Cloudy water/bacteria bloom

[robreefer91]

Hey guys. I have a 40breeder with a jebao sow 8, fluval 407 and two 50 watt reef lights one on each side. I have a bloom. My rockflower is no where to be found. My rockwork is attached with zip-ties and when I move it it doesn’t go back the same way. Parameters is ph 8.4 salt 1.025 mag 1160 cal 400 nitrate 20 pho 0.5 alk 11.4 do you think my rock flower died and caused a bloom. I have been having a bloom for months and I was adding bb like once a week thinking it would help. I think I made it worse but the nem has been missing a week. I use rodi water and have carbon in my filter with the pho remover pads. Any ideas or suggestions? Tank is 6 months old. I have 20 hermits 4 small snails and two peppermint shrimp with two clowns. Maybe over feeding my coral twice a week reef roids and ab+ almost daily.

 

[robreefer91]

 

[bushdoc]

Yes, something either died or overfeeding and generally sudden nutrients spike, which cannot be handled by your live rock.
I would stop feeding both corals and fish for few days and look for dead inhabitants.
Aerate tank either with protein skimmer if you have one or airstone.
UV sterilizer could be of value too.
Water changes generally have only transient effect.
Good luck.

 

[robreefer91]

Yes, something either died or overfeeding and generally sudden nutrients spike, which cannot be handled by your live rock.
I would stop feeding both corals and fish for few days and look for dead inhabitants.
Aerate tank either with protein skimmer if you have one or airstone.
UV sterilizer could be of value too.
Water changes generally have only transient effect.
Good luck.

The nem is the only thing missing. I’ll stop feeding coral but I literally only feed a little pinch of flakes or pellets a day for the fish. Sometimes brine. I had herd that they clear on their own and that’s better than getting a uv. It stables the tank or something. Idk that’s why I’m here lol.

 

[Lavey29]

You need to bring your magnesium up also. This is the buffer for your alk and calcium. Is your sand hard or clumpy? This may be contributing to your problems also. Your alk is to elevated also


What test kits are you using? Your phosphate is very high also and is contributing to your problems.

 

[vetteguy53081]

Appears to be an algae bloom.
Is this tank at or near a window?
What filtration are you utilizing ?
Are you using RODI water or tap water from the faucet ?
Your alk is getting high and may be creating precipitation.

 

[Dan_P]

I have been having a bloom for months and I was adding bb like once a week thinking it would help.

Having a bloom for months is not usual and maybe not related to the missing anemone. Is there a skimmer attached to the system?

 

[robreefer91]

You need to bring your magnesium up also. This is the buffer for your alk and calcium. Is your sand hard or clumpy? This may be contributing to your problems also. Your alk is to elevated also


What test kits are you using? Your phosphate is very high also and is contributing to your problems.

My sand is very fine and not clumpy. I’m using salfert to test. I tried to wc to lower alk but my Duncan’s didn’t like the change. So I figured the consistency of parameters would be better. I think my pho jumped up from the roids. I was at 0.25 before.

 

[robreefer91]

Having a bloom for months is not usual and maybe not related to the missing anemone. Is there a skimmer attached to the system?

No skimmer. Or uv

 

[robreefer91]

Having a bloom for months is not usual and maybe not related to the missing anemone. Is there a skimmer attached to the system?

I have recently put filter floss like two days ago hoping that would help.

 

[Dan_P]

I have recently put filter floss like two days ago hoping that would help.

Any chance this cloudiness is from a powerhead stirring up the sand or a calcium carbonate precipitate from dosing calcium and/or alkalinity?

 

[robreefer91]

Appears to be an algae bloom.
Is this tank at or near a window?
What filtration are you utilizing ?
Are you using RODI water or tap water from the faucet ?
Your alk is getting high and may be creating precipitation.

Fluval 407, rodi water, it is near a window but I have blackout curtains closed until I get home when it’s near dark. It is next to my freshwater shrimp tank that is also a 40 breeder but they are on the same light schedules. Should I wc to lower alk? I use instant ocean reef salt

 

[Lavey29]

My sand is very fine and not clumpy. I’m using salfert to test. I tried to wc to lower alk but my Duncan’s didn’t like the change. So I figured the consistency of parameters would be better. I think my pho jumped up from the roids. I was at 0.25 before.

I'll stick with my prior post. Alk and phosphate to high. Magnesium to low. You can cut lights to 6 hours with blue and uv only no whites. Salifert are not accurate.

 

[robreefer91]

Any chance this cloudiness is from a powerhead stirring up the sand or a calcium carbonate precipitate from dosing calcium and/or alkalinity?

I have been dosing nano Cade a and not code b to bring up cal and mag. The sand does move sometimes.

 

[robreefer91]

I'll stick with my prior post. Alk and phosphate to high. Magnesium to low. You can cut lights to 6 hours with blue and uv only no whites. Salifert are not accurate.

I got the salfert because ppl recommended instead of api. I was using api initially. Cut lights to 6 hrs and how do I correct low mag and high alk?

 

[Lavey29]

I got the salfert because ppl recommended instead of api. I was using api initially. Cut lights to 6 hrs and how do I correct low mag and high alk?

What salt mix are you using? That should tell you where your levels should be. I would just have LFS confirm your numbers to. Weekly water changes. If you have a cheap UV to run a couple days that can help blooms to. Cut out the roids and AB to because that can fuel the bloom too.

 

[robreefer91]

What salt mix are you using? That should tell you where your levels should be. I would just have LFS confirm your numbers to. Weekly water changes. If you have a cheap UV to run a couple days that can help blooms to. Cut out the roids and AB to because that can fuel the bloom too.

Instant ocean reef salt. Should I got back after the bloom to the coral food or cut it out for ever

 

[Lavey29]

Instant ocean reef salt. Should I got back after the bloom to the coral food or cut it out for ever

Well each tank is unique but roids raises phosphate which could be one the primary reasons for your bloom. AB can raise phosphate too. I would stop for a month and get parameters back in order. Then use sparingly as needed. I don't dose either of those too anymore.

 

[Lavey29]

You want magnesium at 1350 to 1500 alk 8 to 10 depending on nutrients levels. Nitrates 10 to 20. Phosphate. 05 to .1. Calcium 400 to 450

 

[vetteguy53081]

Fluval 407, rodi water, it is near a window but I have blackout curtains closed until I get home when it’s near dark. It is next to my freshwater shrimp tank that is also a 40 breeder but they are on the same light schedules. Should I wc to lower alk? I use instant ocean reef salt

Fluval may not be keeping up with tank as it is a mechanical filter only which is why I asked specific questions. UV will penetrate shades and blinds and curtain- the power of UV will surprise you. Back to filter:
The issue with using canister filter is that it is your primary source of filtration which is mechanical and you want to have mechanical , biological and chemical to manage proper water quality. The power filter will polish water and trap particles via the cartridge. It also can promote nitrates and even phosphates.
Chemical is what traps and breaks down chemical compounds such as feces and uneaten food often accomplished carbon and GFO
Biological is what utilizes the natural process of biological filtration such as use of ceramic nuggets, bio blocks, and microscopic bacteria surfaces.
You are lacking some forms of necessary filtration. A hang on back refugium, even a hang on skimmer such as Ice cap K1or K2 series will work flawlessly and help with overall waste removal.

On your phos- Is it .5 or.05 ?
keep a pouch of ChemiPure Elite in your canister to help with Phos control.