Old QT tank recently became cloudy, thoughts?

[NJBillyV]

I've had this QT tank set up for about 6 months and have run like 10 fish through it without a problem. I religiously do a 10% water change every week. The tank currently has two clowns in it and I'm running copper at about 1 ppm.

During my last water change I also replaced the bag of carbon/GFO in the HOB filter, same as I always run. The rocks in the tank do have quite a bit of algae on them, probably a bit of cyano too. The tank water parameters are spot on.

So two days after the water change my water has gotten cloudy. This has never been an issue. I'm thinking maybe the carbon is not working as intended. Or perhaps it's algae causing the cloudiness. I hit it with a little Vibrant and am going lights out. Any other thoughts or suggestions??

I hate cloudy water!

 

[pdxmonkeyboy]

cloudy water is typically a bacteria bloom. The last time my qt got cloudy there was a dead fish under the rock.

 

[NJBillyV]

Well there are definitely no dead fish but I also thought it might be a bacterial bloom.

So what do I do?

 

[BaysEndReef]

cloudy water is typically a bacteria bloom. The last time my qt got cloudy there was a dead fish under the rock.

+1 for bacteria bloom

 

[BaysEndReef]

Well there are definitely no dead fish but I also thought it might be a bacterial bloom.

So what do I do?

You could run a UV sterilizer and dose some bottled bacteria to out-compete the bloom.

 

[NJBillyV]

Unfortunately I don't have a UV Sterilizer. But I do have bottled bacteria on hand.

Which would you folks recommend, FritzZyme Turbo Start or MicroBactor Start XLM??

I have two clown fish in there quarantining, should I be worried about them? They seem fine.

How about a water change or carbon?

Thanks you guys, I really appreciate the advice. If you can think of anything at all I should do please let me know.

 

[pdxmonkeyboy]

Water change and some bacteria will likely clear it up. I have the sinking suspicion that bottles bacteria is all very similar

 

[moz71]

Watch to make sure the fish not gasping for air. Are they near the surface or near water inlet? Bacteria blooms can deplete oxygen. If they start put an air stone in there to get more oxygen transfer. Also, you should not be running carbon with copper. That is a big No-no. Carbon actually takes the copper out of the water. You must have dosed a lot to get up to that amount. So to answer an earlier question the carbon is spent because it is loaded with your copper