Help me solve this reef mystery (bacterial bloom)

Newb73 · Apr 2, 2017

Last year i hypothesized that the dust from hard wood installation induced a bacteria bloom.

I just had more hard wood floors put in, this time in a different area of house with minimal to no dust .

And a new bacterial bloom in all my tanks. (Both times i got the characteristic cloudy water with die off of cyano) and slime coat (like jelly) in filter socks with skimmers over flowing.

ORP jumped from 375 WITH OZONE to 430...ozone hasn't ran since a few days before floors put in

Sulfer denitrator has been on the whole time but the orp hasn't been this high since tank was new.

No biopellets this time. (I was running pellets first time) No GFO and no carbon (was running both last time).

My only guess is the aersolized fumes (very strong smell) from the adhesive acts as one heck of a carbon source

Randy, what do you know about it?

If i call and get the brand of glue they use would that help?

I might try and work with BRS to market this...lol.

Randy Holmes-Farley · Apr 2, 2017

The floors are finished with a coating? newly applied?

They may be outgassing organics that are consumed by bacteria.

Newb73 · Apr 2, 2017

Randy Holmes-Farley said:
The floors are finished with a coating? newly applied?

They may be outgassing organics that are consumed by bacteria.

Brand new flooring. Engineered, not laminated. Mid to high grade. Not pure wood tbough.

So maybe not even the adhesive but something in the flooring itself.....

Randy Holmes-Farley · Apr 2, 2017

Newb73 said:
Brand new flooring. Engineered, not laminated. Mid to high grade. Not pure wood tbough.

So maybe not even the adhesive but something in the flooring itself.....

Any detectable odor?

Newb73 · Apr 2, 2017

FWIW i did a 100gallon water change, 40gal 2 days after, 40 gallons on the 3rd day after and 20g on the 4th day

Didn't even slow it down.

If the gases were continuing to be released, water changes would be unhelpful so this makes sense.

Newb73 · Apr 2, 2017

Randy Holmes-Farley said:
Any detectable odor?

Very strong yes!!!

Randy Holmes-Farley · Apr 2, 2017

The smell is organic molecules, and bacteria can consume pretty much any organic, although some much more readily than others.

Newb73 · Apr 2, 2017

The increased organics and corresponding bacterial bloom makes my ORP readings a bit paradoxically.

Wouldn't expect to see it rise mid cyle like this.

bif24701 · Apr 2, 2017

Another reefer experienced the same thing recently. Same circumstances.

Randy Holmes-Farley · Apr 2, 2017

Folks also have similar issues from those scented plug ins.

Randy Holmes-Farley · Apr 2, 2017

Newb73 said:
The increased organics and corresponding bacterial bloom makes my ORP readings a but paradoxically.

Wouldn't expect to see it rise mid cyle like this.

Without knowing what the organics are, I couldn't say what impact I'd expect on ORP. Some few will directly raise it, others will directly lower it, and most will have no effect at all.

Metabolism of organics can reduce pH with boosts ORP temporarily.

And increased bacterial growth might have all sorts of different effects (from consuming trace redox active metals to releasing redox active organics) that I couldn't begin to explain what effect to expect. lol

Newb73 · Apr 2, 2017

bif24701 · Apr 2, 2017

Randy Holmes-Farley said:
Without knowing what the organics are, I couldn't say what impact I'd expect on ORP. Some few will directly raise it, others will directly lower it, and most will have no effect at all.

Metabolism of organics can reduce pH with boosts ORP temporarily.

And increased bacterial growth might have all sorts of different effects (from consuming trace redox active metals to releasing redox active organics) that I couldn't begin to explain what effect to expect. lol

So when I see a spike or dip in my ORP it could be from my wife cleaning?

Newb73 · Apr 2, 2017

Any danger to my inhabitants?

I have a clam, a plate monti, a giant colony of torch, and an achilles tang that i am worried about.

The rest are fairly hardy or easily replaced....

All look okay at the moment.

Nothing died last time this happened

Randy Holmes-Farley · Apr 2, 2017

Bacterial blooms are not generally any concern, unless they are so severe that O2 is lowered.

It is more just the unappealing look. lol

Newb73 · Apr 2, 2017

Randy Holmes-Farley said:
Bacterial blooms are not generally any concern, unless they are so severe that O2 is lowered.

It is more just the unappealing look. lol

Thank you Randy.

Will do more water changes next week.

Randy Holmes-Farley · Apr 2, 2017

You're welcome.

Activated carbon may help bind organics in the future.

Newb73 · Apr 2, 2017

Randy Holmes-Farley said:
You're welcome.

Activated carbon may help bind organics in the future.

Would it do me anygood to run a health cycle of rox .8 when i get home Saturday??

Randy Holmes-Farley · Apr 3, 2017

Adding ROX 0.8 is a fine plan, but it won't remove particulates of bacteria already in the water.

solarnick · Apr 3, 2017

Have you thought about treating the air that goes into your ozone and/or skimmer. Run the air through carbon so that the organics aren't being pumped into the water column. Or as a few of the BRStv videos state,try extending the suction lines outside the house to pull in outside air. This will also affect your pH.