Frag tank cloudy for over a month and a half.......

[ronnie]

And I don't know why?

Tank was set up in January with water from my 120G, along with some new water as well. Tank is bare bottom, and I put in three or four pieces of dry rock in mid February. This was old rock from my 75G that I didn't transfer into the 120 last year. Probably the first of March or somewhere in that time frame, the tank clouded up.

I am running poly filter through a small HOB filter. I'm rinsing or changing it daily as it is seeming to fill up that quickly. I "think" the tank is clearer, but I'm not sure if it is just my brain wishing for it to clear up.

I just put on a filter sock yesterday to see if that will help.

I also ran lights out for two days to see if that would help - it did not.

There is a slimy algae that is on my powerheads, frag rack, and on the back of the tank. It wipes away easily and floats around.

I'm also running my drain partially to the skimmer, as the skimmer had the recirc mod done to it when I bought it. The skimmer pulls some nasty junk weekly.

The tank is able to support life, as I have a fish (just one, and it was placed in there AFTER the cloudy issue). I also have a few zoa frags, along with some acropora test frags that are still alive after a month in the cloudy water.

I'm leaning towards a bacterial issue, but I'm just not sure.

Any help would be greatly appreciated!

 

[btkrausen]

Is this system separate from the display system? I'd try to run some carbon to help clear up the water.

 

[ronnie]

It is separate. Forgot to add that - I've been running carbon as well with no luck.

 

[btkrausen]

Hmmm...how often have you been doing water changes in it? Just trying to think of things that would help clear up the water

 

[swannyson7]

I've had bacterial blooms in the past, but they never lasted that long. Do you know what type of algae you have growing on the powerheads? Also, what are the parameters of the tank?

 

[ronnie]

I've done several very large water changes that haven't seemed to do any good. Three 10+ gallon water changes, along with three 5-6g water changes in the last month.

New filters in the RO/DI, and I'm using the same water to change out my 120g, which is crystal clear.

 

[ronnie]

I've had bacterial blooms in the past, but they never lasted that long. Do you know what type of algae you have growing on the powerheads? Also, what are the parameters of the tank?

Unknown on the type of algae. Brown, slimy looking stuff - nothing like I've ever had before.

I'll run a battery of tests today and post them up.

 

[swannyson7]

Sounds like maybe cyano or diatoms? Is it filled with bubbles? It could be the dreaded dinoflagellates

 

[btkrausen]

Maybe your glass is just dirty, hahaha. j/k

If your tank is clear, maybe you could use that water to do water changes in the frag tank.

 

[gooch]

What salt are you using. Was it a new bag or bucket?

 

[ronnie]

Sounds like maybe cyano or diatoms? Is it filled with bubbles? It could be the dreaded dinoflagellates

I've had all of those before. I actually wish it was just dinos.....

 

[ronnie]

What salt are you using. Was it a new bag or bucket?

Reef Crystals. New box mixed with about 25g of last box. I filled the tank in January with 30G from my 120, and then topped off with new water, as well as replaced the 30G with the same new water.

The only thing that really stands out is the dry rock, but I've never seen rock do that to a tank.

 

[swannyson7]

Did you make sure that you stirred up the new batch of salt (Roll the bucket or bag)? Some stuff will setlle out in the mix and might cause your cloudy water.

 

[ronnie]

Yep - I mix the bucket every time I make a new batch and I've got it constantly mixing. I use a brute trashcan as I try to do daily water changes on my 120.

Also, it was clear initially for a month and a half or so.

 

[ronnie]

 

[swannyson7]

Are you doeing anything for bacterial filtration like dosing MB7/vodka or running pellets? If it is a bacterial bloom, these could exacerbate the problem

 

[ronnie]

Another thought that just crossed my mind is bulbs. Would/could they cause this? I have a 5 bulb TX5 T5 setup. One bulb is new, but the other four are unknown. I've been meaning to get new bulbs, but had wanted to wait until the cloudiness cleared up.

My plans for this tank are to use it as a QT for acros as I have AEFW - I don't want to do this if the tank is cloudy. Even if they can live in it. I want to be able to monitor them constantly.

 

[swannyson7]

Wow! You weren't kidding about it being cloudy! I've never heard of a tank this cloudy where livestock is doing well

 

[Jcr's Reef]

Have you tried dosing MB7 to see if it helps with your bacterial bloom? Did you ever rinse the dry rock off real good?

 

[ronnie]

Are you doeing anything for bacterial filtration like dosing MB7/vodka or running pellets? If it is a bacterial bloom, these could exacerbate the problem

Nope - I'm not even dosing calcium/alkalinity right now because I have such a low demand. I'm just replenishing with water changes.

I'll go do some testing now and report back. Hoping something jumps out at us - would love to get this fixed so I can go into treatment mode!