Ugly stage?

[k1dloco97]

Hi this is my very first saltwater tank and i had some questions about the ugly stage.

I've noticed that once my lights turn on my tank is brown also looks like the water is brown too. After an hour or so tank gets worse, then a few hours after that tank clears up and stays clear/ a little cloudy through the rest of the day. Is this something I should be concerned about? Is this just a waiting period thing? When I test the water levels everything come out to 0
These 2 pictures I recently took and I did a 20% water change the day before. No I do not used RODI water. I use tap water and water conditioner when mixing/making new saltwater.

This has been going on for about a month now.

I have a 55gal tank currently have 5 fish 1 shrimp and 1 snail. I have a small pump that came with a tank and a larger canister filter as well.

 

[Quietman]

Very few people can get away with not using RODI. Some folks are lucky and have very pure water as a source (usually well water but not all wells will provide good water). Others have easy access to natural seawater.

Conditioners do not purify water only detoxify the chlorine and chloramines. Some will bind up some heavy metals. It doesn't remove the phosphates found in most municipal system.

I suspect your experiencing some sort of bacterial or algae bloom driven by unknown/untested nutrients in the water added in makeup water. RODI units are an expense but one that's almost required for most of us. Have you had your water tested or can you obtain government test results on your water?

There's really no 'no cost' option for RODI. You could purchase RODI or mixed seawater if available in your area but that'll exceed cost of basic RODI quickly. You can minimize how much RODI you need by reducing evaporation and setting up system for minimal water changes.

 

[Dom]

It looks more like a lack of husbandry than an ugly stage.

 

[Lavey29]

Tap water is going to lead to continual problems there.

 

[Idech]

It looks like an algae bloom. You need more rocks also.

 

[Dom]

Tap water is going to lead to continual problems there.

In the end RODI would benefit greatly. The trouble is that people are scared off by the initial cost of the RODI system and the cost of replacement media.

But when compared to the alternatives, such as buying pre-made water (not a big fan as you never know what you're getting), RODI makes sense.

 

[Dom]

It doesn't look like an ugly stage as much as it looks like a lack of husbandry.

Hi this is my very first saltwater tank and i had some questions about the ugly stage.

I've noticed that once my lights turn on my tank is brown also looks like the water is brown too. After an hour or so tank gets worse, then a few hours after that tank clears up and stays clear/ a little cloudy through the rest of the day. Is this something I should be concerned about? Is this just a waiting period thing? When I test the water levels everything come out to 0
These 2 pictures I recently took and I did a 20% water change the day before. No I do not used RODI water. I use tap water and water conditioner when mixing/making new saltwater.

This has been going on for about a month now.

I have a 55gal tank currently have 5 fish 1 shrimp and 1 snail. I have a small pump that came with a tank and a larger canister filter as well.

Is this a fresh water tank that you converted to salt water?

 

[Lavey29]

In the end RODI would benefit greatly. The trouble is that people are scared off by the initial cost of the RODI system and the cost of replacement media.

But when compared to the alternatives, such as buying pre-made water (not a big fan as you never know what you're getting), RODI makes sense.

Agree, it really is a must have in this hobby to ensure quality and 0 TDS.

 

[k1dloco97]

It doesn't look like an ugly stage as much as it looks like a lack of husbandry.


Is this a fresh water tank that you converted to salt water?

No tank has only been salt water. When I bought the tank I let it cycle for at least 3 months with no fish. This only happened recently after I bought my blue tang 5 months in and I've had the tank up and running about 6 months now.

 

[k1dloco97]

Agree, it really is a must have in this hobby to ensure quality and 0 TDS.

When I do my next water change I will go buy RODI water just to see if that helps before I invest in a whole system

 

[k1dloco97]

It looks like an algae bloom. You need more rocks also.

I do plan on getting more rocks. I have slowly been adding them as the days go on

 

[k1dloco97]

It looks more like a lack of husbandry than an ugly stage.

What else should I do?
Every Saturday I do a water change, we stir up the sand and use the brush to wipe off the walls with algae. I'm not to sure if there is more I can do. I changed / cleaned filter about 2 weeks ago.

 

[Dom]

What else should I do?
Every Saturday I do a water change, we stir up the sand and use the brush to wipe off the walls with algae. I'm not to sure if there is more I can do. I changed / cleaned filter about 2 weeks ago.

What to do would depend on the equipment you run.

For me, working with a sump, I churn only a portion of the sand each week and scrape any algae that may have taken hold. Then I do my water change, siphoning up as much free-floating debris possible. Doing it weekly keeps it from getting out of control. My filter media gets changed weekly.

You certainly seem to have a good husbandry routine. But I am unsure about your filter. Based on the photos, it looks like you use a Hang-On-Back filter. Is this correct? If so, I would make cleaning and rinsing its media part of your weekly husbandry routine too. Two weeks is too long in my opinion.

 

[k1dloco97]

What to do would depend on the equipment you run.

For me, working with a sump, I churn only a portion of the sand each week and scrape any algae that may have taken hold. Then I do my water change, siphoning up as much free-floating debris possible. Doing it weekly keeps it from getting out of control. My filter media gets changed weekly.

You certainly seem to have a good husbandry routine. But I am unsure about your filter. Based on the photos, it looks like you use a Hang-On-Back filter. Is this correct? If so, I would make cleaning and rinsing its media part of your weekly husbandry routine too. Two weeks is too long in my opinion.

Yes, I have black hanging filter and a aqueon canister filter. I can start adding that to my routine as well.

 

[Dom]

Yes, I have black hanging filter and a aqueon canister filter. I can start adding that to my routine as well.

Ah... a canister filter. They can be nitrate factories if not maintained weekly.

 

[k1dloco97]

Ah... a canister filter. They can be nitrate factories if not maintained weekly.

Update
Problem has not been getting better or maybe getting worse.

I have done two 50% water changes these past 2 Saturdays the day of the water change and the next day water will be clear no brown algae or browing water. Day 3-4 brown algae will cover the floors and rocks will leave a small brown tint in the water usually gone as the day goes on. 5-6 water has small brown tint when lights come on and gets worse as the day goes on day 7 I perform my water change clean and change filters and stir-up/vacuum sand and rocks. I'm not sure what to do. Fish seem to be fine they eat and are very active still no odd behaviors or refusing to eat.

Since the algae seems to bloom when the lights are on should I try a 3day blackout see if it helps? Or should I try adding phytoplankton to try and fight the diatoms? Is there any biomedia/filters i can add to my canister filter to help this problem until the sump is made?

I do plan on making a sump with a 20gal tank I have laying around just need to do more research on how to set-up a sump.

 

[JumboShrimp]

I hate to be the pessimist here, but that tank looks like it needs a complete re-do. Is there any smaller system you have to keep your tang in, long enough to scrub your main tank with if an inch of it's life and cycle it again-- using all that you have learned going forward?

 

[JTP424]

You not that you stir up the sand during water change? I would avoid that.... that an cause more problems....

 

[stE25wy14]

You not that you stir up the sand during water change? I would avoid that.... that an cause more problems....

Just about to say that


For the rodi, I use a geek pure ro system, it’s only like 50$ on Amazon, and it works like a charm, get a resin canister and that’s only 20 extra bucks(with resin too, maybe……)