Cloudy water

[robow]

I have a 80 gallon FO tank that has been set up for about 2 months now within the past 2 weeks my water has become very cloudy. All the paramiters are good nitrate is around 10-20 ppm I use ro water from a local water supplier. I am using instant ocean salt the kind in the orange and white bag. I don't know why the water is so cloudy or what to do about it. please help it is going to drive me nuts.

[reefup]

give it time.it will get better.try using filter cloth to help with polishing the water

[Mr.Peanut]

I had the same exact thing happen. At about 2 months, out of nowhere, my water got very cloudy. I never had an answer as to why, maybe some kind of bacterial bloom is all we could come up with. It went away pretty much on its own.

[Loverotties]

Try run some carbon and/or WC.

[Mr.Peanut]

Originally Posted by Loverotties

Try run some carbon and/or WC.

Good Idea. I should have mentioned that also.

[robow]

I have been using carbon for about a week with no difference I also have done 2 20 gallon changes.

[Mr.Peanut]

If the water tests good, I would just wait it out. Can you post a picture?

[robow]

i will try to get a picture up tomorrow. I just put a uv sterilizer on hoping it will help. I know the risk of this but i can barley see the back of my tank.

[Jadinop]

How are you mixing up your water for water changes? Remember to add salt to the water and not water to the salt. In other words, fill the bucket with water and then add the salt to it. Doing it the other way can cause cloudiness due to calcium precipitation.

Another salt related question. The orange/white Instant Ocean salt is Reef Crystals. The increased calcium and other trace elements that Reef Crystals has is not really needed in a Fish Only system. Save yourself a couple bucks and get the regular Instant Ocean salt in the purple/white bag.

The UV is a good idea as you most likely have a bacterial bloom. It should clear up quickly. Not sure what you mean by risks, UV is very safe and on a Fish Only system I would say it is a very beneficial piece of equipment.

[robow]

Thanks for the advice about the salt mixxing and type of salt I do add the salt to the water like you said. About the risks of uv light a lot of people think it will kill off the good bact. Funds are a little tight so I bought one of those cheap petsmart uv lights and after 2 and a half days the water is crystal clear. thanks for the help

[Jadinop]

Originally Posted by robow

Thanks for the advice about the salt mixxing and type of salt I do add the salt to the water like you said. About the risks of uv light a lot of people think it will kill off the good bact. Funds are a little tight so I bought one of those cheap petsmart uv lights and after 2 and a half days the water is crystal clear. thanks for the help

Common misconception about UV sterilizers. A UV light only affects things that actually physically pass through the unit. It does not affect anything else in the tank since it does not add anything to the water. Since water carries very little of the good filtering bacteria, a UV light will have no effect on your bacterial filtration. All of that bacteria is contained in your live rock, sand and other filter media where a UV light can't possibly reach it. Glad to hear your tank cleared up.

[Loverotties]

Glad it's clear!