New water chemistry questio...

Imaexpat2 · 01/04/2021, 09:40 PM

Okay not my first tank and this aint a problem I normally see. I set up a new BB 20 Long about 10 days ago. Its my first jump into a BB tank. I used dry rock that had been rinsed and came from an established tank. I used Reef Crystals salt mix and RO/DI water. I did everything I have done setting up a tank for the last 19 years on several tank set ups. Saltwater was mixed for 48 hours and was crystal clear.

However once water was poured into the tank it started out a little cloudy, no big surprise on a fresh set up, right? If I had substrate I would have expected worse. But over the course of a couple of days the water became cloudy like milk...couldnt see more than about a 1/2 inch into the tank for several days. Now its pretty much cleared up. Again live rock and new SW only...no food to start nitrogen cycle or any other additives.

So is this a result of a bad batch of salt or a bacteria bloom? Im scratching my head here...what happened?

Oldreeferman · 01/04/2021, 11:10 PM

If the reef salt mixed up clearly quickly then must have been coming off the rock. If the tank was not filtered then yea takes longer to clear up then just circulating does. Im confused you say live rock then say dry rock, it can't be both. Its either live or dead and used dead rock would put off a cloudy water column till all the decay & rot was gone if it was not cycled before re-use. Test for ammonia & nitrites 1st & then not a bad idea to test all params to be sure the salt really is a-ok blend before proceeding.

Imaexpat2 · 01/05/2021, 05:02 AM

It was dry base rock that was put in a live rock only tank (with some real no kidding live rock/sand) I keep up and running incase I need to set up a tank. The dry base rock was sitting in this rock tank for about 4 months. I aint about to pay 7.99 a pound for dry rock that was thrown in a local fish store tank a couple of days ago when I can do better for 2.39 a pound and get it out of my 55 gallon rock tank a few months later at my convenience with some life actually on it, even if it aint much. Poor wording on my part, but hopefully that kinda cleared things up a little more accurately.

I expected the tank to be a little cloudy for a day I just didnt expect it to look more like watered down milk the next day. Its been about 2 weeks and the water over the last couple of days has cleared up considerably and tonight if pretty clear.

Since the Salt Mix mixed and was clear pretty quick I didnt suspect a salt mix issue although a local reefer was thinking that was the issue. I was thinking a lot more along the lines of some sort of Bacteria Bloom of some sort. I just havent seen something like this before on a tank with just live rock and water.

Mako · 01/05/2021, 07:45 AM

I would ponder its a precipitate event. I didn't see any mention of your water parms?

Imaexpat2 · 01/05/2021, 10:31 PM

Ammonia .50, Nitrites @.1-.15, Nitrates hardly detectable day 11 after set up.

Assapax · 01/06/2021, 01:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Imaexpat2

It was dry base rock that was put in a live rock only tank (with some real no kidding live rock/sand) I keep up and running incase I need to set up a tank. The dry base rock was sitting in this rock tank for about 4 months. I aint about to pay 7.99 a pound for dry rock that was thrown in a local fish store tank a couple of days ago when I can do better for 2.39 a pound and get it out of my 55 gallon rock tank a few months later at my convenience with some life actually on it, even if it aint much. Poor wording on my part, but hopefully that kinda cleared things up a little more accurately.

I expected the tank to be a little cloudy for a day I just didnt expect it to look more like watered down milk the next day. Its been about 2 weeks and the water over the last couple of days has cleared up considerably and tonight if pretty clear.

Since the Salt Mix mixed and was clear pretty quick I didnt suspect a salt mix issue although a local reefer was thinking that was the issue. I was thinking a lot more along the lines of some sort of Bacteria Bloom of some sort. I just havent seen something like this before on a tank with just live rock and water.

nice one actually

Oldreeferman · 01/10/2021, 11:52 AM

If you are still having an issue id check the phosphate lvls because i don't see how you can have a bacteria bloom without food or carbon dosing to support it. The bacteria would starve actually & die with no fish or food introduced and then get filtered out via the skimmer and or filter sock. If the salt mix was clear before introduced i can't think of anything else that would cause the issue.

01/04/2021, 09:40 PM	#1
Imaexpat2 Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Chagos Arch. Posts: 474	New water chemistry questio... Okay not my first tank and this aint a problem I normally see. I set up a new BB 20 Long about 10 days ago. Its my first jump into a BB tank. I used dry rock that had been rinsed and came from an established tank. I used Reef Crystals salt mix and RO/DI water. I did everything I have done setting up a tank for the last 19 years on several tank set ups. Saltwater was mixed for 48 hours and was crystal clear. However once water was poured into the tank it started out a little cloudy, no big surprise on a fresh set up, right? If I had substrate I would have expected worse. But over the course of a couple of days the water became cloudy like milk...couldnt see more than about a 1/2 inch into the tank for several days. Now its pretty much cleared up. Again live rock and new SW only...no food to start nitrogen cycle or any other additives. So is this a result of a bad batch of salt or a bacteria bloom? Im scratching my head here...what happened?

01/04/2021, 11:10 PM	#2
Oldreeferman Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2019 Location: NW Indiana Valparaiso Posts: 505	If the reef salt mixed up clearly quickly then must have been coming off the rock. If the tank was not filtered then yea takes longer to clear up then just circulating does. Im confused you say live rock then say dry rock, it can't be both. Its either live or dead and used dead rock would put off a cloudy water column till all the decay & rot was gone if it was not cycled before re-use. Test for ammonia & nitrites 1st & then not a bad idea to test all params to be sure the salt really is a-ok blend before proceeding. __________________ Montipora Digitas, Cyphastrea, Blastos, different Leptoseris, Green Stylo, GSP, gorgonions, Ricordea mushrooms, psammocoras, Birdsnest coral, Clownfish, Watchman goby, Royal gamma. Current Tank Info: Nano Reef tank

01/05/2021, 07:45 AM	#4
Mako Will Dive For Food Join Date: May 2001 Location: FL Posts: 5,652	I would ponder its a precipitate event. I didn't see any mention of your water parms? __________________ -Chuck "One of the lessons of history is that nothing is often a good thing to do and always a clever thing to say." -- W Durant Current Tank Info: 300 mixed reef

01/10/2021, 11:52 AM	#7
Oldreeferman Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2019 Location: NW Indiana Valparaiso Posts: 505	If you are still having an issue id check the phosphate lvls because i don't see how you can have a bacteria bloom without food or carbon dosing to support it. The bacteria would starve actually & die with no fish or food introduced and then get filtered out via the skimmer and or filter sock. If the salt mix was clear before introduced i can't think of anything else that would cause the issue. __________________ Montipora Digitas, Cyphastrea, Blastos, different Leptoseris, Green Stylo, GSP, gorgonions, Ricordea mushrooms, psammocoras, Birdsnest coral, Clownfish, Watchman goby, Royal gamma. Current Tank Info: Nano Reef tank

01/05/2021, 05:02 AM	#3
Imaexpat2 Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Chagos Arch. Posts: 474	It was dry base rock that was put in a live rock only tank (with some real no kidding live rock/sand) I keep up and running incase I need to set up a tank. The dry base rock was sitting in this rock tank for about 4 months. I aint about to pay 7.99 a pound for dry rock that was thrown in a local fish store tank a couple of days ago when I can do better for 2.39 a pound and get it out of my 55 gallon rock tank a few months later at my convenience with some life actually on it, even if it aint much. Poor wording on my part, but hopefully that kinda cleared things up a little more accurately. I expected the tank to be a little cloudy for a day I just didnt expect it to look more like watered down milk the next day. Its been about 2 weeks and the water over the last couple of days has cleared up considerably and tonight if pretty clear. Since the Salt Mix mixed and was clear pretty quick I didnt suspect a salt mix issue although a local reefer was thinking that was the issue. I was thinking a lot more along the lines of some sort of Bacteria Bloom of some sort. I just havent seen something like this before on a tank with just live rock and water.

01/05/2021, 10:31 PM	#5
Imaexpat2 Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Chagos Arch. Posts: 474	Ammonia .50, Nitrites @.1-.15, Nitrates hardly detectable day 11 after set up.