Live Rock

[butters1181]

Hi all, I'm brand new to reefing, and bought a JBJ 28G Nano last month. My wife and I have let the tank cycle for just over a week and once all the Ammonia, PH, Nitrite, and Nitrate looked correct, we went up and purchased our first fish and inverts at our LFS. Based on our LFS' recommendation, we picked up a mated pair of fancy clowns, 5 hermits, 4 snails, 1 green emerald crab, and 1 peppermint shrimp.

The water was looking extremely clear before adding all these guys today, but since we added them in, the tank has been extremely cloudy. I've also noticed quite a bit of substrate all over the live rock which gives it a layer of white all over it. I'm not quite sure what to make of this. We added the fish and inverts early this afternoon and have checked on the tank quite a few times without really seeing it clear up.

Any ideas on how to clear up the water? Are the fish in danger with the cloudy water? What about the live rock? Any suggestions on how to clear this up?

Thanks.

 

[yote]

First off welcome aboard.

There's only 2 things I can think of that would cloud the water that quick after adding fish or inverts.
#1 ( which wouldn't be the fishes fault ) is a powerhead coming loose and blowing sand or something else blowing it around.
#2 would be the clowns fanning the sand.

New fish and inverts wouldn't have created a bacteria bloom that quick.

 

[OceanCrazy]

Post a pic so we can see the tank plz.
Welcome to the site.

 

[Smitty]

Welcome to the site...yote has you covered.

 

[Bifferwine]

Cloudiness usually indicates a bacterial bloom. It usually takes a new tank 3 to 4 weeks to cycle. If you only let it cycle for a week, I doubt the cycle was complete. It usually takes a week or so to see the parameters spike in the first place. If your tank was not completely cycled, you often see cloudiness when you add fish, because the bacterial population explodes in response to the increase in waste. Have your parameters stayed good since you added the fish?

 

[315hottuna61]

Welcome Butters!

 

[JustinsReefTank]

+1 everybody!! We need your parameters, a pic of tank. So we can help you a Lil better

 

[butters1181]

Hi all,

Thanks so much for the replies. I've attached some pics of the tank as requested, and my numbers are as follows:

PH: 8.0
Ammonia: .25
Nitrite: .25
Nitrate: 10-20
Salinity- 1.025
Temp: 79.7

I looked in the rear compartments of the tank and noticed that there definitely is some substrate along the bottom of each. I'm not sure of how much, but would you suggest getting all of that out? The fish and inverts seem to be okay so far, but it's only been 24 hours. The Ammonia, Nitrite, and Nitrate testing definitely spiked since putting fish in. Not sure what to do here yet, but any assistance would be greatly appreciated. As mentioned, there is still quite a bit of white stuff on the rock and although the water has cleared up quite a bit, theres still quite a few particles in the tank.

Thanks.

 

[butters1181]

Hi all,

Thanks so much for the replies. I've attached some pics of the tank as requested, and my numbers are as follows:

PH: 8.0
Ammonia: .25
Nitrite: .25
Nitrate: 10-20
Salinity- 1.025
Temp: 79.7

I looked in the rear compartments of the tank and noticed that there definitely is some substrate along the bottom of each. I'm not sure of how much, but would you suggest getting all of that out? The fish and inverts seem to be okay so far, but it's only been 24 hours. The Ammonia, Nitrite, and Nitrate testing definitely spiked since putting fish in. Not sure what to do here yet, but any assistance would be greatly appreciated. As mentioned, there is still quite a bit of white stuff on the rock and although the water has cleared up quite a bit, theres still quite a few particles in the tank.

Thanks.

 

[Bifferwine]

Your tank has re-cycled because you added the fish before it was fully cycled. That's why you have seen your parameters spike. Ideally, your ammonia and nitrites should both be at zero. To keep your fish as safe as possible, I'd do a 30% or so water change to get your ammonia down. Doing water changes while it's cycling will draw out the cycle and make it last longer, but it's safer for your fish that way.