Tank suddenly became cloudy?!!??

[Omakoshark]

Houston, we have a problem! Yesterday, I did a little work in my 15 gallon biocube. I didn’t add anything to the water. Today my corals aren’t opening up and the water is cloudy. I don’t know what to do. My first response would be a water change or to not do anything and see if it works itself out. What do y’all think is the problem?

 

[andrewey]

Most likely cause is a bacterial bloom. What work did you do in the tank? Have you checked your ammonia to ensure it's not rising?

I would make sure to increase aeration no matter what- point a powerhead at the surface to break the water and/or add an airstone to the tank.

You can also add a bit of prime if you have any on hand in case you aren't able to test your ammonia in time (expired reagents, etc.).

Are you sure nothing was dosed into the tank, even accidentally from a spill, kid, etc.?

 

[Omakoshark]

Actually, I fed my young snowflake eel some frozen tuna, and poured some of the liquid that came out of the tuna into the tank hoping the coral might could benefit from it. I’ll increase aeration and I’m in the middle of a water change now. I think the tuna juice might have caused the bacterial bloom, if that’s the problem.

 

[Omakoshark]

Just finished the water change. I took out a gallon and a half. Pointed the power head at the top. No immediate fix yet, but I’m pretty hopeful that it will work.

 

[Flippers4pups]

Just finished the water change. I took out a gallon and a half. Pointed the power head at the top. No immediate fix yet, but I’m pretty hopeful that it will work.

If it doesn't improve soon, consider adding a UV sterilizer to the system to clear the water column.

 

[Dom]

You have a snowflake eel in a 15 gallon?

 

[andrewey]

Water change won't be of much help in this situation, especially only a gallon and a half (10%). I would put all your eggs in keeping your aeration up at all costs to avoid loss of life.

I would also dose some prime and test ammonia regularly.

 

[Omakoshark]

Yes, I do have a snowflake in a fifteen gallon. Actually, I think he likes the small confinement. I am upgrading to a 30 gallon later this summer. The coral is coming back out, I’m going to adjust the output pump to point upward. So how do I solve the bacteria problem??

 

[Houstoner]

Sounds like a bacterial bloom, I'd head to Petco and pick up an intank UV sterilizer to throw in the display. Should clear it up in a few days

 

[Omakoshark]

I’m starting to think it might not be a bacterial bloom. I just got back home and the water looks clearer and my gorgonian coral is coming back.

 

[Omakoshark]

I think I might have misused the term “cloudy”. The water doesn’t look like it does when you add sand. It looks like there is a slight film in the water. It just isn’t totally clear.

 

[dwest]

Sometimes a snail or clam spawn can cause cloudy water as well.

 

[Omakoshark]

Yeah. Idk at this point. I’m gonna let it run it’s corse and see what happens.

 

[Omakoshark]

Dead or dying anemone??

 

[Rjukan]

Can you post a pic of the tank?

 

[Omakoshark]

After doing the water change, increasing aeration, and removing a half dead anemone, the water became clear. Some coral is still not coming out completely, but I’m confident that they will in time.

 

[lost66]

I read somewhere that dying anemone may wipe out your tank. So I would investigate it.

I had a similar thing with my tank. Sunday morning cloudy water, milky. My filter sock was dirty so I changed it. Few hours later all good. I made an investigation then and it can be bacteria bloom, coral spawning.

What I would do is do a massive water change, put fresh carbon, new filter sock.