Why the Cloudy Water?

mrvinman · 11/23/2006, 11:20 PM

Hi all,

I set up my 72g tank and filled it with RODI water. I added the proper amount of Instant Ocean. There is NO bio load in the tank.
After about a week the water became cloudy.

I emptied the tank completely and repeated the process. After about a week, the water became cloudy.

How can this happen? I'm new to this hobby and I'm stumped.

Thanks,
Vin

GregEMT · 11/23/2006, 11:52 PM

Is it cloudy white or green?

PatMayo · 11/24/2006, 12:19 AM

Hi Vin, please provide a little more information. Does the tank have any live rock in it or anything else? Is the tank new or used? Do you have any substrate in the tank. Sand or otherwise?

Regards,

Pat

mrvinman · 11/24/2006, 07:32 AM

The tank is used but I think I cleaned it pretty good before using it.
The water is cloudy white.
There is nothing in the tank except brand new equipment.
Thanks for any help.

mrvinman · 11/24/2006, 07:36 AM

Oh, and I did not use any soapy products to clean the tank.
Just water

syrinx · 11/24/2006, 08:15 AM

Common in freshwater- lessor so in salt water. Usually a heterotrophic bacteria. These obviously are free swimming thus the cloud. If the tank is kind of clear in the morning and you think "hey its getting better", and then as the day goes on it gets worse- it is prob this type of bloom. Will go away on its own after a short time(long to you)!

mrvinman · 11/24/2006, 08:20 AM

No, it's cloudy all the time. It's not clear in the morning or otherwise.

2NDTIME AROUND · 11/24/2006, 08:36 AM

Could it me micro bubbles from a skimmer or other equipment? I've got those now in a tank I filled Wednesday. I will fine tune them out in a day or two.

mrvinman · 11/24/2006, 01:16 PM

how would you fine tune the micro bubbles out in a couple days?

ACBlinky · 11/24/2006, 04:30 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by mrvinman
how would you fine tune the micro bubbles out in a couple days?

Figure out what's causing them (skimmer, too much flow through the sump, tiny pinhole in a closed loop, cavitating powerhead) and work on the issue until it's solved.

Unless you're adding calcium and buffer at the same time, or leaving the lights on 24/7 (which could possibly cause an algae bloom), or there's something else we're missing here, I'm guessing the cloudiness you're experiencing is a bacterial issue. Try riding it out -- just ignore it, leave the tank alone for a while and see if it resolves on its own.

mrvinman · 11/24/2006, 04:48 PM

Thanks for the reponse.
It's funny though, because I ran all my equipment with the RODI water for quite some time and it was fine. It was only after I added the Instant Ocean salt mix that things changed within about a week.

syrinx · 11/24/2006, 06:38 PM

The time frame is why I didn`t suggest micro bubbles or anything in solution. What is the story on the lights are they on all the time or just a bit? What is the substrate? I assume you took out water in buckets to make your salt mix, as opposed to just dumping the salt in the tank. If it is micro bubbles a bit of water in a glass would clear up quite quickly- and If it was a solid it would eventually settle out. If it was a bloom it would take longer to clear in the glass and it would likely leave no precipitate.

mrvinman · 11/24/2006, 08:21 PM

Is it a mistake to mix salt in a bare tank? There is no substrate as yet. I was going to buy the live rock but when I saw the cloudiness I nixed that.
Lights are on maybe about 10hrs a day.

syrinx · 11/24/2006, 09:33 PM

No its not an issue in a bare tank- you can tell it is disolved. But if there was substrate in the tank..... But anyway- we now know that it is not dust from the gravel/sand, or non disolved salt. We also know we have a bare tank with virtually no suface to grow nitrifying bacteria on- which once again points to a free swimming bacterial bloom. I would have to assume that the live rock would clear up the water if anything.

PatMayo · 11/24/2006, 09:38 PM

Did you try wiping the inside of the glass with the water in the tank? Sometimes there is crap in the tank, even after cleaning it well, and it sticks to the inside of the glass.

I don't know what else it can be? I doubt it's the salt although it's not impossible that it is. I have been using Instant Ocean for years and never had a problem.

Regards,

Pat

mrvinman · 11/24/2006, 09:47 PM

Thanks Pat,

Yep, I've washed the inside glass without water in the tank, with water in the tank. I've drained the tank and refilled it with new RODI water and new salt and the same thing happened.
It's weird!

Regards,
Vin

ACBlinky · 11/24/2006, 10:38 PM

I wouldn't worry about it, it really does sound like a bacterial bloom that will clear in time. I'd go ahead and add your rock, and let the cycle start. Once the 'good' bacteria are established, the water should clear. If it stays cloudy for an extended period of time, try filtering through 50 micron floss, a filter sock, or buy/borrow a diatom filter -- my Vortex diatom filter will clear a tank full of unicellular algae, bacteria, dust, detritus, etc. in a matter of minutes, it's phenomenal. Diatomaceous earth filters out everything down to 1 micron, both good and bad; it's not something you want to use unless you have to, but these filters are worth their weight in gold on those rare occasions when you need them.

11/23/2006, 11:20 PM	#1
mrvinman Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Posts: 67	Why the Cloudy Water? Hi all, I set up my 72g tank and filled it with RODI water. I added the proper amount of Instant Ocean. There is NO bio load in the tank. After about a week the water became cloudy. I emptied the tank completely and repeated the process. After about a week, the water became cloudy. How can this happen? I'm new to this hobby and I'm stumped. Thanks, Vin

11/24/2006, 12:19 AM	#3
PatMayo Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Seattle Posts: 2,843	Hi Vin, please provide a little more information. Does the tank have any live rock in it or anything else? Is the tank new or used? Do you have any substrate in the tank. Sand or otherwise? Regards, Pat __________________ 90 AGA Megaflow (Setup 1-24-06) 120 Lbs. Liverock EuroReef RS 100 Skimmer 2 X 150 MH 2 X 96 watt PC Actinic 2 Clarki Clowns (31 months old) 1 Niger Trigger (Owned 6 months) 2 Tunze 6055 PH Current Tank Info: 90 AGA Megaflow To Be Mixed Reef

11/24/2006, 08:15 AM	#6
syrinx Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: champaign Posts: 3,160	Common in freshwater- lessor so in salt water. Usually a heterotrophic bacteria. These obviously are free swimming thus the cloud. If the tank is kind of clear in the morning and you think "hey its getting better", and then as the day goes on it gets worse- it is prob this type of bloom. Will go away on its own after a short time(long to you)! __________________ My views are based on 49years as an aquarist, 25 years as a pro reef consultant, 10 years of owning a LFS, and the results of thousands of customers tanks. But I am always learning.

11/24/2006, 08:36 AM	#8
2NDTIME AROUND Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: HOMOSASSA FL. Posts: 97	Could it me micro bubbles from a skimmer or other equipment? I've got those now in a tank I filled Wednesday. I will fine tune them out in a day or two. __________________ Just another rocky shoal your ship must navigate on the sea of life. Current Tank Info: 120 galon drilled tank with 30 gal sum, refgium, nautilus te skimmer driven by mag7, mag12 return pump. 260 watts pc lighting

11/24/2006, 06:38 PM	#12
syrinx Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: champaign Posts: 3,160	The time frame is why I didn`t suggest micro bubbles or anything in solution. What is the story on the lights are they on all the time or just a bit? What is the substrate? I assume you took out water in buckets to make your salt mix, as opposed to just dumping the salt in the tank. If it is micro bubbles a bit of water in a glass would clear up quite quickly- and If it was a solid it would eventually settle out. If it was a bloom it would take longer to clear in the glass and it would likely leave no precipitate. __________________ My views are based on 49years as an aquarist, 25 years as a pro reef consultant, 10 years of owning a LFS, and the results of thousands of customers tanks. But I am always learning.

11/23/2006, 11:52 PM	#2
GregEMT Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Posts: 134	Is it cloudy white or green?

11/24/2006, 07:32 AM	#4
mrvinman Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Posts: 67	The tank is used but I think I cleaned it pretty good before using it. The water is cloudy white. There is nothing in the tank except brand new equipment. Thanks for any help.

11/24/2006, 07:36 AM	#5
mrvinman Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Posts: 67	Oh, and I did not use any soapy products to clean the tank. Just water

11/24/2006, 08:20 AM	#7
mrvinman Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Posts: 67	No, it's cloudy all the time. It's not clear in the morning or otherwise.

11/24/2006, 01:16 PM	#9
mrvinman Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Posts: 67	how would you fine tune the micro bubbles out in a couple days?

11/24/2006, 04:48 PM	#11
mrvinman Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Posts: 67	Thanks for the reponse. It's funny though, because I ran all my equipment with the RODI water for quite some time and it was fine. It was only after I added the Instant Ocean salt mix that things changed within about a week.

11/24/2006, 08:21 PM	#13
mrvinman Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Posts: 67	Is it a mistake to mix salt in a bare tank? There is no substrate as yet. I was going to buy the live rock but when I saw the cloudiness I nixed that. Lights are on maybe about 10hrs a day.

11/24/2006, 09:33 PM	#14
syrinx Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: champaign Posts: 3,160	No its not an issue in a bare tank- you can tell it is disolved. But if there was substrate in the tank..... But anyway- we now know that it is not dust from the gravel/sand, or non disolved salt. We also know we have a bare tank with virtually no suface to grow nitrifying bacteria on- which once again points to a free swimming bacterial bloom. I would have to assume that the live rock would clear up the water if anything.

11/24/2006, 09:38 PM	#15
PatMayo Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Seattle Posts: 2,843	Did you try wiping the inside of the glass with the water in the tank? Sometimes there is crap in the tank, even after cleaning it well, and it sticks to the inside of the glass. I don't know what else it can be? I doubt it's the salt although it's not impossible that it is. I have been using Instant Ocean for years and never had a problem. Regards, Pat __________________ 90 AGA Megaflow (Setup 1-24-06) 120 Lbs. Liverock EuroReef RS 100 Skimmer 2 X 150 MH 2 X 96 watt PC Actinic 2 Clarki Clowns (31 months old) 1 Niger Trigger (Owned 6 months) 2 Tunze 6055 PH Current Tank Info: 90 AGA Megaflow To Be Mixed Reef

11/24/2006, 09:47 PM	#16
mrvinman Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Posts: 67	Thanks Pat, Yep, I've washed the inside glass without water in the tank, with water in the tank. I've drained the tank and refilled it with new RODI water and new salt and the same thing happened. It's weird! Regards, Vin

11/24/2006, 10:38 PM	#17
ACBlinky Premium Member Join Date: May 2005 Location: Peterborough, ON, Canada Posts: 4,954 Blog Entries: 20	I wouldn't worry about it, it really does sound like a bacterial bloom that will clear in time. I'd go ahead and add your rock, and let the cycle start. Once the 'good' bacteria are established, the water should clear. If it stays cloudy for an extended period of time, try filtering through 50 micron floss, a filter sock, or buy/borrow a diatom filter -- my Vortex diatom filter will clear a tank full of unicellular algae, bacteria, dust, detritus, etc. in a matter of minutes, it's phenomenal. Diatomaceous earth filters out everything down to 1 micron, both good and bad; it's not something you want to use unless you have to, but these filters are worth their weight in gold on those rare occasions when you need them. __________________ "The cure for anything is salt water: sweat, tears, or the sea." - Isak Dinesen Current Tank Info: 150g mixed reef, 30g sump/refugium, LED lighting, 100lbs LR, coral beauty, flame angel, blue & yellow tangs, gobies, damsels, 6-line wrasse, lawnmower blenny, dottyback, clown pair, rabbitfish, shrimp, crabs, CUC.