Smokey water.

[crazymman]

Ok another problem in my tank. My water is real cloudy, and I dont know why. All of me readings are good. 0 Amm, 0 nitrites, 15 nitrates, 450 calcium and I dont have a alk or phosphates test kit yet. Ive rerad it could be a bacteria bloom but wouldnt that give me some ammonia readings or something? Heres a pic

 

[Alexander]

hard to tell from the pictures are they small microbubbles? if so what are you running for filtration. is it coming from skimmer and or return pump?

did you agitate the sand or move rocks around a bunch?

 

[crazymman]

It could be micro bubbles, Im getting quite a bit in the sump from the overflow and the skimmer. I have 3 baffles to try to stop them from reaching the DT. I havent moved any rocks or sand.

 

[Alexander]

so your skimmer is in sump and before 3 baffles?

if its spitting a ton of bubbles you could wrap the outlet of the skimmer with a filter sock so it will absorb those bubbles.

 

[crazymman]

Yea its before the baffles. The overflow tube is spitting more bubbles then the skimmer is really. I guess I could do this to both of them?

 

[dcantucson]

Hard to tell from the pictures, but if it is micro bubbles you should be able to see them with the naked eye.

Are any of your returns or power heads stirring the substrate any?

 

[crazymman]

Yea I mean there is some bubbles in there but I dont think its enough to cloud the water like that. I dont see any sand moving. Or any craters from where the sand was moved. It did move about a 6 inch section of sand when i first moved a power head onto the back glass but i moved the sand back and moved the power head and it hasent done it since. That was saturday.

 

[yote]

Moving the sand MAY have stirred up just enough crap to cause a bacteria bloom.
But thats just my guess.Could be algae to.It could be eating up the nutrients so quick that your tests are showing good.:dunno:

 

[Alexander]

i ahve a large sized 100 micron filter sock over my overflow tubes at all times. one for bubbles because they dont alwayse penetrate the water because of my crappy sump setup and 2 for mechanical filtration. i would reccomend that

 

[crazymman]

I'll try that. Yote when i look at it at certain angles it actually looks like smoke rolling through the water. Im thinking bacteria bloom or something.

 

[crazymman]

How long until these blooms go away?

 

[yote]

Good question.
It might go away in a couple of hours,or it might get worse and stay for a few weeks.Theres no way of knowing.

 

[reeffreak]

Has your water always been cloudy and how did you mix the saltwater?

...and how long has it been set up.

 

[crazymman]

ARGGG great!!!! Thanks

 

[crazymman]

I buy my water from the LFS. Never been this cloudy

 

[SeattleDarko]

what kind of container do you transport in? there could be something in there if you don't clean it out really good?

 

[crazymman]

Just the 5 gallon jugs you buy from the LFS

 

[reeffreak]

I was thinking maybe calcium precipitation but that couldn't be it.When you make saltwater,putting salt first and then dumping water in can cause precipitation and the water never clears.

A bacteria bloom is my only guess(which everyone already mention) but you had no ammonia?

 

[crazymman]

Nope no ammonia. I donno Im stumped, I guess I'm just gonna wait it out and hope it goes away.

 

[chuysvt]

:Di would try water clarifier...it work for me and i never had that problem again...it cost about $5.00...it quickly clears cloudy water,,safe for all fish ...