Cloudy water.

[Reef.]

My tank as had cloudy water for 2 weeks now, wondering if I should intervene now or leave it to clear itself? 8 months old tank so still going through the stages of cycling.

Diatoms were showing up a week ago but have reduced a lot this week, my nitrates are around 8, my PO4 .042 but my alk is low at 5.6, salt mixes at around 7.3kh, I have no corals yet.

thinking Uv might help?

 

[vetteguy53081]

UV would if budget allows otherwise try a pouch of chemipure elite and clean any and all filters

 

[Reef.]

UV would if budget allows otherwise try a pouch of chemipure elite and clean any and all filters

I have carbon and purigen in, was using raw and phosguard so I don’t think chemipure offers anything over those?

Everything is clean, floss is the only filter as it’s a nano, changes every 2 days, I’ve even removed the Siporax as it was collecting a lot of detritus, which saw a drop in my nitrates from 12 to 5 over night, didn’t really help with the cloudy water though.

seems to be almost gone until the lights come on then slowly increases, then seems to decrease just before they go off.

 

[nano_ryan]

UV is probably the best and easiest way to have crystal clear water. I prefer running it with a handful of filter floss for the bigger pieces of debris. Carbon blight help but not as effective

 

[r20crazy]

what is your calcium and Mg levels? do you dose anything like Microbacter7 or dr. Tims? if so stop as the cloudiness is bacterial bloom. otherwise cloudiness most likely due to Mg or calcium levels, which is making Alk low. what test kit u using? if API dont trust them. my api test kit showed Alk of 4, got a salifert kit and was 10.5, then confirmed salifert with LFS test

 

[Reef.]

what is your calcium and Mg levels? do you dose anything like Microbacter7 or dr. Tims? if so stop as the cloudiness is bacterial bloom. otherwise cloudiness most likely due to Mg or calcium levels, which is making Alk low. what test kit u using? if API dont trust them.

don’t test those as yet as no corals but I’ll get on it, sounds it could be playing a part with the alk, didn’t think of that, so thanks.

Edit don’t dose anything. Any idea why if it is cal or mag why they would be off with no corals?

 

[Reef.]

UV is probably the best and easiest way to have crystal clear water. I prefer running it with a handful of filter floss for the bigger pieces of debris. Carbon blight help but not as effective

yeah think I’ll buy the uv, IM do a drop in one for the nuvo tanks. Just would have liked to know what was causing it, or do tanks go through bacterial blooms now and again?

 

[nano_ryan]

yeah think I’ll buy the uv, IM do a drop in one for the nuvo tanks. Just would have liked to know what was causing it, or do tanks go through bacterial blooms now and again?

Not sure on what your perimeters are. Algae blooms are caused from phosphates and nitrates. A 50% water change then biweekly 25% water changes will deplete the phosphates and nitrates and clear up your water. UV does a good job as well.

 

[Reef.]

Not sure on what your perimeters are. Algae blooms are caused from phosphates and nitrates. A 50% water change then biweekly 25% water changes will deplete the phosphates and nitrates and clear up your water. UV does a good job as well.

my PO4 and nitrates are already low, posted above, I don’t really want them any lower, I do 30% water changes throughout the week (not in one go) so I’m not sure what’s causing this?

Could just be the tank maturing? But as it’s been 2 weeks I’m thinking I should step in now.

 

[nano_ryan]

my PO4 and nitrates are already low, posted above, I don’t really want them any lower, I do 30% water changes throughout the week (not in one go) so I’m not sure what’s causing this?

Could just be the tank maturing? But as it’s been 2 weeks I’m thinking I should step in now.

Depending on what sand you use, it can cause the cloudiness. Do you have any pics?

 

[Reef.]

Depending on what sand you use, it can cause the cloudiness. Do you have any pics?

lights have just went out, but it’s not the sand.

Strange as it comes with the lights going on but near enough clears before they go out, I guess that has to be some kind of bacteria bloom.

I was just about to buy a uv for the tank but it’s not that bad and seems to be getting slightly better.

Going to give it another week or so, as the uv wouldn’t have got here till the 6th anyway.

 

[lafarrow]

How did this story end. Bloom clear up or still kicking?

 

[Reef.]

How did this story end. Bloom clear up or still kicking?

Yeah cleared up after about 2 weeks, didn’t do anything different, was about to add a uv, think it could have been a crab that may have died.