Why is my water so cloudy?

clownfanatic55

clownfanatic55

Member
I only have 3 fish in a 55 gallon.
A Ocellaris Clown, Humu Humu Trigger, and a Yellow tang.
I have 40 hermits, 20 snails, 1 coral banded shrimp, 6 emerald crabs, and 2 clams.
My water has been clear ever since I started, and now it is really cloudy. What could be the issue and what can I do to prevent it?
 
mikecurrin

mikecurrin

Member
Originally Posted by Clownfanatic55
http:///forum/post/3150397
I only have 3 fish in a 55 gallon.
A Ocellaris Clown, Humu Humu Trigger, and a Yellow tang.
I have 40 hermits, 20 snails, 1 coral banded shrimp, 6 emerald crabs, and 2 clams.
My water has been clear ever since I started, and now it is really cloudy. What could be the issue and what can I do to prevent it?

What are the Perams, how long have you had it set up and/or when was last water change?
 
E

eric b 125

Guest
what kind of flow do you have in the DT? what have you been feeding and how much? do you run carbon?
 
rlablan

rlablan

Active Member
Could be a number of things. Can we have a pictures of what "cloudy" is?
Is it milky cloudy, are there little floating particles and that's "cloudy". Is it micro bubbles...
A picture would be great.
 
clownfanatic55

clownfanatic55

Member
My water params are
pH - 8.0
Ammonia - 2
Nitrites - .8 I just added a new piece of cured LR from LFS, they seem to always spike when I put a new piece of LR in but it doesn't seem to hurt the fish.
Nitrates-
I have 0 flow in my tank right now, I have been curing LR a separate container and that is where my PH is currently at, once they cure..which should be in a day or so (hopefully) then I will be able to put it in my DT and my dad is shipping a PH or two up to me because he is not using his.
It is a milky cloudy BTW
 
stanlalee

stanlalee

Active Member
yes stagnant zero flow causes all kinds of problems of which cloudy water is the least. removing the powerhead is not an option. I cant put a finger on the cloudy water but at the very least whatever is suspended probably cant settle or get filtered out without circulation (new rock usually has plenty of loose particles to cloud water). the rock in your tank (not to mention livestock) is going to be oxygen deprived without the circulation and need it for the same reason and more so then the liverock you are curing (its helping sustain your livestock breaking down ammonia while the rock in the bin is just rock in a bin). Do you have an airline, sump, hang on filter or something?
 
reefer34

reefer34

New Member
thats not crushed coral on the bottom is it? the spike would be expected from the new rock but you are definitely going to need some more water movement. as far as water source goes, check for phosphates or other metals. marine buffer is important to add anytime you add top off or do a water change
 
rlablan

rlablan

Active Member
Yeah, +1 about the particles.
Put the HOB filter on and stuff it full of filter floss or fiberfil/polishing pads.
That is the quickest way to get rid of cloudy water. You may need to change the filter media out a bit, but it will be worth it. If you can do that, with some FINE filter media, then you will
have clear water in no time.
 
clownfanatic55

clownfanatic55

Member
Yes it is CC, I rushed in to buying everything and regret buying it instead of sand. I will change my filter media, but doesn't it build up good bacteria though?? will I lose that?
 
reefkprz

reefkprz

Active Member
looks to me like a waterborne bacterial bloom. very little filtration, almost no circualtion, new tank...... get some water moving in that tank(I would reccomend at least 2 more powerheads), slow down your feeding.
by the looks of the diatoms on the substrate your tank is still new. I would hazard a guess that your tank wasnt cycled up to a colony of bacteria large enough to handle the bio load, and your expiriencing a waterborne bacterial bloom. with little to no circulation to move the water through and around your rock/substrate the bactyeria had to go to the organics.. aka suspend itself in the water.. adding some cured LR and some water flow would help. or even a second HOB filter on the other end of the tank.
 
clownfanatic55

clownfanatic55

Member
Cool man thanks, that helps me out.
I have one Powerhead but it is in my container with my LR, it is officially the 31st day of the curing stage. HOPEFULLY it will be done soon so I can FINALLY put the power head back in my DT!
 
rlablan

rlablan

Active Member
Also, FYI
removing the flow is not good for the fish at all. Are you saying that you have had that tank with NO flow for 31 days? Screw the LR and put that power head back in there before you lose your fish or harm them. If it is bacteria bloom, which it probably is (forgot about that entirely), that is not good for those guys.
Right now, I would suggest a water change... dilute some of that crap so that the fish have some better water. There is little filtration so they are swimming around in their own filth. JMO...
Hope it gets better for you soon.
 
E

eric b 125

Guest
you mentioned an air pump? if you still have it, throw an airstone into the container w/ the LR and put your powerhead back into the DT
 
oceandude

oceandude

Member
I cannot add anything here. The advice is great and soundly correct imo as well. I like the honest, straight forward approach here. It's for our sake and the safety of our critters.
 
clownfanatic55

clownfanatic55

Member
Thank you all for your advice.
I am going to do a 10 gallon water change tomorrow when I pick up some RO water from Wal-mart.
If I would have known that I could use the airstone in the LR containter, then I would have put my PH in my DT a long time ago. Thanks again for the advice.
 
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