Cloudy Water

[Martyt1]

Quick question for anyone with ideas. I am new to salt and I have a 55gal display and approximately an 18 gal refugium. I have had the system running g for around 2 months. My levels are on the mark, i have a skimmer which is cranking out all the nastiness, 4 small fish, an anenome and a starfish. My question is how do I get that nice crystal clear like my LFS has, i use a RO DI filter, and NEVER use tap for any reason yet my water seems to be cloudy or maybe a bit hazy is a better word. All my critters look great but they don't have that nice "suspended in air" look.. Any thoughts would be appreciated.

 

[KingOfPain86]

Are you having problems with algae? That cloudy look your talking about could be free floating algae.


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[AZDesertRat]

It could also be microbubbles. At night, turn the lights off then take a flashlight and shine it through the tank end to end or side to side.
If the water sparkles like it is full of diamonds it is microbubbles, if not it is debris or algae.
Microbubbles are pretty common in the first several months of a tanks life until all the equipment gets seasoned and a slime coating on it. Mine disappeared on its own after a couple months with no changes.

 

[Martyt1]

I am on the downward side of an algae issue it is slowly diminishing... That could be!!,, hmmmm

 

[beaslbob]

kill the lights and stop feeding.

When it clears resume with less lighting and feeding so it stays clear.


my .02

 

[NanaReefer]

I'd also try running some carbon-could be a bacteria bloom also. Oh and have you tried cleaning the glass on the inside?


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[mike007]

Sounds like a algae bloom. Carbon works great at polishing water. Be carefull with your feeding and don't overfeed.

 

[KingOfPain86]

UV sterilizers work great on free floating algae.


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[jservedio]

Also, you will never get the "suspended in air" look with lots of particulates floating around - the only way to make the water completely disappear is to use a fine filter sock on the water going to your sump. I run carbon, big skimmer, absolutely zero algae problems, no N or P, no microbubbles, and I never was able to get that look until I plumbed in the filter sock to take all the particulates out.

 

[FishBrawler]

Have you tried using carbon?

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[Armour]

What would be a good way to run the carbon? Anything special? Like say you buy a bag of Chemi-pure Elite and put it in the bottom of the sump. Would this be enough to help with the water? Trying to get an idea on this because I also thought about doing this but not sure how to.

 

[NanaReefer]

Just put it in a high flow area but easy to access. I know sometimes easier said then done. Or maybe thats just for me-lol.
You don't want it to tumble but you do want the water to be able to go through it.


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[Zack]

I had cloudy water issues around the 1 or 2 month mark with my tank and it turned out to be bacteria blooms. Even carbon didnt help me. I had to reduce feeding by a lot to help my water clear up. Not saying for sure thats what yours is , but just a little more advice to add to the list.

 

[backpack]

I set up my tank 3 weeks ago. I cycled in 4 days hen diatoms. So after the first week it was cloudy for the next two weeks. I did several wc and used low light. So I dosed vodka for two days alongside my calcium and all clear.

 

[Martyt1]

I feed a small amount 2 times per week my fish have it all gone in 10 seconds. I am running a skimmer, a sock, chaeto in my refugium, about 40 lbs of live rock, and now I have noticed green algae, and a brownish cloudy tinted water,, any ideas I'm near to throwing in the towel..

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[Martyt1]

Before I forget, I hear a lot in this post about carbon, i assume activated charcoal? Any recommendations as I think I need to head this direction any ideas would be very appreciated.

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