Cloudy Water

[Tiger-Paws]

I have been suffering a similar bloom, last week the tank became crystal clear and my 225 micron mesh sock was completly clogged with a yellowish slime. After replacing the sock with a 200 micron felt sock I cleaned as much of the yellow/white slime off of the glass and the sump as possible.

The tank (a Red Sea Reefer 28 gallon) was clear for a week when I performed a deeper cleaning of the overflow, piping and sump. Then the tank became a little cloudy again and yesterday I picked up a slight .025 ppm increase in Ammonia which is lower this morning 11:00 am CST than it was last night but still not zero.

I am not picking up any discolored skim in the skimmer, in fact it is not producing much of anything except a bit of clear foam.

I am guessing that my cleaning released something back into the water column and it is breaking down into Ammonia, the bacteria is slowly consuming it so the cloudy water should (hopefully) clear up in a day or so.

Right now there is no livestock in the tank.

 

[bcarl77]

I have been suffering a similar bloom, last week the tank became crystal clear and my 225 micron mesh sock was completly clogged with a yellowish slime. After replacing the sock with a 200 micron felt sock I cleaned as much of the yellow/white slime off of the glass and the sump as possible.

The tank (a Red Sea Reefer 28 gallon) was clear for a week when I performed a deeper cleaning of the overflow, piping and sump. Then the tank became a little cloudy again and yesterday I picked up a slight .025 ppm increase in Ammonia which is lower this morning 11:00 am CST than it was last night but still not zero.

I am not picking up any discolored skim in the skimmer, in fact it is not producing much of anything except a bit of clear foam.

I am guessing that my cleaning released something back into the water column and it is breaking down into Ammonia, the bacteria is slowly consuming it so the cloudy water should (hopefully) clear up in a day or so.

Right now there is no livestock in the tank.

You didn't use a UV correct?

I had a bit of an issue with the UV sterilizer last night. I have a solution in the works and hope to have one up and running tomorrow night.

 

[Tiger-Paws]

I do not have a UV System at this time, installed a 100 micron felt filter sock yesterday morning and changed it out this morning (10:00 am CST). The sock I took out had almost nothing visible but was partially clogged so it must have been removing something.

Ammonia is still around .25 maybe a bit less (API test kit), what puzzles me is where is the Ammonia coming from, there is nothing in the tank to break down into Ammonia?

Any ideas?

 

[bcarl77]

Only thing that would make sense is the rock in your case. What's interesting is all my params are 0 accross the board (2ppm Nitrate, .02 Phosphate). I still think mine is a bacteria bloom from the Dr Tims. Probably doesn't help that I do not have a sand bed.

 

[Tiger-Paws]

Only thing that would make sense is the rock in your case. What's interesting is all my params are 0 accross the board (2ppm Nitrate, .02 Phosphate). I still think mine is a bacteria bloom from the Dr Tims. Probably doesn't help that I do not have a sand bed.

I used Caribsea Live Sand, initally 20lbs if Dry Rock, then I added 2 lbs of Coralline encrusted Live Rock. After 17 days the tank turned totally cloudy, I mean like pea soup fog. Then after another 7 days the tank cleared which is when I cleaned the mesh sock and most of the White/Yellowish Slime.

The tank stayed crystal clear for a week, the parameters were perfect until I further cleaned the last of the White/Yellowish Slime in the overflow and in the sump. Then the cloudiness returned.

So I am baffled.

 

[Tiger-Paws]

Only thing that would make sense is the rock in your case. What's interesting is all my params are 0 accross the board (2ppm Nitrate, .02 Phosphate). I still think mine is a bacteria bloom from the Dr Tims. Probably doesn't help that I do not have a sand bed.

I know this a process, it is just that this morning 8:30 am CDT the sump is begining to smell and the tank has a foul oder.

As I said I will give it until Monday (maybe) before emptying the tank, dumping everything, doing a deep cleaning and starting over with fresh live sand and 30 lbs of quality Live Rock.

 

[beaslbob]

I know this a process, it is just that this morning 8:30 am CDT the sump is begining to smell and the tank has a foul oder.

As I said I will give it until Monday (maybe) before emptying the tank, dumping everything, doing a deep cleaning and starting over with fresh live sand and 30 lbs of quality Live Rock.

no need to do the big reset.
put some macro algae in there to consume the gunk.

the cloudiness is micro algae/cyano that was consuming nutrients. the fix is to get the system balanced out so desirables like corraline, corals, macro algae, ats, etc consume the nutrients and starve out the micro algae/cyano

my .02

 

[Tiger-Paws]

no need to do the big reset.
put some macro algae in there to consume the gunk.

the cloudiness is micro algae/cyano that was consuming nutrients. the fix is to get the system balanced out so desirables like corraline, corals, macro algae, ats, etc consume the nutrients and starve out the micro algae/cyano

my .02

Suggestions on how to do that?

 

[beaslbob]

With no livestock you could just add it to your display. But that's not good for later fish added.

you could also add a refugium area to the sump. or add a container for the macros as a refugium to the drain so that it then drains to the sump.

you could also do an in tank refurium using egg crate as a partition and with some added side lighting to get the macros growing.

There is a chaeto sandwich here in the diy forum that would work as well.

Some make a chaeto reactor. Just a jar on the plumbing with lights and chaeto to harvest every week or so.

All kinds of options. Just do whatever you prefer and like.

The macros will consume ammonia directly if present, nitrates second if no ammonia, phosphates, co2 and produce fish food (pods, macros) and oxygen.

just my suggestion

worth at most .02

 

[bcarl77]

Quick update for me. Installed the UV at 11pm last night. Should have a pretty good idea by Sunday. Skimmate finally turning to a light brown and seeing the poly filter change to the light brown shade.

The only other thing mine could be related to other than the bacteria bloom would be the chemipure blue that I ran in my own filter mesh bag (Rookie mistake).

 

[Tiger-Paws]

Quick update for me. Installed the UV at 11pm last night. Should have a pretty good idea by Sunday. Skimmate finally turning to a light brown and seeing the poly filter change to the light brown shade.

The only other thing mine could be related to other than the bacteria bloom would be the chemipure blue that I ran in my own filter mesh bag (Rookie mistake).

BC, please keep us (me) updated I am considering a UV unit and whould like to hear ebout your experience.

 

[bcarl77]

Tank is significantly better in less than 24 hours. On the side view the tank was so cloudy I couldn't see the rocks on the other side. Should be crystal clear by tomorrow. I used the mini green machine off of amazon.

 

[Tiger-Paws]

Nice changes

 

[Piranha76]

I shut off my UV sterilizer last night to wake up to a cloudy mess. I don't know if it diatoms or bacteria bloom but it is the first time i shut off my UV sterilizer in 4 months.