At this time I seem to be finding it impossible to make the water in my 30 gal cube FOWLR tank clear. I am running a 50 gal hob filter as well as a 20 gal internal filter that I have hanging in the top corner of the tank. I also have a hob refugium (small) with live rock and cheato. The water will clear up for a couple of days then it gets cloudy again. It's not green so I'm thinking it's a bacterial bloom. Any ideas on what I can do to help get rid of this problem? I'm feeding twice a day ( I have a mandarin that eats frozen). Should I cut back to once a day? Would addding a submersible pump to the refugium help? ( right now it's running with a small air pump). Any and all ideas are much appreciated. I wanna get this problem solved before I get my 47 columm set up and going.
Cloudy water frustration
- Thread starter Gaines69
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Gaines69
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Tank is 7 months old and no I'm
Not dosing anything. I'm using RO water for bi weekly water changes and every once in a while I add a dose of seed bacteria. Tank did great until about a month ago. Nothing changed.
Not dosing anything. I'm using RO water for bi weekly water changes and every once in a while I add a dose of seed bacteria. Tank did great until about a month ago. Nothing changed.
Antics
Valuable Member
It looks kind of like a kiosk that dispenses water? If that's the case I would be very suspect on how well its maintained and cared for. You have a FOWLR tank so its probably not a huge issue one way or the other, but most people with expensive reefs wouldn't pay someone a couple bucks over minimum wage to maintain their tank. Likewise, you wouldn't trust that same person to make/monitor your water.
If its a kiosk type deal, id really suggest finding a local fish store and buying water from them, in my area its $0.50/gallon for fresh and $1/gallon for salt. Cloudiness could be from a variety of things, but if it happened within a day or two of a water change that would be my first guess.
If its a kiosk type deal, id really suggest finding a local fish store and buying water from them, in my area its $0.50/gallon for fresh and $1/gallon for salt. Cloudiness could be from a variety of things, but if it happened within a day or two of a water change that would be my first guess.
reefNYC
New Member
I would invest in a UV sterilizer. Especially since your tank is small it wont be expensive.
It clears up my bacteria blooms and/or algae blooms.
It will clear up your water but wont fix the issue at hand, you will still need to determine if your nitrates, phosphates, ammonia and nitrites are in check!
It clears up my bacteria blooms and/or algae blooms.
It will clear up your water but wont fix the issue at hand, you will still need to determine if your nitrates, phosphates, ammonia and nitrites are in check!
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Gaines69
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This kiosk is supposedly computer monitored and shuts down if readings are off. Who knows. My local store sales water for $8 for five gallons and they take it directly from their tank system. I would have to drive 30+ minutes at least to other fish stores if they had water available. I the cloudiness did not happen after a water change. It happens right before water change time. The first time it cleared up over night. It just happened again today and it's been over a week since my last water change. Would a protein skimmer help with this issue at all on this size tank?
I know you said you are in a small apartment but really a rodi can be installed under a kitchen or bathroom sink, or get a small system that can be stored in a closet when not in use.
I see people deterred from rodi because of living spaces, but I think often the perception is you have to mount it on a wall and tap into your water lines.
I had my setup under a bathroom sink with a semipermanent connection to the cold water line and just stuck the waste line in the sink overflow when I ran the unit. Couldn't tell it was ever there when I moved..
A protein skimmer may help, at least with aeration of the tank since bacterial bloom can use up oxygen, and it may help pick up some of the bacteria in the water.
Is anyone using air fresheners, scented candles, vaping, etc around the tank? These can add a carbon source that could fuel a bacterial bloom
I see people deterred from rodi because of living spaces, but I think often the perception is you have to mount it on a wall and tap into your water lines.
I had my setup under a bathroom sink with a semipermanent connection to the cold water line and just stuck the waste line in the sink overflow when I ran the unit. Couldn't tell it was ever there when I moved..
A protein skimmer may help, at least with aeration of the tank since bacterial bloom can use up oxygen, and it may help pick up some of the bacteria in the water.
Is anyone using air fresheners, scented candles, vaping, etc around the tank? These can add a carbon source that could fuel a bacterial bloom
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Gaines69
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I do burn a candle I the apartment once In a while. I make my own air freshener with alcohol and essential oils but I'm careful not to spray close to the tank. I'll stop the candle burning downstairs. Thanks for the info.
