Possible bacteria bloom

[Shanephillips27]

Hello everyone I seem to be experiencing something weird going on in my 90 gallon sumpless and skimmer less reef I think this is a possible bacteria bloom but it’s done this twice in less than a month is it bacterial bloom or something else? Water will be clear one day then the next it’s cloudy. Tested parameters on 4th of July nitrates are 7.0
Phosphate is 0.16 which I’m finding hard to believe since I have a very low bio load and I’m running clear fx pro.

 

[Spare time]

Maybe. Good aeration is key when it is a bacterial bloom. I keep a spare green killing machine around (but any cheap UV sterilizer works) for this purpose.



If clear fx pro iks like chemipure blue, it may not actually do anything for phosphates

 

[Shanephillips27]

Maybe. Good aeration is key when it is a bacterial bloom. I keep a spare green killing machine around (but any cheap UV sterilizer works) for this purpose.



If clear fx pro iks like chemipure blue, it may not actually do anything for phosphates

My aeration is outstanding so I can’t quite figure it out maybe because tank is still new and trying to balance

 

[Spare time]

My aeration is outstanding so I can’t quite figure it out maybe because tank is still new and trying to balance

The aeration wouldn't rid the tank of the bloom. It just helps prevent oxygen deprivation.

 

[Shanephillips27]

The aeration wouldn't rid the tank of the bloom. It just helps prevent oxygen deprivation.

Understood I was going to do a water change but an article I was reading said no to leave it alone and let it do its thing and it will eventually clear up if in fact that’s what it is. But that’s why I wanted to come on here and get more of a better understanding.

 

[Spare time]

Understood I was going to do a water change but an article I was reading said no to leave it alone and let it do its thing and it will eventually clear up if in fact that’s what it is. But that’s why I wanted to come on here and get more of a better understanding.

Water changes are not too great against blooms since the bacteria reproduces so quickly.


You can get a cheap internal UV for like 20 bucks on amazon btw. It is a really good emergency tool.

 

[Lucky_805]

Yea water changes are not good as it will keep coming back just wait it out or get a uv. Add an airstone with a pump that they use for freshwater for your livestock to be able to breath as bacteria blooms can suffocate them.

 

[Shanephillips27]

Water changes are not too great against blooms since the bacteria reproduces so quickly.


You can get a cheap internal UV for like 20 bucks on amazon btw. It is a really good emergency tool.

Could you post a link of which one I should get or how many watts the uv bulb should be for my tank ? TIA

 

[Spare time]

Could you post a link of which one I should get or how many watts the uv bulb should be for my tank ? TIA

This is my favorite https://www.aa-aquarium.com/gkm


But there are cheaper ones you can try that are like 30-40.

 

[Shanephillips27]

Yea water changes are not good as it will keep coming back just wait it out or get a uv. Add an airstone with a pump that they use for freshwater for your livestock to be able to breath as bacteria blooms can suffocate them.

So I bought a cheap uv and put it in and this morning the tank looks clearer but not perfect however I’m not sure if it’s entirely from the uv or because it had already been like that for a week and it was on its way to clearing up anyways? However my question is I don’t want to have to run this uv in my tank permanently as it’s not very attractive and takes up space and I have a sumpless system. However this is the second time my bacteria bloom has come back and it all seems to happen shortly after I add live stock whether it be fish or corals. Will my tank eventually balance out and is it just doing this because it’s still new? Or is this something I get to look forward to? Because I don’t remember dealing with this a few years ago when I had my other system setup.

 

[crazyfishmom]

So I bought a cheap uv and put it in and this morning the tank looks clearer but not perfect however I’m not sure if it’s entirely from the uv or because it had already been like that for a week and it was on its way to clearing up anyways? However my question is I don’t want to have to run this uv in my tank permanently as it’s not very attractive and takes up space and I have a sumpless system. However this is the second time my bacteria bloom has come back and it all seems to happen shortly after I add live stock whether it be fish or corals. Will my tank eventually balance out and is it just doing this because it’s still new? Or is this something I get to look forward to? Because I don’t remember dealing with this a few years ago when I had my other system setup.

Your tank will balance out. Typically, I like to leave the UV in for about a week and then move out.

Water changes tend to make bacterial blooms worse in my experience with fresh water tanks so letting the system run its course is usually the way to go. This will pass.

 

[FishTruck]

+1 cheap UV sterilizer. I was never patient enough to let them run the course (one week and I've had it!).

 

[Shanephillips27]

Your tank will balance out. Typically, I like to leave the UV in for about a week and then move out.

Water changes tend to make bacterial blooms worse in my experience with fresh water tanks so letting the system run its course is usually the way to go. This will pass.

Thanks so much for the information. Now obviously I still have to do a water change at some point so should that be done once I get it cleared up and after I take the UV out?

 

[crazyfishmom]

Thanks so much for the information. Now obviously I still have to do a water change at some point so should that be done once I get it cleared up and after I take the UV out?

Once the bacterial bloom is over and you’ve taken the UV out, I would wait another week and only do 10% water changes moving forward.

 

[Shanephillips27]

Once the bacterial bloom is over and you’ve taken the UV out, I would wait another week and only do 10% water changes moving forward.

Thank you

 

[GARRIGA]

Retrace steps what I'd do. What exactly changed for example, did I dose something that may have initiated the bloom such as carbon. Key being rectifying the source of the problem or concern.

 

[Shanephillips27]

Retrace steps what I'd do. What exactly changed for example, did I dose something that may have initiated the bloom such as carbon. Key being rectifying the source of the problem or concern.

I said in an above post it’s happened twice right after adding live stock

 

[GARRIGA]

I said in an above post it’s happened twice right after adding live stock

Not all read every post and just the first. Why best place all info there or edit later.

 

[Shanephillips27]

Not all read every post and just the first. Why best place all info there or edit later.

Thank you I appreciate all the help

 

[Spare time]

So I bought a cheap uv and put it in and this morning the tank looks clearer but not perfect however I’m not sure if it’s entirely from the uv or because it had already been like that for a week and it was on its way to clearing up anyways? However my question is I don’t want to have to run this uv in my tank permanently as it’s not very attractive and takes up space and I have a sumpless system. However this is the second time my bacteria bloom has come back and it all seems to happen shortly after I add live stock whether it be fish or corals. Will my tank eventually balance out and is it just doing this because it’s still new? Or is this something I get to look forward to? Because I don’t remember dealing with this a few years ago when I had my other system setup.

I would just place it in as needed. Clean out filter socks/pads frequently and eventually this shouldn't be a regular problem.