Cloudy tank with a green tinge

[callsign4223]

Just like the title says, my tank is cloudy with a greenish tinge. This started out as just a light haze about a week ago and is so bad now that I can barely see the back glass. I was running a ATS for the past couple of weeks, I took that out of line yesterday and started running my overflow through a filter sock, that didn't help at all. All parameters appear to be OK, 0 ammonia, 0 nitrate. This is driving me nuts, I had crystal clear water a week ago and now I have a cloud in my living room.

The only thing I can think of that might have caused this is that I was cleaning hair algae out of the tank about a week ago and I scooped some off of the sand bed. I didn't dig into the sand bed, but everyone seems to believe that looking at a sand bed sideways will immediately crash your tank.

Also, I don't run a skimmer, haven't been able to afford one yet. I was using the ATS to control nutrients in place of a skimmer until I could get one. The tanks is a 120 stocked with a single foxface and single chromis and a CUC.

[atrox]

What's age of tank?

Look into the sca 302 skimmer they are cheap and work well, check amazon

I'll help ya out just need to know age of system.

[callsign4223]

System is about 4 months old.

[whosurcaddie]

Green cloudy water usually indicates algae bloom. It will run its course a lights out period might help. Wouldn't hurt to run some carbon as well.

[callsign4223]

So the only thing to do besides carbon is wait it out? Will it hurt anything or just look bad? How long does it normally take to clear up?

[Rognin]

So the only thing to do besides carbon is wait it out? Will it hurt anything or just look bad? How long does it normally take to clear up?

Every tank has it's personality. The time it takes will be the time it needs.

It'll just look bad. It doesn't hurt.

Question: Do you have sunlight hitting the tank during the day?

Question: Have you tested for PO4? (phosphates)

Question: Could you add GFO (Granulated Ferrox Oxide) with the carbon without tumbling it?

[callsign4223]

1. The tank shouldn't get any direct sunlight, it isn't next to any windows. It is in a well lit living room though.

2. I have not tested for PO4, don't have a test kit for it. I did have a pretty healthy GHA outbreak and the ATS was starting to grow pretty good after only a week of break in.

3. I don't have a reactor, haven't tried carbon yet. I was just gonna try to put some carbon in a mesh filter sock in the sump inside the felt filter sock.

[Rognin]

1. The tank shouldn't get any direct sunlight, it isn't next to any windows. It is in a well lit living room though.

2. I have not tested for PO4, don't have a test kit for it. I did have a pretty healthy GHA outbreak and the ATS was starting to grow pretty good after only a week of break in.

3. I don't have a reactor, haven't tried carbon yet. I was just gonna try to put some carbon in a mesh filter sock in the sump inside the felt filter sock.

Good for the first point.

Get a redsea or salifert PO4 test kit, it may not detect anything but it's handy to have.

I'd also put a bag of GFO in the sump or tank, just be sure to break it up every day or two. It will surely help!

[callsign4223]

Ok, the cloudiness is much worse now. Can't see 6 inches front to back. Also, Monti is starting to recede. I want to try the black out. Will 3 days of no light kill my Monti and Zoa?

[thenewguy997]

My tank did this. I think its part of the maturation and ive read its,a bacteria bloom google it

[callsign4223]

I thought bacterial blooms were white. This is definitely green.

[callsign4223]

Ok, the tank is blacked out. Come Sunday we will see how it's improved.