Algae Bloom?

[Carla]

My husband and I started a saltwater tank 3 months ago and everything has been great. We just recently put up new lighting, do not know exactly what brand, all I know is they are programmable via our computer. Ever since then our tank has clouded up and it is now to the point we can't even see in it. We've spoken to the local reef store and our water quality is perfect and it will not harm our corals or fish but its scary. I do not want them to struggle. They told us to turn down our white lighting and just leave on the blue setting. I read today on a forum to turn off all red tones in the lighting as well because algae grows rapidly in red. I do not know what to do. We will do a small water change tonight to see if that helps. We currently have only a protein skimmer with large enough fans to move around the water, should we have anything else? PLEASE HELP ME!!!!

before

now

 

[808jaymakoa]

What kind of filter do you have?

 

[Dnlstevenl]

Too much feeding or light


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[Carla]

We had a filter but then my husband took it off and just has a protein skimmer on it. Reef Octopus brand. I can find out.
Should we have that and also our filter?

 

[808jaymakoa]

I'm not an expert here by any means but I'm gonna have to guess that's a big part off it. Why's he take the filter off?

 

[808jaymakoa]

Why'd*

 

[Carla]

Yeah I agree with the lighting, we turned down the white lighting and just left on the blue and turned it real low. The feeding is the issue... we have been feeding our fish using an eye dropper like the reef store told us but ever since it's been so cloudy we've used the flakes only because the fish seem to not even notice us feeding. Not to mention it is so hard to even see if anything is dying.

 

[Carla]

I guess he felt that the protein skimmer took the place of the filter. This is a picture of the filter that was on it before.

 

[SeahorseKeeper]

The cloudiness could be a bacterial bloom from taking the filter offline. The tank is now having to compensate for that missing bacteria. It might be helpful to put that filter back online and just run it with carbon. Also, I would do small water changes over the next few weeks to help reduce the cloudiness.

 

[Carla]

Thanks Krista. I will have my husband put the filter back on for a couple of days. Should he have the skimmer going to?

 

[SeahorseKeeper]

Thanks Krista. I will have my husband put the filter back on for a couple of days. Should he have the skimmer going to?

The skimmer should be running. The skimmer helps to remove organic compounds from the water column.

 

[Carla]

I am not experienced in this, my husband is, but do I need to go to the store and buy some carbon to help this issue? Do you agree that once we hook up the filter and add some carbon that our water will clear up?

 

[SeahorseKeeper]

I am not experienced in this, my husband is, but do I need to go to the store and buy some carbon to help this issue? Do you agree that once we hook up the filter and add some carbon that our water will clear up?

I would. The carbon will help polish the water. Adding that and doing small water changes over the next few weeks will clear up the water. It will be a slow process.

 

[Carla]

Just making sure... is carbon safe for corals and anemone?