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-   -   Cloudy water...almost like smoke in the water (http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2151302)

BriggsReef 03/28/2012 11:59 AM

Cloudy water...almost like smoke in the water
 
I had cloudy water during the cycle and now i have what seems different.

My water is cloudy but it looks almost like smoke. You can actually see the cloudyness getting pushed around.

I hear alot about Microbubbles. Are they so small that you can't actually see the bubbles and it makes the water look cloudy?

Even after my cycle the tank cleared to crystal clean and went cloudy again for 2-3 days.

Since the last clear up we have added a sump/refug with a Reef Octopus Skimmer.

Any ideas on the cloudy issue would be greatly appreciated.

shaginwagon13 03/28/2012 12:03 PM

Are you dosing any supplements or adding any sand?

I had this happen to me once on my last tank. I dosed for my 250 gallon tank in my 50 gallon water change bucket and when I added it to my tank it stayed cloudy for the day. I dunno why that happened or if your dosing anything at all but thats the only experience I have ever had with this problem.

If you have been adding sand, that might also be the problem. Hopefully others can chime in.... I have been fortunate and never really had problems with a cloudy tank.

BriggsReef 03/28/2012 12:11 PM

Not dosing the tank doesn't have anything that needs a dosing. And i haven't added any sand.

I might just be overeacting and its another bacteria bloom. But something tells me this is different.

Playa-1 03/28/2012 12:12 PM

I would first shut off all the pumps, powerheads and the skimmer to see if the water clears up after a few minutes. If it does then you are likely dealing with microbubbles. If it doesn't clear up then you could be dealing with water parameters issues or possibly a bacterial bloom.

BriggsReef 03/28/2012 12:13 PM

I'm actually noticing the sand is turning a light brown.. I use RO/DI is it possible to have a second Diatoms phase?...i already had a huge bloom 2/3 weeks ago

Playa-1 03/28/2012 12:18 PM

Anything is possible and I was thinking that maybe an electrical device shorting could potentially cloud up the water too. Maybe there's something to the smokey look.

BriggsReef 03/28/2012 12:21 PM

Would the electrical issue effect a fish or CUC? everything seems to be healthy and active

bnumair 03/28/2012 12:35 PM

could be a bacterial bloom. if it is it will pass soon.

Playa-1 03/28/2012 01:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BriggsReef (Post 20071429)
Would the electrical issue effect a fish or CUC? everything seems to be healthy and active

Yes, I would think if it were a big enough issue to cloud the water then you would have big problems. It's most likely microbubbles, water parameter issues, bacteria or algae bloom.

BriggsReef 03/28/2012 01:26 PM

I'm really starting to think its Diatoms its getting browner after only a few hours...how can this happen!

Playa-1 03/28/2012 01:33 PM

That kind of stuff is normal in a newer tank.

BriggsReef 03/28/2012 02:36 PM

a second time? i had a full diatom bloom already

uncleof6 03/28/2012 02:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BriggsReef (Post 20071429)
Would the electrical issue effect a fish or CUC? everything seems to be healthy and active

Electrical issue? I cannot think of a single electrical issue that would cause the tank to cloud up. It is a bloom either a heterotrophic bacterial bloom (commonly looks like smoke/cloudy) or an diatom bloom of some sort. New tanks are not immune to anything. Even established tanks can have problems. Diatom blooms along with the usual, are driven by silicate levels. Some silica is good--too much is bad. A bacterial bloom would be driven by a sudden increase in dissolved organics.

Doesn't anyone keep a Vortex XL Diatom Filter around anymore? Would clear up the water in just a little while.

BriggsReef 03/28/2012 05:45 PM

My tank is now a brown cloud i can't see through to the back anymore

Shoryureppa 03/28/2012 07:03 PM

probably a bacterial bloom, but this happened to me when i converted freshwater to brackish and the salinity was too high too fast.

uncleof6 03/28/2012 11:24 PM

Brown sounds like diatoms. Check your water source for high silicates, once the silicate is gone, the bloom will go away. A diatom filter would clear the water rather quickly.

BriggsReef 03/29/2012 12:24 AM

Well i used schedule 40 pvc and maybe its something in the pvc glue? i checked around and it was said to be reef safe.

I also used aquarium glue for the baffles.

Could it have something to do with either of those? Or getting a new skimmer up and running?

uncleof6 03/29/2012 02:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BriggsReef (Post 20074104)
Well i used schedule 40 pvc and maybe its something in the pvc glue? i checked around and it was said to be reef safe.

I also used aquarium glue for the baffles.

Could it have something to do with either of those? Or getting a new skimmer up and running?

Neither of those things. New tank, and nutrients available. There are no "ghosts" causing a bloom. The biggest issue with skimmers, is that in order to save money, folks all too often get one that is too small for the system. Since there are no standards for skimmer sizing "claims" get one that is too big, like 3x. It can be nailed down better than that, but then just using another rule of thumb as well.

BriggsReef 03/30/2012 12:44 AM

i got a Reef Octopus 150 so its 2x my size with my 75g DT and 20g long sump/fuge

Its been almost 48 hours and the light make it worse..

When i was up early in the morning to turn the lights on it was bad but not as bad as the night before... After the lights were on for a while it got WORSE than last night. so we are gonna keep them off for a day or 2 and see what happens


Its jut such brown dirty looking water :headwallblue:

fishgate 03/30/2012 04:32 AM

A UV filter will clear up any bacteria bloom overnight. Wouldn't hurt to have one anyway. get a decent one with slow flow.


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