Cloudy water

[willjeff]

Ok my water is cloudy right now. I don't have my exact test results with me right now, I'm at work.
ph 8.0
ca 410
alk (salifert kit said right on for nsw) sorry
nitrate 0-5 (red sea kit hard to read)
temp 80 F
salinity 1.024 ( did get down to 1.023 1 week ago bringing it up)

The water has been cloudy of and on. I added carbon 2 weeks ago, got better and now its back to cloudy. Any suggestions?

 

[DgenR8]

How new is the tank? Do you have live rock or sand in there? How much? Any inhabitants? How are you filtering?

 

[willjeff]

The tank is established moved it in Sept., was setup previously for 2 yrs. I have a ASM g2 skimmer, ssb and about 75 lbs. of live rock that has been in a reef tank for a few yrs.
The tank is stocked with blue throat trigger, mimic tang, foxface, pair occelaris, lawnmower blenny. It is a soft coral dominant reef. I feel that it is a little on the heavy side for stocking, but feel with water changes it is ok. Thanks for the reply.

 

[DgenR8]

Sand blowing around would explain it, but that doesn't seem likely by your description. Chances are that you are looking at either a bacteria bloom, algae bloom, or the result of adding too much calcium.
If it's Ca. precip, you should find greatly diminished Ca. and Alk. if you tested them now.
If it's bacteria, it will clear itself in a couple of days.
If it's algae, you have issues with at least one..... Ammonia, Nitrite, Nitrate, Phosphate.

 

[willjeff]

I have just redently gotten over a valonia problem. I haven't added any Ca for awhile now. The level stays at 400 with water changes. How would I know if I was experiencing a bacteria bloom? And if it was a phos or nitrates wouldn't the valonia be increasing?

 

[DgenR8]

It does sound more and more like a bacteria bloom. How is it looking today?