OK I have a 36 gallon saltwater with a tidal 75 on it. Temp is great at 77-78. I’ve been running my tank since December 5th. The water is extremely cloudy and things keep dying in my tank. The other day my Only fish died and hasn’t been seen. Today it seems like my sea urchin is dying. Several dead snails but my hermit crabs seem to be doing fine. My buddy and I just put a carbon reactor on it this evening to see if that will clear it up but we are not understanding why it’s cloudy and why things are dying.
Cloudy Water
- Thread starter Much55
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Flippers4pups
Fins up since 1993
If it's white cloudiness, it's bacterial bloom.
If it's green cloudiness, it's algae bloom.
Either can deplete O2 levels, causing fish to suffocate.
What's your source water? RO/DI or tap water?
Flippers4pups
Fins up since 1993
Here’s a photo of my tank
Looks bacterial. What kind of filtration do you have on it?
Flippers4pups
Fins up since 1993
Side note: do you have any powerheads in the tank and do you have a skimmer on it?
As far as "blooms" are concerned, they are a part of the "uglies" stage of a new tank. There are two ways to approach this issue :
One, wait it out and it will go away at some point...
Or add a UV sterilizer which will clear the water quickly.
I would suggest a HOB skimmer if you don't have one. It will remove some proteins and organics in the water column.
Scotty Buttons
Valuable Member
What else is in the tank that is still alive? Also, silly question but are you removing the dead snails and fish?
Scotty Buttons
Valuable Member
And have you tested your water? For ammonia mainly..
Flippers4pups
Fins up since 1993
Point it up as much as you can to break the water surface to introduce more O2 to the water. Do some water changes and keep running the GAC. Remove anything dead asap. Do not add anything else fish or invert wise till it clears.
Deezill
Valuable Member
My tank just went through a few days of cloudiness too. I have 2 Mp40 that I cranked up maybe to 50% to ensure the surface was being agitated. O2 is a concern when we go thru these bacterial blooms. The bloom should pass soon as mine did. The key is to make sure that you have ample O2 in the water. Stick an airstone in if you have to. i was lucky enough to be able to point my return outlet upward to make even more surface agitation.
1 check parameters to make sure you have no spikes of ammonia nitrite or nitrate...20% water change if anything is spikeeach day for 3 consecutive days. Recheck until normal parameters.
2 increase o2 via surface agitation and power heads and air stones
3 add UV sterilizer (green machine on amazon works good)
follow up with us
2 increase o2 via surface agitation and power heads and air stones
3 add UV sterilizer (green machine on amazon works good)
follow up with us
CenCalReef
Active Member
looks like you have a ton of snails in there definitely make sure to remove them as they die, or anything that dies, they will degrade and build up ammonia and in a new tank may not be good. Going to just have to ride this one out like a cowboy.
vetteguy53081
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Sounds like a deficiency in filtration. What filter do you have and are you using carbon?
I would recommend adding a hang on back power filter, even one from Walmart which contains carbon cartridge which will polish the tank water and increase oxygen. Add chemipure blue to existing filter which will clarify tank and reduce phosphates
I would recommend adding a hang on back power filter, even one from Walmart which contains carbon cartridge which will polish the tank water and increase oxygen. Add chemipure blue to existing filter which will clarify tank and reduce phosphates
Thank you everyone. I just did a 95% water change and still have a carbon reactor on it. Water is looking better than ever. Hopefully this fixes the problem, Thanks to a good knowledgeable buddy of mine who helped me out... Oh by the way. My Sea urchin is doing great and the Horseshoe crab is alive
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