should arrive tomorrow. Any advice? All help is appreciated. Almost ready to try a bottle of something to help clear it up but thought I'd hold off till after this water change and input from you fellow reefers.

08/16/2012, 08:56 PM	#3
reefergeorge Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: St Louis MO Posts: 4,222	Dumb, but is cloudy or micro bubbles? Cloudiness is usually a bacterial bloom so I would stop any additives, and let the tank fix it, or run a diatom filter for an hour. One of my favorite old school tricks I get out every once in a while. __________________ $35-50 for a <1" frag of some stupid named thing that came from a colony you bought for $40-60 wholesale and chopped into 20-40 pieces? No thanks. "JasonH" Current Tank Info: 125 aggressive reef, DIY led lighting, swc cone skimmer, 33 gallon sump, posiden Ps3 return.

08/16/2012, 08:42 PM	#2
Hunter1998 Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: California Posts: 112	Also no skimmer but I do have one ordered that should be here next week. Tried for overnight shipping but they were waiting for one to come in from coralvue.

08/16/2012, 09:08 PM	#4
Hunter1998 Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: California Posts: 112	Not running any additives yet lol. I'll take a closer look as to see if its micro bubbles but don't believe it is. The last water change I did I drained it into a 5 gallon bucket to help keep track of how many gallons I was removing and the water had a green tint to it. The bucket was white so it was easy to tell the water was green. I'll have to look into a diatom filter

08/16/2012, 10:24 PM	#5
Hunter1998 Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: California Posts: 112	Bump, any other ideas?

08/17/2012, 07:35 AM	#6
worm5406 Not afriad to admit wrong Join Date: Jun 2012 Location: South of WashDC in Maryland Posts: 7,774	No one is awake yet... Did you test your water to make sure the filters in the ro./di are working correctly? No chemicals... Turn off the lights for like 48 hours. If you have a lot of sunlight cover the tank to prevent natural sunlight getting in. (where is it compared to the sunlight?) When you fill a canister with ro/di what does it look like?