Metal Halides cause bloom or cloudy water

Lucky Lefty · 08/05/2014, 01:52 PM

So yesterday I was looking at my tank quite a bit, and noticed that it seemed a bit cloudy. 6' long tank, when looked at from the front, looks clear as can be.. Maybe just because I look at it so much I notice a veryyyyy slight tint of cloudiness.
But, when you look through the side of the tank and try to see through the other side, the water looks very cloudy, like white or milky cloudy.
If I read correctly, that may be a sign of bacterial bloom, which doesn't freak me out because my main levels (ph,ammonia,nitrite,nitrate) are all very good, ph around 8.1 last time I checked and the three others are all reading zero when I checked last night, and my tank is only going to be 3 months old on the 9th, so bloom is expected.

This morning, when I came downstairs after having just the 96w PCs on for about 25 minutes (blue lights) the water was crystal clear. I could tell immediately how crisp the water looked, and I looked through the side of the tank and was able to see directly through, perfectly. I could have probably read the newspaper on the counter in the next room over it was so clear.
Come home from work after leaving just one mh(250w) and the water was back to cloudiness just like yesterday.

I'm sure the bulbs need to be changed ASAP. Haven't changed them since I bought the light fixture second hand months ago and who knows how long they were in use.
Could old mh bulbs make the water appear cloudy? Or is the. Rightness of the bulb just making the bacteria that much more apparent?
Curious.

Thanks for reading.

Btw, coralife aqualight pro, 3- 250w mh , 4 96w pc , and 4 led moonlights.

sirreal63 · 08/05/2014, 02:25 PM

The cloudiness is there but the brighter lights illuminate it better than the blue PC light.

Lucky Lefty · 08/05/2014, 02:28 PM

Ok, do you think cloudiness, for an extended period of time, is typical for a 3 month old tank? How long does this period of diatom growth and die off usually last?

Lucky Lefty · 08/05/2014, 02:29 PM

Thank for the response btw

sirreal63 · 08/05/2014, 02:30 PM

Very normal, there is no way to know how long it will last but I also would not worry about it too much. You can either use some filter floss and filter it out or let it run it's course.

Lucky Lefty · 08/05/2014, 02:35 PM

Excellent. Again, appreciate the info. I really like going the all natural way of things so I'll let it run it's course.

I'm doing to my best to try and recreate a natural Eco system as close as possible. I try to influence things as little as I can, so long as it's something that can run its course and destroy the tank.

08/05/2014, 01:52 PM	#1
Lucky Lefty Registered Member Join Date: May 2014 Location: NJ Posts: 790	Metal Halides cause bloom or cloudy water So yesterday I was looking at my tank quite a bit, and noticed that it seemed a bit cloudy. 6' long tank, when looked at from the front, looks clear as can be.. Maybe just because I look at it so much I notice a veryyyyy slight tint of cloudiness. But, when you look through the side of the tank and try to see through the other side, the water looks very cloudy, like white or milky cloudy. If I read correctly, that may be a sign of bacterial bloom, which doesn't freak me out because my main levels (ph,ammonia,nitrite,nitrate) are all very good, ph around 8.1 last time I checked and the three others are all reading zero when I checked last night, and my tank is only going to be 3 months old on the 9th, so bloom is expected. This morning, when I came downstairs after having just the 96w PCs on for about 25 minutes (blue lights) the water was crystal clear. I could tell immediately how crisp the water looked, and I looked through the side of the tank and was able to see directly through, perfectly. I could have probably read the newspaper on the counter in the next room over it was so clear. Come home from work after leaving just one mh(250w) and the water was back to cloudiness just like yesterday. I'm sure the bulbs need to be changed ASAP. Haven't changed them since I bought the light fixture second hand months ago and who knows how long they were in use. Could old mh bulbs make the water appear cloudy? Or is the. Rightness of the bulb just making the bacteria that much more apparent? Curious. Thanks for reading. Btw, coralife aqualight pro, 3- 250w mh , 4 96w pc , and 4 led moonlights. __________________ 150g NJ Current Tank Info: est.5/9/14

08/05/2014, 02:25 PM	#2
sirreal63 Go Spurs Go!!! Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Meadowlakes Texas Posts: 13,357	The cloudiness is there but the brighter lights illuminate it better than the blue PC light. __________________ Jack No One has ever been seriously injured by using the search function. Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms should be a convenience store, not a government agency. Current Tank Info: Reefing the Pentagon.

08/05/2014, 02:28 PM	#3
Lucky Lefty Registered Member Join Date: May 2014 Location: NJ Posts: 790	Ok, do you think cloudiness, for an extended period of time, is typical for a 3 month old tank? How long does this period of diatom growth and die off usually last? __________________ 150g NJ Current Tank Info: est.5/9/14

08/05/2014, 02:29 PM	#4
Lucky Lefty Registered Member Join Date: May 2014 Location: NJ Posts: 790	Thank for the response btw __________________ 150g NJ Current Tank Info: est.5/9/14

08/05/2014, 02:30 PM	#5
sirreal63 Go Spurs Go!!! Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Meadowlakes Texas Posts: 13,357	Very normal, there is no way to know how long it will last but I also would not worry about it too much. You can either use some filter floss and filter it out or let it run it's course. __________________ Jack No One has ever been seriously injured by using the search function. Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms should be a convenience store, not a government agency. Current Tank Info: Reefing the Pentagon.

08/05/2014, 02:35 PM	#6
Lucky Lefty Registered Member Join Date: May 2014 Location: NJ Posts: 790	Excellent. Again, appreciate the info. I really like going the all natural way of things so I'll let it run it's course. I'm doing to my best to try and recreate a natural Eco system as close as possible. I try to influence things as little as I can, so long as it's something that can run its course and destroy the tank. __________________ 150g NJ Current Tank Info: est.5/9/14