Super Cloudy Water

BamboozleBean · Oct 28, 2019

I’ve been cycling my tank for about 4 days now and the water has consistently been extremely cloudy, not sure what it’s from, any thoughts?

Dom · Oct 28, 2019

I have to say... that looks pretty clear to me.

BamboozleBean · Oct 28, 2019

Dom said:
I have to say... that looks pretty clear to me.

Yeah in the photo it does but it’s very almost dusty in and I don’t know why.

Dom · Oct 28, 2019

I wouldn't worry about it. I'd complete the cycle and address it after the cycle is complete.
It will probably self-correct.

Ken logan · Oct 28, 2019

Slow down and wait frogretness

BayouReefer · Oct 28, 2019

It’s normal are you running carbon?

Dom · Oct 28, 2019

BayouReefer said:
It’s normal are you running carbon?

Would you run carbon in a cycling tank?

BamboozleBean · Oct 28, 2019

BayouReefer said:
It’s normal are you running carbon?

Yeah, I have carbon.

BamboozleBean · Oct 28, 2019

Dom said:
I wouldn't worry about it. I'd complete the cycle and address it after the cycle is complete.
It will probably self-correct.

Should I turn my power head off for a bit to calm down the water?

BayouReefer · Oct 28, 2019

It’s not necessary to run carbon in a cycling tank but he wants clear water

Dom said:
Would you run carbon in a cycling tank?

Mastiffsrule · Oct 28, 2019

Hey, hope all is well

I agree with dom. Let it ride for a bit longer.

My first thought was sand, but it’s bare bottom. Them I thought maybe Bacteria but it’s only 4 days old. I would check temp and salinity. My next suspect for cloudy would be precipitation. What salt did you use and was it clear when you mixed it, or did you mix it in the tank?

KrisReef · Oct 28, 2019

Yeah, I'd guess bacteria also.
I presume you have a sump with rock in it, or some other biological surface for the bacteria to colonize.
Either way, it may take a while to clear but it doesn't look wrong-bad to me.

BamboozleBean · Oct 28, 2019

Mastiffsrule said:
Hey, hope all is well

I agree with dom. Let it ride for a bit longer.

My first thought was sand, but it’s bare bottom. Them I thought maybe Bacteria but it’s only 4 days old. I would check temp and salinity. My next suspect for cloudy would be precipitation. What salt did you use and was it clear when you mixed it, or did you mix it in the tank?

Hey there,
My temp is 79 degrees on the dot, I used Instant Ocean Reef Crystals and mixed them in a bucket, it seemed clear when I put it in. I’m dosing Seachem stability so that could be it. There’s a little bit of sediment from the rocks at the bottom, but they are all live rocks so I didn’t wash them. It could be dust from the rocks, but that wouldn’t make sense cause they were in water beforehand.

Mastiffsrule · Oct 28, 2019

Hopefully it will clear up.

Are you using the Stability with prime, of by itself?

A quick check of the basic parameters couldn’t hurt inc ammonia. Any fish put in or ghost feeding the tank since set up?

BamboozleBean · Oct 28, 2019

Mastiffsrule said:
Hopefully it will clear up.

Are you using the Stability with prime, of by itself?

A quick check of the basic parameters couldn’t hurt inc ammonia. Any fish put in or ghost feeding the tank since set up?

No fish totally empty, put a few pellets in on the first day the tank was running, I tested ammonia it was at 0, so I’m kinda out of guesses. I’m just using the stability by itself.

Dom · Oct 28, 2019

BayouReefer said:
It’s not necessary to run carbon in a cycling tank but he wants clear water

I'm on board with the carbon, but not with the timing. I'd run it after the cycle is complete. The cloudiness may self-correct.

BamboozleBean · Oct 28, 2019

Dom said:
I'm on board with the carbon, but not with the timing. I'd run it after the cycle is complete. The cloudiness may self-correct.

I’m glad to here it’ll fix itself, what do you think it’s from?

BayouReefer · Oct 29, 2019

It’s because the tank is going through it’s cycle. It’s totally normal will clear up in a week or so. Have you tested Ammonia, Nitrites, Nitrates

Dom · Oct 29, 2019

BamboozleBean said:
I’m glad to here it’ll fix itself, what do you think it’s from?

I wouldn't speculate without being able to see it. I've never had a tank that became cloudy during a cycle.

flagg37 · Oct 29, 2019

Dom said:
I wouldn't speculate without being able to see it. I've never had a tank that became cloudy during a cycle.

Right, typically it’s about as clear as can be during the cycle.
It doesn’t look cloudy enough for it to be a bacteria bloom.
The salt could be the culprit especially if he added the water to the salt instead of the salt to the water.