Logan27 Posted April 25, 2019 Share Posted April 25, 2019 I've been having a murky water problem for a couple of weeks now. It doesn't appear to be an algae bloom, and from what I've read a bacterial bloom shouldn't be lasting this long. My filter is adequate and has been changed out when indicated. Any help figuring out what's going on would be greatly appreciated! IMG_1183.HEIC Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derbird Posted April 25, 2019 Share Posted April 25, 2019 I can't open your photo on my phone, but algae or bacteria will last as long as there is adequate food for them. Check nutrients and possible silica sources. A fine filter sock can help a as well if you have a sump. Hold in there, it shall pass. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blue Z Reef Posted April 25, 2019 Share Posted April 25, 2019 hard to say from the pic, how old is the system? Is your only filtration a cartridge filter? At a minimum I’d hit it with a water change and do some testing. Can’t help much without knowing if something is off. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Logan27 Posted April 25, 2019 Author Share Posted April 25, 2019 The system is a few months old now. The filtration is an Aqueon QuietFlow 30 LED Pro with filtration cartridge and an ammonia filter pad. I've done a multitude of water changes to no effect. Water parameters have also remained unchanged for several weeks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pdxmonkeyboy Posted April 26, 2019 Share Posted April 26, 2019 (edited) Logan.. where are you located at? If you have done a bunch of water changes I would throw some extra filtration at it. It does look like water born algae to me but that is honestly kind of rare for aquariums and usually comes out when you have REALLY bad water quality. If you are close to SW portland I have a big canister filter AND a UV unit, we some kind of deposit (because I don't know you) they you are welcome to borrow it. WE can throw a bunch of carbon and some rocks with bacteria from my system. Plug and play. I am 99% confident that it would clear up that tank in about a day. Edited April 26, 2019 by pdxmonkeyboy 2 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Logan27 Posted April 26, 2019 Author Share Posted April 26, 2019 1 hour ago, pdxmonkeyboy said: Logan.. where are you located at? If you have done a bunch of water changes I would throw some extra filtration at it. It does look like water born algae to me but that is honestly kind of rare for aquariums and usually comes out when you have REALLY bad water quality. If you are close to SW portland I have a big canister filter AND a UV unit, we some kind of deposit (because I don't know you) they you are welcome to borrow it. WE can throw a bunch of carbon and some rocks with bacteria from my system. Plug and play. I am 99% confident that it would clear up that tank in about a day. I'm located down in Albany, so not very close. Would that filtration solution have a permanent effect or would it only work to clear the tank while I'm using it? I'm definitely up for trying anything. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
parvo99 Posted April 26, 2019 Share Posted April 26, 2019 Could be any number of factors. What parameters have you monitored, and what kind of testkits? Was the tank cycled completely? Are you using ro/di water? How big of water changes did you do? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Logan27 Posted April 26, 2019 Author Share Posted April 26, 2019 1 hour ago, parvo99 said: Could be any number of factors. What parameters have you monitored, and what kind of testkits? Was the tank cycled completely? Are you using ro/di water? How big of water changes did you do? I've monitored pH, Ammonia, Nitrates, and Nitrites. All with an API reef test kit. The tank was cycled completely. I am using ro/di water. I usually do water changes of 5 gallons, but I've tried some as large as 15 to try and get rid of the murkiness. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pdxmonkeyboy Posted April 26, 2019 Share Posted April 26, 2019 It could be physical or biological pollutants. At this point, not knowing anything about your tank at all I would say that it is biological because you have done several water changes to no avail. Most physical pollutants would have been dilluted or settled by now. Like, long ago. Your filtration is weak at best really, a hang on back filter has like little ability to really tackle things while your rocks and what not develop a biological film. It could be something leaching out of your rocks or substrate... I would blast the water with UV and carbon. This will absorb and pollutants in the tank and prevent algae from reproducing in the water column. It will have zero affects on the "good bacteria" in the tank. If you do think it is physcial.. which it doesn't seem like to me, the water seems murky, not cloudy, you could always dump a bottle of fluculant in there. Also no harm no foul. It causes small particles to bind together. Like say, if you dumped 6 bags of sand in your new 300g display tank without washing it... but nobody would be that dumb. LOL 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
albertareef Posted April 26, 2019 Share Posted April 26, 2019 1 hour ago, pdxmonkeyboy said: Like say, if you dumped 6 bags of sand in your new 300g display tank without washing it... but nobody would be that dumb. LOL Feels like there is a story in there somewhere 😄 Basically ditto to what monkeyboy has been advising here. Maybe someone in your area would be able to come up with a UV unit and some more effective filtration for you. Basically, those things won't hurt the situation regardless if it's biological or physical so really no risk to trying. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pdxmonkeyboy Posted May 3, 2019 Share Posted May 3, 2019 Any luck? Sent from my SM-G960U using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Logan27 Posted May 3, 2019 Author Share Posted May 3, 2019 3 hours ago, pdxmonkeyboy said: Any luck? Sent from my SM-G960U using Tapatalk I've tried everything but UV sterilization so far. I haven't been able to get a hold of one yet. Tank has remained unchanged. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Logan27 Posted May 7, 2019 Author Share Posted May 7, 2019 Hey everyone! I just wanted to get back on here and thank everybody for their input. I ended buying a UV sterilizer and that was the trick! My tank is finally clear and I couldn't be happier! 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derbird Posted May 7, 2019 Share Posted May 7, 2019 Good to hear, now you can focus on the fun stuff =] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
youcallmenny Posted May 7, 2019 Share Posted May 7, 2019 Good news! I would recommend a carbon reactor running at all times too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lewisriverfisherman Posted May 7, 2019 Share Posted May 7, 2019 Glad to hear your tank is better. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
albertareef Posted May 7, 2019 Share Posted May 7, 2019 Glad that worked out. I figured that would ultimately proved to be the answer after your last update. Not a bad thing to be running on a system anyway so will likely prove to be a good investment going forward. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pdxmonkeyboy Posted May 8, 2019 Share Posted May 8, 2019 Man, the guy that advised you to hit it with UV is a frickin genius! Sent from my SM-G960U using Tapatalk 4 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Optimusprime3605 Posted May 8, 2019 Share Posted May 8, 2019 Man, the guy that advised you to hit it with UV is a frickin genius! Sent from my SM-G960U using TapatalkYeah, good advice Sean! Lol🤣[emoji23]🤣Never doubt the monkeyboy! Sent from Atlantis 🤙 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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