Tank cloudy during fallow?

[SaltwaterGuruNeeded]

Update: wed, Sept 15
Still getting worse...

Front:

Side:

 

[Miami Reef]

Update: wed, Sept 15
Still getting worse...

Front:

Side:

I know it looks bad, but please try to not freak out. It’s totally normal.

I don’t see any corals. The cause of this bloom is your nitrifying bacteria is exploding in population. It’s a very good sign. This happens to all of us. Don’t do any water changes.

Installing a UV is not needed. This will 100% clear up on it’s own.

Are you feeding the tank at all?

 

[Miami Reef]

I know it looks bad, but please try to not freak out. It’s totally normal.

I don’t see any corals. The cause of this bloom is your nitrifying bacteria is exploding in population. It’s a very good sign. This happens to all of us. Don’t do any water changes.

Installing a UV is pointless. This will 100% clear up on it’s own.

Are you feeding the tank at all?

Ooh. I forgot to add. Make your powerheads point towards the surface to cause erratic ripples. This is increase gas exchange and fasten the process!

 

[SaltwaterGuruNeeded]

I know it looks bad, but please try to not freak out. It’s totally normal.

I don’t see any corals. The cause of this bloom is your nitrifying bacteria is exploding in population. It’s a very good sign. This happens to all of us. Don’t do any water changes.

Installing a UV is not needed. This will 100% clear up on it’s own.

Are you feeding the tank at all?

No not really, just a small pea sized piece of shrimp for the shrimp every 3-4 days or so.

 

[Miami Reef]

No not really, just a small pea sized piece of shrimp for the shrimp every 3-4 days or so.

This is perfect.

 

[SaltwaterGuruNeeded]

Btw mainly posting updates for future reefers who have this condition in their tank. As well for my sake too and also for anyone that has helpful advice that sees something out of the ordinary.

Update: Thu, Sept 16

 

[attiland]

Btw mainly posting updates for future reefers who have this condition in their tank. As well for my sake too and also for anyone that has helpful advice that sees something out of the ordinary.

Update: Thu, Sept 16

Admire your patience. I would have run to the LFS already for a UV and/or do a large water change

 

[SaltwaterGuruNeeded]

Admire your patience. I would have run to the LFS already for a UV and/or do a large water change

I might wait it out and then get a uv. All my fish are in qt atm. Only have 1 shrimp and 10 snails in the display. If there were fish in there...I would be freaking out alot more.

 

[SaltwaterGuruNeeded]

Update: Fri, Sept 17th

Well... I turned my protein skimmer on and it's definitely pulling it out. It was overflowing the first minute I put it on. And I can see this bacteria/algae/snot in the cup. Had to restrict the air flow.

 

[SaltwaterGuruNeeded]

Tank is definitely getting less cloudy since running the protein skimmer. The snot that gets pulled out is the same consistency as bubbly dog vomit with alot of saliva in it. I cannot let the skimmer run overnight as it overflows often and have to monitor it. Pulled about 4 or 5 cups worth of snot out already.

 

[SaltwaterGuruNeeded]

Update: Sat, Sept 18th

 

[SaltwaterGuruNeeded]

Update: Still Sat, Sept 18th but at 10:00pm

Here's my skimmer contraption, lol. Its working great though. Btw the waste water at the bottom was just for today.

 

[SaltwaterGuruNeeded]

Update: Sun, Sept 19th (Morning)

I was able to keep my skimmer running all night and my tank is mostly all clear. I still think the bacteria are at war but at least now it's not in plague proportions.

Yes ik my ammonia badge fell...^^^^^

 

[Miami Reef]

Update: Sun, Sept 19th (Morning)

I was able to keep my skimmer running all night and my tank is mostly all clear. I still think the bacteria are at war but at least now it's not in plague proportions.

Yes ik my ammonia badge fell...^^^^^

Excellent!

 

[SaltwaterGuruNeeded]

Ok, so I am getting an ammonia reading on my fallowing tank... And I will post a 15 min video to my microscopy findings thread shortly. Idk if anyone will watch the whole 15 mins but it looked like there was a microscopic sand sifting starfish in there. And some other weird things that were alive...

 

[Miami Reef]

Ok, so I am getting an ammonia reading on my fallowing tank... And I will post a 15 min video to my microscopy findings thread shortly. Idk if anyone will watch the whole 15 mins but it looked like there was a microscopic sand sifting starfish in there. And some other weird things that were alive...

It’s still safe. You need to shine a light behind the badge.