cloudy tank and fish dying

ghill

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endured 3 days of algae on glass which is now over. Replaced overnight with milky tank. One fish dead. another not doing well. Did 20% water change. Still cloudy. Is 20 gallon with protean skimmer and tank is about 2 months old. Placed earlier situation in the algae forum with pix and several comments. Only immediate solution seems to be to wait it out and see if it gets better or worse.
 

CO2TLEY

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Sounds like a typical algae bloom with a new tank. Are you sure the fish didn’t have some kind of disease when you received them?
 
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ghill

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if they did it stayed dormant for a month. This all started when the green algea went away and overnight was replaced with the heavy milky tank.
 

Mr. Mojo Rising

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Algae is very normal in a new tank and you will be fighting back algae for 6 months up to a year. This is called "the uglies", or "new tank syndrome".

The cloudiness might be bacteria bloom, in which case you just wait it out. It won't bother any livestock, its just unsightly but doesn't bother anything.

The fish died because you added 6 fish into a one month old 20 gallon including a foxface and a soldier fish (which should be in 100 gallon tanks) and there's no rock in the tank for fish to hide anywhere which is a very stressful environment.

 

DED65

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Algae is very normal in a new tank and you will be fighting back algae for 6 months up to a year. This is called "the uglies", or "new tank syndrome".

The cloudiness might be bacteria bloom, in which case you just wait it out. It won't bother any livestock, its just unsightly but doesn't bother anything.

The fish died because you added 6 fish into a one month old 20 gallon including a foxface and a soldier fish (which should be in 100 gallon tanks) and there's no rock in the tank for fish to hide anywhere which is a very stressful environment.

That is a huge increase in the bio load.
 
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ghill

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Had lesson to learn... expensive too. Took the gamble purchasing smaller large fish with the intention of moving them out as they grew. Tank had live sand and rock and cycled in 4 days. Other 20 gal took 28 days to cycle with only one live rock. This other tank never did hit any of the uglies despite the fish and coral load. Remarkably stable. Was a UNS 60A. The tank with the bloom is a Red Sea 20 cube. Had been really stable in all parameters until the algae bloom on the glass 3 days ago. Lesson learned!
 

vetteguy53081

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endured 3 days of algae on glass which is now over. Replaced overnight with milky tank. One fish dead. another not doing well. Did 20% water change. Still cloudy. Is 20 gallon with protean skimmer and tank is about 2 months old. Placed earlier situation in the algae forum with pix and several comments. Only immediate solution seems to be to wait it out and see if it gets better or worse.
I suspect oxygen level has dropped in part with the bloom. It is near impossible to make assessment without pics under white lighting - Please do.
Are you using RODI water or tap water from faucet, even for top offs?
Is tank at or near a window?
What is your phosphate level currently?
 
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ghill

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I suspect oxygen level has dropped in part with the bloom. It is near impossible to make assessment without pics under white lighting - Please do.
Are you using RODI water or tap water from faucet, even for top offs?
Is tank at or near a window?
What is your phosphate level currently?
Use rodi water. Tank near window but using blackout shade for two of days. Have protean skimmer.
 

vetteguy53081

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Use rodi water. Tank near window but using blackout shade for two of days. Have protean skimmer.
Uv is very strong and will penetrate shades-blinds- curtains
Apply black construction paper on side of tank facing window - will help drastically
 

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