Cloudy Water

[tdgates10]

The other day my tank appeared to be a little cloudy? The tank has been up and running for about 1 1/2 years. There is two possible problems I can come up with, and maybe it's both combined. I add a couple new pieces of rock (they were cured from my other tank, but no light was on them), and I took mu UV off to wait for my new bulb to get in. Could those be the culprit to the cloudiness?

Tank parameters are:
ph: 8.1
Nitrate: 0
Temp: 76
Salinity: 35 ppt
Alk: 3 meq/L
Cal: 400 ppm

Thanks!

 

[Herefishyfishy]

Not likely the UV, could be the rock. Any recent dosing, addition of new salt, sand being stirred up by a misplaced powerhead or fish. plant die-off, spawning clams or coral?

 

[tdgates10]

I dose calcium, but thats on a regular basis. Used IO forever. Nothing being stirred up. The rock could have some die off, that's my guess. and no coral spawning.

 

[Herefishyfishy]

Yep, when all others are ruled out, leaves the remaining. Occam said something about that :>)

 

[tdgates10]

Awsome...looks like some water changes are in order!

 

[returnofsid]

Have you tested for ammonia? Cloudy water is usually an indication of ammonia levels. This could be caused by die off of the new rock. If this is the case, it can take time for the biological filtration to "catch up" to an increase in bio-load or an increase in the production of ammonia.

 

[tdgates10]

Just tested it and it read 0....hmm

 

[returnofsid]

Has it cleared up? If the water is still cloudy and you're getting a 0 reading for ammonia, I'd consider getting a second test done with a different test kit. The only other thing I could think of would be a OD of alk or Ca possibly, but it would seem you've ruled those out already.

 

[tdgates10]

I can still see through the water. I can look at one end and see through the glass at the other end, but it's just not as clear as it usually is. I will get another ammonia test today, although I use Salifert and never had an issue with it. My alk and cal are always dosed normally, and I just tested them this morning. I agree thinking my ammonia should show something, but it's not, at least from the test.

 

[Herefishyfishy]

I rarely get too caught up in the cause of bad water after a change was made.
Better to fix it than study it unless it's a chronic situation needing remedy. The solution for a bad "solution" is to change some (water change.) Keep it simple whenever possible.

 

[returnofsid]

yeah, Mike's right. Since a fairly unharmful change was recently made, a good sized water change will probably be the best thing you could do to remedy this.

 

[tdgates10]

Yup, already put in some fresh carbon and did a water change. Thanks guys!

 

[Herefishyfishy]

Yup, already put in some fresh carbon and did a water change. Thanks guys!

Perfect!
The cloud might be a bloom in late stages of a mini cycle, but matters not. Keep us informed.

 

[tdgates10]

Well, tank cleared up! It's real amazing what water changes and carbon can do...duh right! Think it was a small cycle from the 2 pieces of rock. Thanks for the help guys!