Cloudy water help.

[okaqua]

So I did a large volume water change yesterday and it was a little cloudy and it cleared up and I came back this morning and it was cloudy again it's got this white or brownish tinge to it and I'm wondering what caused it and how can I fix it need help please! Can barely see 7" into tank.

I am also currently running a 100 watt LED light a Coralife BioCube protein skimmer. Hey hang on back refugium with mechanical filtration that is filter floss. If there is anything I can do to help clear up my water that would be with filtration please let me know.
All help is welcomed

 

[Oceanwave45]

Just a few questions everyone will ask

How long has the tank been running ?

Why did you do a large water change?

What are your current testing results - nitrates phosphate CA KH and PH levels?

 

[ndrwater]

What he^^^^^^^ said, and... Probably a bacteria bloom. It'll clear on it's on in time.
Given more info, we can make a better diagnosis.
If the tank is new, guessing so, then you need to let it run it's course. Doing large water changes will only make it worse.
Definitely post more info though.

 

[okaqua]

Running 5 months
Because of the cloudy water
All tests normal
Hope that helps you

 

[Xclusive Reef]

Did you try carbon? My qt water was getting cloudy and a smell came from it and I added some carbon in a bag the next day was crystal clear.

 

[ndrwater]

5 months is definitely a new tank. Depending on how you decided to cycle the aquarium, IE using live rock, dead rock, adding bacteria or not, etc can all play a part in when and how much you tank can become cloudy.
In a normal non live rock scenario, somewhere between 14-30 (non scientific) days in would expect a bacteria bloom for the 1st time.
If you have been doing water changes in an attempt to alleviate the cloudy water, you are actually prolonging the situation. Meaning, you are depleting the beneficial bacteria and ammonia/Nitrite from the water column.
Now... Understand that beneficial bacteria grow on/in surfaces in your tank like rock, sand etc, but... An over abundance of things like Ammonia before an established colony of bacteria can deal with it will cause a bacteria bloom.
A bloom is a massive increase of bacteria dealing with the associated contaminant like Ammonia.
Once equilibrium is reached, the excess bacteria die off and the tank clears.
Hope this helps.

 

[brandon429]

If the tank runs through this thread, no more cloud:

https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/t...ead-aka-one-against-many.230281/#post-2681445

100% cure rate. Agreed many ways to deal with cloudy water, up to and including forcible instant removal. It can be fixed in 24 hours, or, guide it out biologically/pick

The reason cloudy water doesn't ever ever happen in pico reefs is due to quick access, this is strictly the headache of large tankers.

Matter of fact, picos are immune to all invasions pretty much- due to complete substrate and water table access and that's ironic considering how delicate they seem on first glance

 

[DanP-SD]

Be sure to test ammonia as it can also be a cause of cloudiness. At five months it's not likely unless you recently added a lot of livestock, upped feeding or somehow decreased you nitrifying bacteria. If ammonia is zero, bacteria is the most likely culprit. If you recently added bio pellets or some form of carbon dosing (vodka, vinegar) cut it back and when the water clears ramp it back up slowly.