Cloudy Water

[hobbyreefer]

My new tank has been up for about 2 months. The water has been pretty cloudy for the last 2 weeks. I'm assuming this is a bacteria bloom and pretty typical for new tanks. Should I do anything or let it ride? I DO NOT have a UV sterilizer but could invest in one if needed. My rock cycled in a brute can for 6+ months with a couple of damsels prior to starting the tank, and I really never had any cycle.

Salinity 35ppm
Ammonia 0
Nitrite 0
Nitrate maybe 1 (barely any color on test kit)
DKH 7.4 (Hannah)
Calcium 410 (Red Sea)- just started to dose BRS Calcium to get this up a bit
Phosphate .01- again barely any color on the test kit
PH - ? - I don't have a reliable way to test PH. Any recommendations? My API kit showed low 8's.

I have a ~150 gallon display and 30 gallon sump.

Running T5s and 3 Kessil a360s - Kessils run 8am-8pm and T5s run 10am-7pm- Tank will be 100% acropora and an anemone. Just added a few started frags last week.

Nyos 220 skimmer and media reactor.

Running ROX .8 carbon for the last week because the tank is smelling a bit (I think it's the skimmer)

1 marine pure block and Cheato in the Fuge chamber running 10 hours during when DT lights off

Probably stocked a bit fast with the fish, but nitrate and phos never rise.

3 chromis , 3 clowns, 5 tangs (2-3 inches each), fox face (3.5 inches), blue jaw trigger (4 inches), cleaner wrasse, 1 blood shrimp and 1 coral banded shrimp.

I did lose a convict tang. It just complete disappeared. I'm assuming the shrimp have eaten it now, but I can't tell for sure. Maybe it jumped and the dog ate it...

So the question is, should I buy a UV sterilizer or let the bacteria bloom resolve itself? I'm doing 20% water changes every Friday.

Thanks

 

[Jeff Jarry reef]

It's in the ugly stages let it do it thing.

 

[Chaz D]

Out of curiosity, is your water semi-clear in the morning and then cloudy as the day progresses? Could be an algae bloom which would explain your low nitrate/phosphate readings? UV would help, blackout or just let it burn itself out.

 

[hobbyreefer]

I do think it’s a bit clearer in the morning and gets cloudier as the day progresses. I’m not 100% sure that is the case. Is there any risk/harm to waiting it out? I can deal with it being “ugly” for a bit. How long does it typically take. I don’t recall any of my previous tanks being this cloudy.