Cloudy Water Help

[collettk]

Should I pull that substrate out and rinse it then put it back in there?  Will that set my tank back since there maybe copepods living there?

[collettk]

Here is a recent thread from another member's cloudy tank experience. Maybe it has some info for you.

http://wamas.org/forums/topic/54435-tank-is-still-cloudy/page-6

Thanks Coral Hind...I took a look at the link...very interesting but I don't think we have the same issue.  Atleast I know there are others that feel my pain (lol).

[Coral Hind]

Should I pull that substrate out and rinse it then put it back in there?  Will that set my tank back since there maybe copepods living there?

I wouldn't, just let it be and any fines that do come from it can be trapped with the filter. I just don't think there is enough benefit to removing it for a rinse. Just my thoughts on it.

[Origami]

Patience can work wonders. But recently, one of our members, Steve got out of the hobby when the cloudiness in his 220 did not go away for months and he was tired of dealing with it. I still think it was micro-particulates, not bacteria, but we'll never know.

[collettk]

Woot!!! Came home from work and water is almost perfectly clear...That UV Sterilizer is a miracle machine!!!  Fish look like they couldn't be happier.

[Origami]

That's great. How big a sterilizer is it? So it was either bacterial or algal, I assume? How long had this been a problem again?

[sachabballi reef]

Wow that must be a huge UV to clear it up in just 12 hours lol

 

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[TheyCallMeMr.703]

Nice, Congrats, gotta' let everyone come check it out sometime now...

Edited August 9, 2013 by TheyCallMeMr.703

[Coral Hind]

That's great that it is clearing up. If it is bacteria that has been killed off then you will want to watch your ammonia and nitrite readings to make sure they don't spike. Suspended bacteria reproduces and consumes ammonia extremely fast and is normally seen in new tanks but when it crashes it causes a spike until the bacteria on the substrate and on other surfaces to grow in population enough to reduce the levels.

[Origami]

Hello,

 

I'm fairly new to the hobby, set up a 180g tank.  When I initially filled the tank I believe I mixed the salt wrong (added water to the salt).  The water has never been fully clear and I wasn't sure if that was how it was suppose to look. Water parameters are perfect (except my pH is a little low 7.9.)  I recently did a 20% water change.  When I mixed the first batch I did it the same way (salt then water), and noticed after 24 hours the water was still very cloudy so I didn't use it.  So I dumped it and filled the water 1st then added the salt.  Within hours it was crystal clear.  So my question is, what would be the best way to clear my tank?  I can't do a 100% water change, I have livestock.

The original post stated that the water was cloudy from Day 1 after new water was mixed (incorrectly). That's what's surprising about the fact that UV had anything to do with a solution.

 

Did the water ever clear up between the first time it was mixed and when you reported this on August 4? Clearing it up with UV indicates that whatever was making it cloudy could be readily ionized by the UV rays. This could point to several things, but most likely to bacteria or single celled algae (MBVette had a similar, long-lasting single-celled algae problem a few months ago) if the UV was strong enough. But this would not have existed on Day 1 when the tank was initially filled.

[collettk]

After I installed the UV Sterilizer, it took about 20 hours to clear up...it isnt crystal clear (but almost).  I was using the side of the tank to guage the cloudiness.  From the front it's 6 feet wide.  When it was real cloudy I could only see about a foot into the tank from the side.  I can now see through the full six feet to the other side.  I think the tiny bit of cloudiness left is from the salt mix.

 

 

The original post stated that the water was cloudy from Day 1 after new water was mixed (incorrectly). That's what's surprising about the fact that UV had anything to do with a solution.

 

Did the water ever clear up between the first time it was mixed and when you reported this on August 4? Clearing it up with UV indicates that whatever was making it cloudy could be readily ionized by the UV rays. This could point to several things, but most likely to bacteria or single celled algae (MBVette had a similar, long-lasting single-celled algae problem a few months ago) if the UV was strong enough. But this would not have existed on Day 1 when the tank was initially filled.

 

I't was cloudy from day one...but nowhere near the degree it was when I wrote this.  The UV steilizer I used was a 25 watt one rated for a 130g tank (mine is 180g). I slowed the water return down to almost a 4th of what it is usually set at (my hope was that it would provide more exposer to the UV rays for anything that travels in it)

[Origami]

Slowing the flow down does exactly what you supposed - increases UV exposure and thus killing power.

 

So, the big question for me is exactly what was killed off? Bacteria or algal cells? Or something else? (As Coral Hind mentioned, watch for ammonia and nitrite which may spike).

 

When Scott (MBVette) had ongoing cloudiness in his big tank at work, the cloudiness had gotten to the point where you couldn't see six inches inside the front pane. It looked like watered down milk. We all suspected bacteria or something, but when I took a trip down to see the tank in person, I noticed a slightly greenish tinge in his sump that was not visible under the bright white lights lighting the tank. This seemed to point to a bloom of single-celled algae rather than bacteria. He treated the condition with AlgaeFix Marine (Coral Hind's recommendation) and the tank cleared within days.

[collettk]

I assuming it was bacteria...I was running a GFO reactor (someone recommended I take that down for now until my tank is more established so the Macro-algea doesnt get negatively affected)

 

So, the big question for me is exactly what was killed off? Bacteria or algal cells? Or something else? (As Coral Hind mentioned, watch for ammonia and nitrite which may spike).

Now I'm a little worried I killed off something I shouldnt have.

[Origami]

I assuming it was bacteria...I was running a GFO reactor (someone recommended I take that down for now until my tank is more established so the Macro-algea doesnt get negatively affected)

 

Now I'm a little worried I killed off something I shouldnt have.

Don't worry. It wasn't where it was supposed to be - or at least not in the density that's normal. The possibility of a spike comes whenever you knock off a large quantity of life in any form - whether it's bacteria, or something else. You may not even see one if your biological filter is reasonably well developed and able to absorb the spike before you see it.

[Coral Hind]

Are you using a controller with an ORP meter? Just wondering how the ORP level has changed since the clearing up of the water.

[collettk]

I have a RKE but I never bought a ORP meter...I'm not even sure what it does.

[collettk]

Nice, Congrats, gotta' let everyone come check it out sometime now...

I'm open to anyone with experience checking out my aquarium