Perplexed by cloudy water. - Page 2

LobsterOfJustice · 06/25/2012, 10:15 AM

It started getting cloudy before or after the water change?

SeanT · 06/25/2012, 10:33 AM

Definitely before.

HurricaneSystem · 06/25/2012, 11:53 AM

How long was the salt mixed before you did that large of a water change? Also, what prompted you to do that large of a water change? Has it been a long time since your last change?

Sounds like you knew you were having some potential issues before you did it and it has just come to fruition.

SeanT · 06/25/2012, 11:59 AM

I use NSW.
Been doing water changes this large every two weeks for the last 8 years.
No potential problems.
I believe my daughter fed a quarter package of rods food to the tank and that caused the issue.

HurricaneSystem · 06/25/2012, 12:31 PM

That would do it

I completely understand that. I have to keep my wife and daughter from feeding my tank. You have no idea the amount of food the ladies like to feed the fish.

SeanT · 06/25/2012, 07:12 PM

Lights have been on for 6 hours now and the water is almost back to completely clear.

75pxatr · 06/26/2012, 04:32 AM

I am experiencing something similar. The water looks cloudy and my skimmer is pulling orange/rust skimmate. I was leaning toward bacteria bloom but noticed that the carbon reactor was overrun by this rust colored crud. I had switched from BRS carbon temporarily. I have removed the generic carbon and the water seems to be clearing. I bet that it was a phosphate factory even though my Hanna PO4 meter did not read any.

Hope you find the smoking gun.

Zukizuri · 06/26/2012, 09:23 AM

Now is time to have your eyes checked. Lol.

Angel85 · 06/30/2012, 01:45 AM

This is happening to my quarantine tank right now. I did a partial water change and wthin a day or 2 water has become cloudy. I changed the water in my qt tank about 30 or 40% My dt, which is.cycling, did not get a wc and is perfectly clear. I also hve a small freshwater tank that I did a partial wc in and now it is cloudy too! I live in AZ. I am starting to believe it is the water. Are you using tap or ro/di???

Angel85 · 06/30/2012, 01:48 AM

BTW, I have been keeping fish for 10+ years and never remember seeing this in any of my tanks. I think they have some type of new additive to the water...

SeanT · 06/30/2012, 02:04 PM

I only use RODI for tipoff and NSW for changes.
After, testing, reviewing everything, I am sure it was my kid who over fed the heck out of the tank.
After two large waterchanges, everything is back to normal.

Angel85 · 06/30/2012, 11:31 PM

I will try a wc tommorow and hope it helps like it did for you!

SeanT · 08/30/2012, 12:08 AM

Two. On the after the incident I can report the following.
I lost several lps colonies, mainly chalices.
A few scolys look beat to hell but are hanging in.
And a few montis, no acros, suffered minor to severe recession.

I attribute these occurrences to the over feeding as nothing else (parameter wise) has changed in my tank for years.

Sean

tmz · 08/30/2012, 01:09 AM

Sorry for the loses. Did you check ammonia during the cloudiness?Sounds like a bacterial bloom fed by all the food and a consequent O2 depletion. Any fish harmed?

SeanT · 08/30/2012, 10:47 AM

All fish ok.
I did not check ammonia, slack on my part I admit.
But since I was doing such large waterchanges I guess I didn't feel I needed to.
I should've though, it would have helped me narrow it down further.

06/25/2012, 10:15 AM	#26
LobsterOfJustice Recovering Detritophobe Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Cary, NC Posts: 7,443	It started getting cloudy before or after the water change? __________________ If it's worth doing, it's worth doing right. I remember when zoanthids were called things like "green" and "orange" and not "reverse gorilla nipple." Current Tank Info: 180g reef with all the bells and whistles

06/25/2012, 10:33 AM	#27
SeanT Premium Member Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Wilmington, North Carolina Posts: 13,860	Definitely before. __________________ My tank was cool. Current Tank Info: Barebottom (the tank not me...at least not at the moment).

06/25/2012, 11:59 AM	#29
SeanT Premium Member Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Wilmington, North Carolina Posts: 13,860	I use NSW. Been doing water changes this large every two weeks for the last 8 years. No potential problems. I believe my daughter fed a quarter package of rods food to the tank and that caused the issue. __________________ My tank was cool. Current Tank Info: Barebottom (the tank not me...at least not at the moment).

06/25/2012, 07:12 PM	#31
SeanT Premium Member Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Wilmington, North Carolina Posts: 13,860	Lights have been on for 6 hours now and the water is almost back to completely clear. __________________ My tank was cool. Current Tank Info: Barebottom (the tank not me...at least not at the moment).

06/30/2012, 01:45 AM	#34
Angel85 Registered Member Join Date: May 2012 Location: Arizona, USA Posts: 200	This is happening to my quarantine tank right now. I did a partial water change and wthin a day or 2 water has become cloudy. I changed the water in my qt tank about 30 or 40% My dt, which is.cycling, did not get a wc and is perfectly clear. I also hve a small freshwater tank that I did a partial wc in and now it is cloudy too! I live in AZ. I am starting to believe it is the water. Are you using tap or ro/di??? __________________ All life has value, no matter how great or small. Current Tank Info: 29 gallon biocube-Oceanic

06/25/2012, 11:53 AM	#28
HurricaneSystem Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: TN Posts: 528 Blog Entries: 1	How long was the salt mixed before you did that large of a water change? Also, what prompted you to do that large of a water change? Has it been a long time since your last change? Sounds like you knew you were having some potential issues before you did it and it has just come to fruition.

06/25/2012, 12:31 PM	#30
HurricaneSystem Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: TN Posts: 528 Blog Entries: 1	That would do it I completely understand that. I have to keep my wife and daughter from feeding my tank. You have no idea the amount of food the ladies like to feed the fish.

06/26/2012, 04:32 AM	#32
75pxatr Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Poland OHio Posts: 567	I am experiencing something similar. The water looks cloudy and my skimmer is pulling orange/rust skimmate. I was leaning toward bacteria bloom but noticed that the carbon reactor was overrun by this rust colored crud. I had switched from BRS carbon temporarily. I have removed the generic carbon and the water seems to be clearing. I bet that it was a phosphate factory even though my Hanna PO4 meter did not read any. Hope you find the smoking gun.

06/26/2012, 09:23 AM	#33
Zukizuri Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2012 Posts: 45	Now is time to have your eyes checked. Lol.

06/30/2012, 01:48 AM	#35
Angel85 Registered Member Join Date: May 2012 Location: Arizona, USA Posts: 200	BTW, I have been keeping fish for 10+ years and never remember seeing this in any of my tanks. I think they have some type of new additive to the water... __________________ All life has value, no matter how great or small. Current Tank Info: 29 gallon biocube-Oceanic

06/30/2012, 02:04 PM	#36
SeanT Premium Member Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Wilmington, North Carolina Posts: 13,860	I only use RODI for tipoff and NSW for changes. After, testing, reviewing everything, I am sure it was my kid who over fed the heck out of the tank. After two large waterchanges, everything is back to normal. __________________ My tank was cool. Current Tank Info: Barebottom (the tank not me...at least not at the moment).

06/30/2012, 11:31 PM	#37
Angel85 Registered Member Join Date: May 2012 Location: Arizona, USA Posts: 200	I will try a wc tommorow and hope it helps like it did for you! __________________ All life has value, no matter how great or small. Current Tank Info: 29 gallon biocube-Oceanic

08/30/2012, 12:08 AM	#38
SeanT Premium Member Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Wilmington, North Carolina Posts: 13,860	Two. On the after the incident I can report the following. I lost several lps colonies, mainly chalices. A few scolys look beat to hell but are hanging in. And a few montis, no acros, suffered minor to severe recession. I attribute these occurrences to the over feeding as nothing else (parameter wise) has changed in my tank for years. Sean __________________ My tank was cool. Current Tank Info: Barebottom (the tank not me...at least not at the moment).

08/30/2012, 01:09 AM	#39
tmz ReefKeeping Mag staff Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: West Seneca NY Posts: 27,691	Sorry for the loses. Did you check ammonia during the cloudiness?Sounds like a bacterial bloom fed by all the food and a consequent O2 depletion. Any fish harmed? __________________ Tom Current Tank Info: Tank of the Month , November 2011 : 600gal integrated system: 3 display tanks (120 g, 90g, 89g),several frag/grow out tanks, macroalgae refugia, cryptic zones. 40+ fish, seahorses, sps,lps,leathers, zoanthidae and non photosynthetic corals.

08/30/2012, 10:47 AM	#40
SeanT Premium Member Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Wilmington, North Carolina Posts: 13,860	All fish ok. I did not check ammonia, slack on my part I admit. But since I was doing such large waterchanges I guess I didn't feel I needed to. I should've though, it would have helped me narrow it down further. __________________ My tank was cool. Current Tank Info: Barebottom (the tank not me...at least not at the moment).