What would cause water to go cloudy over night

[Kylepope2020]

what tests are you using?

for a new tank to always stay at those lvls seems a little unlikely.

I’m using Salifert & Red Sea tests once a week

 

[Kylepope2020]

What did you test PO4 with?

Phosphate is tested with the Salifert kit

 

[Kylepope2020]

I have to agree. A 7 month old tank is not all that stable.

Maybe not generally, but mine has been steady at 5ppm nitrates and 0.01-0 phosphate since late October so it’s been stable at these levels since beginning of November

 

[Reef.]

Phosphate is tested with the Salifert kit

so next to impossible to know it’s .01, with that test I can only tell when it’s reading too high, not being rude but you must have perfect eye sight to be able to read the salifert PO4 test at .01.

 

[Kylepope2020]

so next to impossible to know it’s .01, with that test I can only tell when it’s reading to high, not being rude but you must have perfect eye sight to be able to read the salifert PO4 test at .01.

It is next to impossible I agree I did say 0.01 - 0 when it class it as 0.01 it has a very very light tint of blue which is easily comparable with a vial of clean water

 

[Reef.]

Do you mean 0.1?

 

[Reefahholic]

Phosphate is tested with the Salifert kit

Just do a 50% water change to reduce the bloom and then use some 5 micron felt filter socks with Dr. Tim’s Clear-up. That flocculant will take the bloom into the socks. Done.

 

[Reefahholic]

Do you mean 0.1?

Salifert has a low range PO4 kit that goes from 0.01 to 1 and a medium range that is 0.02 to 2.

 

[Reef.]

It is next to impossible I agree I did say 0.01 - 0 when it class it as 0.01 it has a very very light tint of blue which is easily comparable with a vial of clean water

If you need a separate vial to see the blue, then you are low, I would guess not as low as you think, but also remember the algae uses the PO4 and nitrate so when you test it will read lower than it really is.

Sounds you are not too bad, I would do the basis steps listed in this thread and hopefully it’ll get you back on track.

 

[Kylepope2020]

Do you mean 0.1?

No.

it’s not fully clear like water but isn’t blue enough to read 0.03 so it’s in between 0 - 0.03

 

[Reef.]

Salifert has a low range PO4 kit that goes from 0.01 to 1 and a medium range that is 0.02 to 2.

really? I need to check that out.

 

[Reef.]

really? I need to check that out.

I know Elos has two tests like that.

 

[Kylepope2020]

I have corals so will not be able to turn off lights, will reducing them really solve the issue the schedule has not been changed or altered the whole time I’ve had the tank I set it to David saxby programme and left it from day 1

so the way to solve this issue would be either run carbon or uv, large water changes and reduce lighting schedule ?

the only thing I do not understand is what would of brought this on with no changes to the tank.

 

[Reef.]

I have corals so will not be able to turn off lights, will reducing them really solve the issue the schedule has not been changed or altered the whole time I’ve had the tank I set it to David saxby programme and left it from day 1

so the way to solve this issue would be either run carbon or uv, large water changes and reduce lighting schedule ?

the only thing I do not understand is what would of brought this on with no changes to the tank.

No one thing is going to fix it, a few small changes will, you can leave the lights and try the other options, but corals do fine without lights for 2-3 days, a reduction can help, you may have the lights on too long anyway.

Try the other steps first, you may need rowaphos or some other PO4 remover as water changes don’t really reduce PO4 that much as it will be in your rocks, removing the P.O.4 from the water will then allow the PO4 from the rocks to release.

If my tank, I would change the water to rid the tank of the algae, with filter floss, I use symec filter felt to get a good fine filter.

Try and remove as much as you can as if you leave it in there it is full of nitrates and PO4 so you make the problem worse.

As to how it got like this, a number of small things added together is enough, it is what happens so don’t blame yourself, tanks get algae.

 

[Reefahholic]

I have corals so will not be able to turn off lights, will reducing them really solve the issue the schedule has not been changed or altered the whole time I’ve had the tank I set it to David saxby programme and left it from day 1

so the way to solve this issue would be either run carbon or uv, large water changes and reduce lighting schedule ?

the only thing I do not understand is what would of brought this on with no changes to the tank.

I told you how to easily solve it. 5 micron felt socks with clear up.

 

[Reefahholic]

I bet even the socks alone will get it. 1 micron will absolutely get it.

 

[Reef.]

I bet even the socks alone will get it.

Don’t just buy any old socks, make sure they are as fine as possible, socks are generally 150-200 microns so make sure they are only 5, or if going for the wool, get the felt.

 

[Kylepope2020]

I told you how to easily solve it. 5 micron felt socks with clear up.

Ok will go out and get some today thanks, I assume I’d have to take out my clarisea and replace it with the 5 micron felt sock for the time being till it clears up ?

 

[Reef.]

Ok will go out and get some today thanks, I assume I’d have to take out my clarisea and replace it with the 5 micron felt sock for the time being till it clears up ?

Can’t you not just hang the sock on your overflow pipe?

 

[Reefahholic]

Ok will go out and get some today thanks, I assume I’d have to take out my clarisea and replace it with the 5 micron felt sock for the time being till it clears up ?

I’d just put them under your drains. You can even zip tie them temporarily. Not sure where your drains are located, but shouldn’t be too hard to get to.