Cloudy tank no matter what I do

[ethankap]

My tank just doesn't have contrast, and the water slightly cloudy. I had a diatom problem on the substrate which some dosing of Microbacter7 took care of. I've since gone into maintenance on that. The issue is my water appears slightly cloudy. I replaced the carbon, and have to carbon bags with filter floss between them in the media rack on my Max E170. The skimmer is pulling stuff out and is tuned to wet skim.

Parameters are all in check:

0 amonia
0 nitrite
4 nitrate
0 measurable phosphate (but its there, there's algae on the glass that shows up soon after I scrape it)
1.025 salinity
8.0 alk
490 calcium

Livestock (SPS, LPS, softies, zoo's and fish) are all doing fine and healthy, as are the inverts. The only thing that happened recently is an open brain coral died.

I just want the tank to look as good as the tanks at the fish store. I'm upgrading the E170 to the under tank sump this weekend and a better skimmer + filter socks and media, but this is frustrating in the mean time.

 

[Crabs McJones]

My tank just doesn't have contrast, and the water slightly cloudy. I had a diatom problem on the substrate which some dosing of Microbacter7 took care of. I've since gone into maintenance on that. The issue is my water appears slightly cloudy. I replaced the carbon, and have to carbon bags with filter floss between them in the media rack on my Max E170. The skimmer is pulling stuff out and is tuned to wet skim.

Parameters are all in check:

0 amonia
0 nitrite
4 nitrate
0 measurable phosphate (but its there, there's algae on the glass that shows up soon after I scrape it)
1.025 salinity
8.0 alk
490 calcium

Livestock (SPS, LPS, softies, zoo's and fish) are all doing fine and healthy, as are the inverts. The only thing that happened recently is an open brain coral died.

I just want the tank to look as good as the tanks at the fish store. I'm upgrading the E170 to the under tank sump this weekend and a better skimmer + filter socks and media, but this is frustrating in the mean time.

How much and how often are you feeding, and how long has the tank been running? Cloudiness is generally a bacterial bloom. So you have to determine the root cause of where he extra nutrients are coming from.

 

[Tangs23]

Adding a UV Sterilizer made a big difference for me!

 

[tankstudy]

Adding a UV Sterilizer made a big difference for me!

That will do it.

 

[ethankap]

How much and how often are you feeding, and how long has the tank been running? Cloudiness is generally a bacterial bloom. So you have to determine the root cause of where he extra nutrients are coming from.

I feed daily and watch to make sure everything is picked up by the fish. I do Reef Roids twice a week target fed into the coral. The tank is about 70 days up and running.

I may pickup a Green Killing machine UV scrubber to run for a few days and see if that helps.

 

[ethankap]

Update: I went to Pet Smart (I KNOW) and got a Green Killing Machine as a stop gap until I upgrade the sump this weekend. It'll fit into the sump in a pinch, but I'll likely get a proper UV sterilizer when the sump is all set. I've been running it a bit over two hours and already can see a difference. It's just ugly as **** in the tank.

 

[dunc101]

Update: I went to Pet Smart (I KNOW) and got a Green Killing Machine as a stop gap until I upgrade the sump this weekend. It'll fit into the sump in a pinch, but I'll likely get a proper UV sterilizer when the sump is all set. I've been running it a bit over two hours and already can see a difference. It's just ugly as **** in the tank.

I had a very similar occurrence on my tank about a year and a half ago (this particular tank was around 6 months old when the bloom began). I also added a green killing machine and it took care of the problem within a week to my surprise! This was on an 80 gallon with a 40 gallon sump about half full. Hopefully, you will have the same success! I ran it until the bulb went out and never bothered replacing the bulb (about 6 months later or so) and my tank has been clear ever since.

 

[ethankap]

Looks like the Green Killing Machine (what a name for a product) worked overnight. Tank is looking sparkling and clear, and algae is gone from the glass and substrate.

 

[ethankap]

Post script: UV sterilizers are miracle workers. I don't think the Green Killing Machine will fit into the E170 sump, but it may fit in the overflow. Either way, I'll be adding a UV sterilizer to the plumbing.

Here's the tank tonight, unrecognizable from how it looked 24 hours ago. Fish are healthy, params follow:

2.5 nitrate
8.6 alk
434 calc (down from 500, which is good, means the coral are consuming)
0 phosphate with high range tester, low range Hanna arrives tomorrow

Interesting thing is the UV sterilizer also got the algae problem under control on the substrate and the glass. Only needed minor cleaning tonight.

 

[kinetic]

I had a really bad cloudy tank problem and the green killing machine did wonders. Fit in my Red Sea Reefer 170 sump no problem. It's really quiet and despite being an ugly black blob, it's quite nice. I ended up turning it off completely since my tank is no longer cloudy.

I did, however, purchase a AquaUV with a wiper (8 watt). It just runs inline with my reactors etc. so doesn't need its own pump. I have it off but I'll probably toggle it on when things look a bit cloudy.

 

[ethankap]

I had a really bad cloudy tank problem and the green killing machine did wonders. Fit in my Red Sea Reefer 170 sump no problem. It's really quiet and despite being an ugly black blob, it's quite nice. I ended up turning it off completely since my tank is no longer cloudy.

I did, however, purchase a AquaUV with a wiper (8 watt). It just runs inline with my reactors etc. so doesn't need its own pump. I have it off but I'll probably toggle it on when things look a bit cloudy.

Is the Reefer 170 sump the same dimension as the Max E170's? I got the bigger Green Machine, so think it might be a tight squeeze. I intend to get an AquaUV I think and just put it on the fuge/reactor pump (before the fuge of course).

 

[kinetic]

Is the Reefer 170 sump the same dimension as the Max E170's? I got the bigger Green Machine, so think it might be a tight squeeze. I intend to get an AquaUV I think and just put it on the fuge/reactor pump (before the fuge of course).

I'm not sure if it's bigger or smaller. I got the smallest green machine (9 watt). It is actually super quiet (can't hear it at all once all the bubbles were removed) and I think I would've just kept it, though Blackfriday came around and the AquaUV was on sale...

I actually have mine after the chaeto reactor, I know, not the best, but the water cycles back in anyway so things will die. Also,