Hello, I currently am battling clarity problem with my 125 gal FOWLR. There is a brownish colour to the water and on the aragonite. There isn't much on the glass. I am guessing this is some sort of algae or diatoms? All param. are fine. I have tried changing bulbs, i have done water changes with RO water, filtered with a micro filter pad, added carbon. This hasn't solved the problem. The only thing that clears it up nicely is turning out the lights for a few days. But as soon as I return to turning the lights on the problem is back again. I am just about ready to give up. However, I love the hobby. Any suggestion would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.
Cloudy Brownish Water
- Thread starter Saltrules
- Start date
Is this a relatively new tank? Diatom blooms tend to go away on their own after a while. Grazers will also help. How much light have you got? I have seen spectacular blooms when I have had too much light on a FO tank.
Maybe this is out of the question for you (moneywise), but have you tried to add a skimmer?
Like mogurnda suggested perhaps you have too much light... But then again, you need light to enjoy your tank
WHat kind of light do you have?What about the food you are feeding? What type and how much? how many fish do you have?
If they are diatoms, which should be relatively easy to id. under a microscope, can you add some kind of silica filter... Something that will remove the si from the tank??? I have never ever tried one myself...
Hello,
I am currently running a Berlin skimmer. I have a flor. strip with atinic blues in it, and I also have a power compact with i believe 10k in it. The tank has been up for approx. a year. I am totally puzzled. I have never experienced this in the nine years i have been doing salt.
I am currently running a Berlin skimmer. I have a flor. strip with atinic blues in it, and I also have a power compact with i believe 10k in it. The tank has been up for approx. a year. I am totally puzzled. I have never experienced this in the nine years i have been doing salt.
Hi,
Perhaps your light bulbs are old...
What about your food?
By definition an algae bloom happens like that, unexpectedly... A limiting nutrient accumulated and once it reached a specific treshold level... Boom! You got algae...
You should just continue troblushoting until you find the cause...
Good luck...
Some other things I can think of: lights, substrate (changed or sitting there too long), change in food, change in feeding amount, change of salt brand, etc. Wow, so many things!!
P.D If everything else fails, you should probably take the LR out, clean the tank bottom and change any gravel (i.e nutrient SINK), and start again... But keep trying anything else you can think of...
Perhaps your light bulbs are old...
What about your food?
By definition an algae bloom happens like that, unexpectedly... A limiting nutrient accumulated and once it reached a specific treshold level... Boom! You got algae...
You should just continue troblushoting until you find the cause...
Good luck...
Some other things I can think of: lights, substrate (changed or sitting there too long), change in food, change in feeding amount, change of salt brand, etc. Wow, so many things!!
P.D If everything else fails, you should probably take the LR out, clean the tank bottom and change any gravel (i.e nutrient SINK), and start again... But keep trying anything else you can think of...
The light bulbs were just changed. However, I have recently changed salt mixes. I was using Instant Ocean and the LFS was out with no plans on reordering IO. Therefore, I went with the Kent salt mix that was available. The LFS claims the salt mix wouldn't make a difference with the bloom. What do you all think?
Thanks
Thanks
In theory at least it could... This SW mix might have something that was limiting in your tank, such as silicate....
I am not sure how good Silicate test kits are, but running a test on your tank might reveal higher-than-should-be Si.
Of course, I am assuming you have a diatom bloom. It could be another type of algae or perhaps even some kind of food coloring in the fish feed or maybe someone added food coloring to your water
I am not sure how good Silicate test kits are, but running a test on your tank might reveal higher-than-should-be Si.
Of course, I am assuming you have a diatom bloom. It could be another type of algae or perhaps even some kind of food coloring in the fish feed or maybe someone added food coloring to your water
brown water
Is your tank by a window? check phosphate levels, get a skimmer. If phosphates are high that's probably contributing to the problem. Algae forms because of too much nutrients. Cut the feeding down a little and maybe cut the lights down a bit, 12 hours only. But definately get your phosphate levels checked, if you don't have a kit, your LFS will usually check it for you if you bring him a water sample. oh ya and get a skimmer
Is your tank by a window? check phosphate levels, get a skimmer. If phosphates are high that's probably contributing to the problem. Algae forms because of too much nutrients. Cut the feeding down a little and maybe cut the lights down a bit, 12 hours only. But definately get your phosphate levels checked, if you don't have a kit, your LFS will usually check it for you if you bring him a water sample. oh ya and get a skimmer