Orange Cloudy Water HELP??

[gshelton]

ARRRGH! :frusty: This is the third time this has happened, and I cannot figure out what is causing it. Replaced carbon Saturday, within an hour the tank turned cloudy and orangeish colored. It got progressively worse over the day. Did a 65 gallon water change, and still no relief. So, yes, the carbon change obviously had something to do with it, but it has happened twice before without a carbon change. It usually lasts a couple days with huge water changes every day, though the first time it happened I lost a Nano Tang and a few other fish.

90 gallon tank
25 gallon sump
Octopus Skimmer
Carbon/GPO Reactors

 

[Peppie]

OMG Dude!!!!

I dont know, but I will stayed tuned to see if anyone has come across this in the past.
Looks like a horrible algae bloom

 

[sedrostyle]

HOLY COW is right. I hope you figure out the problem, and fast... that's horrible.
Good luck

 

[chrissreef]

do you have sand and/or disturb it when this happens? any other media going in? light changes? PO4?

 

[trido]

Something is causing a massive algea bloom and choking out the oxygen levels in the tank. Water changes will help but you need to find the root of the cause so it doesn't happen again.

 

[Herefishyfishy]

Sight unseen and only as a gut reaction, I do not trust the rock and or sand. Where did they come from and has the tank ever been stabily healthy and clean?

 

[dailydriven911]

How old is your tank? If it's less than 2-3 months old it's most likely an algae bloom and water changes will only make it worse. Give it 4-5 days if not a full week to run it's course. I had the same problem two blooms within a month or so when my tank was newly setup.

edit: After seeing your image that is one crazy bloom it that's in fact what it is. What are you using for flow and have you checked your water parameters?

 

[gshelton]

I've had the rock and sand for a few years. The tank has been up and running for over a year.

 

[gshelton]

Yes, I have sand. No, it is not disturbed. No other media change, no change to lights, no change other than carbon and dumped/cleaned the skimmer cup.

 

[Derbird]

Did you rinse your carbon and GFO. From the picture it looks like the bucket of rinse water after changing it out. Just a thought

 

[gshelton]

First time it happened I kept the lights off for a couple days and it seemed to make it worse. It seems like whatever it is, is laying dormant for a while, then something triggers it. The carbon will pick up orange detrius and the water in the bottom of the reactor will be thick and orange. It will calm down, the water will be crystal clear for a few weeks, then BAM. Tank is otherwise healthy, coral is growing, fish are fine, water parameters are good. 10-15% water changes weekly, top offs every 3 days or so with a gallon and adjust calcium. RO/DI water, just changed the filters (algae blooms on either side of the filter change, so that's not it). I am stumped.

Should I pull all the sand out and go with bare glass on the bottom of the tank?

 

[IPisces]

What are you using to run carbon? Canister filter? HOB filter? Is it possible that stuff is collecting in what ever it is that you are running the carbon in and when you pull the old carbon out the particles are being released?

 

[pandora32]

I was goin to say algae bloom also. Ive never had one happen, but if it is and its sucking up all the oxygen, would it be a good idea to put an airstone or wand in the tank to get oxygen back in the water? Good luck.

 

[Herefishyfishy]

I was goin to say algae bloom also. Ive never had one happen, but if it is and its sucking up all the oxygen, would it be a good idea to put an airstone or wand in the tank to get oxygen back in the water? Good luck.

Clearly a bloom, but the big question is what is feeding it? What and where is the fertilizer hiding. Perhaps the type carbon or method?

 

[trido]

Tank is otherwise healthy, coral is growing, fish are fine, water parameters are good.

I can tell you with certainty that your tank is not "otherwise healthy" if your having reoccurring algal bloom's. What kind of carbon reactor are you using? and what kind of carbon is in it. Are you cleaning the reactor thoroughly when changing out the carbon? I've been keeping fish for 25 years and have only had one bloom like this (green in my case) and that was from bad husbandry on my part. I'm thinking your carbon reactor may be causing this somehow. Possibly lack of flow through it. How old are your light bulbs?

 

[trido]

After reading back I realize that more than one reefer I have much respect for are also leaning toward the reactor. First plan of attack, remove it from the system

 

[IPisces]

Well reading your first post, you said it happened twice before and not at the time of a carbon change. So it was probably coincidence that it happened at this last carbon change. How recent were the other two times it happened? Do you remember if there were any changes just prior to it happening? Flush any water lines? Replace any other filtering media? I am real curious too, why after a year this is happening. And for no apparent reason.
Is it possible to get pics of your set up and results of water parameters?

 

[IPisces]

Oh yeah lights. I always forget about the lights. But again if it is something that is being introduced periodically that is causing the algae bloom and the lights are contributing to it, and it happened in other instances prior to the carbon change, I don't know that I would blame the carbon reactor. But to rule it out, I would remove it and see if it happens again. I don't run carbon on my tanks and have never had an algae bloom, so I really don't know where to start to help with figuring it out.
Can an algae bloom be feeding itself? Could it along with old lighting do this and then go dormant for a period and then bloom again? Just from nutrients in the display. Detritus and such that has settled in the rocks? I'm throwing thoughts out, cause I would like to understand why & know how to avoid this happening.

 

[Herefishyfishy]

Suspended blooms are not a symptom of light issues. Polution, low pH, etc are the more likely culprets. Me thinks the tank has mainanence problems and a lot of phosphates in the rock. This is based on very little info, needs more specific tank parameters.

Red and orange blooms are typically dinoflagellates aka: Red Tide. I would start with increasing flow, ensuring pH was high enough and, water changes.

The following has quite a bit of info on it:
Problem Dinoflagellates and pH by Randy Holmes-Farley - Reefkeeping.com

 

[gshelton]

Reactor is the issue. I turned it off this morning before work and came home to "clear" water. Now clean up, water changes, and more research on whether I get rid of the sand. Thanks everyone for all the advice/thoughts.