Perplexed by cloudy water.

[SeanT]

Yesterday evening my tank water slowly became a little cloudy.
It's not too bad but I can't understand the cause.
I have about 400 total gallons and I did a 125 gallon change today.
Hours later it is still a bit cloudy.

All of my parameters are in check.

Anyone know of reasons that can cause this?

Thanks,
Sean

 

[MARINECRITTERS]

Are you sure that it is not micro bubbles,
It could be calcium precipitation but you said all of you levels are in check.

 

[Neptunes World]

Been extra warm in the house? Tugging at strings here, but, algae bloom? I had cloudy water for a month after setup and it would not go away. All of a sudden BAM, I am starting to get nice clear water mayself????

 

[SeanT]

Definitely not micro bubbles.
I doubt algae bloom but good thinking.

In 11 years I've never had this happen.
None of my corals seem upset.
Polyps and all looking good.

Weird.

 

[Metal Man 1221]

Is anything spawning? and how is your skimmer reacting?

 

[Neptunes World]

Ooooooooh, metal man beat me to it. Drat that Metal Man {twisting his handlebar mustache.}

 

[Metal Man 1221]

lol

 

[SeanT]

Skimmer is acting normally.

I have two clams, so I suppose a spawning event is possible, but I never noticed it get very cloudy.

The thing that is baffling me the most, is after a 125 gallon waterchange, is that it's still cloudy.

 

[aquaticsbeyond]

Are you adding bacteria or running bio-pellets? Cloudy water may be due to a bacteria bloom

 

[SeanT]

No bacteria additives or pellets.
I think I may have a chalice dying,,,could that cloud the water this long, even after a wc?

 

[Metal Man 1221]

If there are enough nutrients being released then a bacteria bloom could still be a possibility.

 

[64Ivy]

I'd recheck my NO3 and PO4. Any change in temp lately?

Wild guess of the day: No chance the tank is getting clipped by natural sunlight this time of year, is there?

 

[Neptunes World]

I'd recheck my NO3 and PO4. Any change in temp lately?

Wild guess of the day: No chance the tank is getting clipped by natural sunlight this time of year, is there?

What are you proposing as mine does every day.........

 

[MrG]

What are you proposing as mine does every day.........

+1

My tank gets hit by sunlight late afternoon and I have experienced some on again / off again cloudiness over the past few weeks that I couldn't really explain. I'm also in North Carolina, so maybe it's just something wrong with our state...

 

[tmz]

Not sure I understand. The sunlight might cause an optic to make the water look more cloudy ,I suppose, but natural sunlight won't cause cloudiness,per se and is generally good for a reef tank,ime.

Temperature spikes can increase bacterial growth and micro algae growth. It may also stress corals into expelling zooxanthelae. Heavy skimming and gac may help.

 

[Neptunes World]

I would have to say that if nothing has changed, someone is doing the nasty. You have not been playing Berry White lately have you? Maybe slipping a few extra racy DVD's in the DVD player when no one is home? :eek2: :smokin:

 

[SeanT]

No sunlight.

However, I just rechecked phosphates with a Hannah checker... 0.10.
I normally run between 0.02 - 0.03. So it is 3-5x greater in less than two days.

Something is going on. :worried:

 

[SeanT]

I'm going to go get another 125 gallons of NSW and do another change.

 

[Metal Man 1221]

Do you run GFO or a fuge? The reason I ask is because if your PO4 is spiking there is likely some die off somewhere in the tank, and you will want to keep the levels from getting out of hand.

 

[64Ivy]

What are you proposing as mine does every day.........

That's why I added "this time of year". I have seen a few cases of people having their tanks positioned near windows so that at certain times of year [usually summer], it'll get clipped by sunlight which can cause both an algae and temperature spikes.