Cloudy tank

alwmh4 · 06/30/2015, 09:29 AM

I had a diatom outbreak and a few days later (it's been a week now) the tank got cloudy. Chemistry seems fine. Not perfect but all acceptable. I've turned lights all the way down and for only bout 6 hrs a day. I don't have sugar sand so it's not that. Only thing that happened at about the time tank got cloudy was the addition of 5 turbos and 4 sand snails. Could cloudiness be from diatoms getting stirred up? How long do I just sit and wait before I should do something. Tank is in month 3.

cloak · 06/30/2015, 09:57 AM

How long has it been like this? It's probably just a bacteria bloom, but calcium precipitation is another possibility. Are you dosing anything? What exactly are your parameters?

On a side note, if your Turbo snails decided to spawn this could make the water cloudy as well.

alwmh4 · 06/30/2015, 10:15 AM

Ammonia zero. Trites zero. Trates 2. Phosphates .08.
Ph 7.9-8
Alk 187
Mg 1300

Been cloudy for almost a week
Not dosing

heathlindner25 · 06/30/2015, 10:19 AM

definitely bacteria

DavidinGA · 06/30/2015, 10:21 AM

If you can't fix the issue buy a cheap uv sterilizer and it will knock out the bloom in 3 days.

alwmh4 · 06/30/2015, 10:24 AM

Bacteria will just run its course right? I'm all for being patient if that's all I need to be. I just didn't want to but do something if I should have been trying to correct it.

DavidinGA · 06/30/2015, 10:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by alwmh4

Bacteria will just run its course right? I'm all for being patient if that's all I need to be. I just didn't want to but do something if I should have been trying to correct it.

Do a search and you will find that most people who try to deal with it find it can lasts months...

alwmh4 · 06/30/2015, 11:24 AM

So I need a uv sterilizer. I have bout 170 ga total volume. Any suggestions on which to get

DavidinGA · 06/30/2015, 11:27 AM

I have a 210gal and run one of these with good results as needed.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B002ZVODP0...b8YAR350<br />

Imo a tiny underrated one does just fine for algae/bacteria blooms. No reason to spend a small fortune on a giant uv setup...

cloak · 06/30/2015, 11:42 AM

I would just save your money and give the tank a little more time. Don't fiddle with any filters, your rocks, your sand, don't add anything etc. Just let nature take it's course. Sometimes the best thing to do is nothing at all. Also, for a tank that's only 3 months old this is pretty common. It's a marathon, not a sprint. GL.

heathlindner25 · 06/30/2015, 11:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cloak

I would just save your money and give the tank a little more time. Don't fiddle with any filters, your rocks, your sand, don't add anything etc. Just let nature take it's course. Sometimes the best thing to do is nothing at all. Also, for a tank that's only 3 months old this is pretty common. It's a marathon, not a sprint. GL.

All very true....having said that , I have battled a bacterial bloom for 3 months before....if you have the means grab a UV sterilizer and run it to clear the bacteria then decide if you want to use it 24/7
Do you know how sucky it is to look at a cloudy tank for 3 months....lol

cloak · 06/30/2015, 12:04 PM

How old was your tank at the time if you don't mind me asking? Bacteria blooms don't magically appear, especially in tanks that have been set up for quite awhile.

heathlindner25 · 06/30/2015, 12:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cloak

How old was your tank at the time if you don't mind me asking? Bacteria blooms don't magically appear, especially in tanks that have been set up for quite awhile.

It was a brand new set up....I'm just not one to look at cloudy water when I know I can fix it.

alwmh4 · 06/30/2015, 01:16 PM

Ok someone else just freaked me out and said I might have dinoflagellates. How do I tell the difference bt that and diatoms. I have long strings of something but no bubbles that I can see.

alwmh4 · 06/30/2015, 01:24 PM

I'm confused. Bacterial bloom would be heterotrophs if I understand correctly. They "eat" nitrates. Thus depleting nutrients. So how is the algae (diatom or whatever it is) living?

heathlindner25 · 06/30/2015, 01:33 PM

Crazy huh??...lol. Got a pic?

alwmh4 · 07/01/2015, 10:31 AM

algae1.jpg algae2.jpg

these are the best pics I can get

alwmh4 · 07/01/2015, 10:34 AM

bump

Xxero · 07/01/2015, 11:14 AM

That looks like the beginnings of Cyano/Red Slime to me.

alwmh4 · 07/01/2015, 01:39 PM

I've actually found a few strings in sump area too which doesn't have light on. Guess I'll just wait it out.

06/30/2015, 09:29 AM	#1
alwmh4 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2015 Posts: 257	Cloudy tank I had a diatom outbreak and a few days later (it's been a week now) the tank got cloudy. Chemistry seems fine. Not perfect but all acceptable. I've turned lights all the way down and for only bout 6 hrs a day. I don't have sugar sand so it's not that. Only thing that happened at about the time tank got cloudy was the addition of 5 turbos and 4 sand snails. Could cloudiness be from diatoms getting stirred up? How long do I just sit and wait before I should do something. Tank is in month 3.

06/30/2015, 10:21 AM	#5
DavidinGA Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2011 Posts: 2,393	If you can't fix the issue buy a cheap uv sterilizer and it will knock out the bloom in 3 days. __________________ Giant money pit, but it's a happy pit ;) Current tank: 6ft 210gal SPS, 3~eBay led boxes, 4~80w T5's, sro3000int, RW20's, Reef Angel, reactors, pumps, rocks, sand, yadda yadda yadda...

06/30/2015, 11:27 AM	#9
DavidinGA Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2011 Posts: 2,393	I have a 210gal and run one of these with good results as needed. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B002ZVODP0...b8YAR350<br /> Imo a tiny underrated one does just fine for algae/bacteria blooms. No reason to spend a small fortune on a giant uv setup... __________________ Giant money pit, but it's a happy pit ;) Current tank: 6ft 210gal SPS, 3~eBay led boxes, 4~80w T5's, sro3000int, RW20's, Reef Angel, reactors, pumps, rocks, sand, yadda yadda yadda...

07/01/2015, 11:14 AM	#19
Xxero Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2015 Location: Oklahoma City Posts: 1,054	That looks like the beginnings of Cyano/Red Slime to me. __________________ "You Can Lead A Gift Horse To Water... But You Can't Make Him Look In Your Mouth." Current Tank Info: 65g Mixed Reef Display - 15g Macro Algae/Refugium - 40b Sump

06/30/2015, 09:57 AM	#2
cloak Moved On Join Date: Jul 2000 Location: Stockton, CA Posts: 14,854	How long has it been like this? It's probably just a bacteria bloom, but calcium precipitation is another possibility. Are you dosing anything? What exactly are your parameters? On a side note, if your Turbo snails decided to spawn this could make the water cloudy as well.

06/30/2015, 10:15 AM	#3
alwmh4 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2015 Posts: 257	Ammonia zero. Trites zero. Trates 2. Phosphates .08. Ph 7.9-8 Alk 187 Mg 1300 Been cloudy for almost a week Not dosing

06/30/2015, 10:19 AM	#4
heathlindner25 Moved On Join Date: May 2012 Location: flowery branch georgia Posts: 3,644	definitely bacteria

06/30/2015, 10:24 AM	#6
alwmh4 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2015 Posts: 257	Bacteria will just run its course right? I'm all for being patient if that's all I need to be. I just didn't want to but do something if I should have been trying to correct it.

06/30/2015, 11:24 AM	#8
alwmh4 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2015 Posts: 257	So I need a uv sterilizer. I have bout 170 ga total volume. Any suggestions on which to get

06/30/2015, 11:42 AM	#10
cloak Moved On Join Date: Jul 2000 Location: Stockton, CA Posts: 14,854	I would just save your money and give the tank a little more time. Don't fiddle with any filters, your rocks, your sand, don't add anything etc. Just let nature take it's course. Sometimes the best thing to do is nothing at all. Also, for a tank that's only 3 months old this is pretty common. It's a marathon, not a sprint. GL.

06/30/2015, 12:04 PM	#12
cloak Moved On Join Date: Jul 2000 Location: Stockton, CA Posts: 14,854	How old was your tank at the time if you don't mind me asking? Bacteria blooms don't magically appear, especially in tanks that have been set up for quite awhile.

06/30/2015, 01:16 PM	#14
alwmh4 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2015 Posts: 257	Ok someone else just freaked me out and said I might have dinoflagellates. How do I tell the difference bt that and diatoms. I have long strings of something but no bubbles that I can see.

06/30/2015, 01:24 PM	#15
alwmh4 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2015 Posts: 257	I'm confused. Bacterial bloom would be heterotrophs if I understand correctly. They "eat" nitrates. Thus depleting nutrients. So how is the algae (diatom or whatever it is) living?

06/30/2015, 01:33 PM	#16
heathlindner25 Moved On Join Date: May 2012 Location: flowery branch georgia Posts: 3,644	Crazy huh??...lol. Got a pic?

07/01/2015, 10:31 AM	#17
alwmh4 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2015 Posts: 257	algae1.jpg algae2.jpg these are the best pics I can get

07/01/2015, 10:34 AM	#18
alwmh4 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2015 Posts: 257	bump

07/01/2015, 01:39 PM	#20
alwmh4 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2015 Posts: 257	I've actually found a few strings in sump area too which doesn't have light on. Guess I'll just wait it out.