# Cloudy white water: bacterial bloom?



## snafuspyramid (May 27, 2010)

In the last two days my tank has suddenly gone very cloudy.

It's been established around 2 months.

It's running an Eheim 2215 and 2217. I cleaned them and replaced the dirty floss.

I dose KNO3 (1/2tsp weekly), KH2PO4 (1/4 tsp weekly), Seachem Flourish (8ml weekly), Seachem Equilibrium (1/4 tsp weekly), and Prime. I also add bicarb soda.

Finally, I add a 10% solution of gluteraldehyde daily.

No ammonia or nitrite. Nitrate is always between 10-20ppm. 

I've been doing 20% water changes twice weekly.

In addition to the general whitish cloudiness, I notice a scum on top of the water (see the pics).

Any ideas? Is this just a bacterial bloom - and if so why?


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## ReefkprZ (Aug 21, 2010)

it looks to me more like a freefloating algae bloom, green water. it tends to start out whitish looking but I bet in the next couple days you'll notice your water looking greener and greener. unless you head it off.

the top scum is hydrophobic materials, like protiens, oils and such from foods and waste. you can skimm that off with a cup.


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## stewardwildcat (Feb 24, 2010)

I agree it looks a little more like green water than a white bacterial bloom. However, the protein scum on the top of the tank may indicate that its a combination of both. I have never dealt with green water and I am pretty new to the hobby. I would say you need to reduce the photoperiod, stop fertilizing and do a few water changes in the next few days. IF it keeps getting worse then more drastic measures will have to be taken.


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## snafuspyramid (May 27, 2010)

It's been like this for about four days now, with absolutely no sign of turning greener.

I'm not sure why the photo turned out such a greenish colour, it's probably the reflected colour of all the plants in the tank. It still appears quite witish to the naked eye.

I only fertilize weekly, but I've cut back nonetheless. I did a water change of about 20%, without perceptible result.

The lighting is 108 watts of T5HO. However, it's suspended about 5" off the water surface and the tank is 24" deep, so it's not so bright. The photoperiod is eight hours.

I'll pop some carbon or purigen in the filter and see what happens.


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## deleted_user_7 (Jul 7, 2003)

What did you replace the filter floss with?

If it was something from walmart meant to stuff pillows/bears/quilts then maybe that is what is causing the cloudy water. I used bonded quilt batting without washing it once. It didn't bother the fish but i had to do a 100% water change, then another 50% water change the next day. Solved the problem. 

If that is what happened, then purigen won't fix it. Do a total water change.


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## snafuspyramid (May 27, 2010)

No, the filter floss is designed for aquarium filters and was installed after the water became cloudy.

The guy at the LFS said that tap water tends to come out cloudy, and showed me a newly-filled tank that looks very similar to mine. It's odd, since I've never had this problem before. But it would explain why water changes didn't help. And the LFS is just down the road, so same water supply.

I'll wait and see how the carbon goes


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## Diana (Jan 14, 2010)

I have found that certain water additives (Usually minerals like GH Booster and baking soda) can make the tank cloudy, but only for a short time (few hours max, IME)

Longer term cloudiness might be from certain pH reducers. 
I got a free tank from someone who was tired of not seeing the fish. They were adding so much of a pH reducer that I could not see the fish, either. It took a lot of rinsing of the substrate, and a 100% water change (no pH adjusters) when I brought it home and even then a couple of partial water changes over a week or so (with no pH adjusting products) to get it clear. Once the fish had cleared quarantine and moved to another tank, I did not use that gravel, but it did release whatever pH altering things were clouding the water before the fish were out of quarantine. 

Another reason for cloudy water is that something has died in there. Usually the fishy odor is a 'dead' give-away. 

So...
Try this: Run a glass of water and let it sit on the counter for a day or two. Does plain ol' tap water cloud? 
One at a time add each item of your aquarium water prep to a glass of tap water. Separate glass for each item. Stir well, and let them sit at least overnight. Any clouding? 
Then combine the products in glasses of water 2 at a time. Perhaps you are using something that is incompatible with something else. 
Also, take out of the tank a sample of each rock, the substrate and anything else. Put these in glasses of water. If the water stays clear, then try adding each additive to the glasses. 

Yes, this takes a while. However, it is possible that something you are adding is responsible. Perhaps something reacts badly with your tap water, so the rest of us say, "I use that, and it does not cloud my tank" but in your tank it will cloud the water. 

I would be most suspicious of pH altering products, but it really could be anything.


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## snafuspyramid (May 27, 2010)

As always forum members were right - the water now has a distinct green tinge.

I guess that solves that.

Given what I've described of light levels, fertilizing regime, etc, why might I have caused an algal bloom?

I can't actually see much algae adhering to any surfaces.

Nitrate levels remain 10ppm. Ammonia, nitrite, still zero.

What can I do about this?


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## acropora1981 (May 30, 2010)

My secret weapon is my Vortex Diatom Filter. I service tanks for a living, so I use it quite frequently when getting calls from people who's tanks have turned green. The XL can clear a 90 gallon in about 90 minutes.


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## ReefkprZ (Aug 21, 2010)

if I were to hazard a guess, I would say its a lack of co2, coupled with good lighting and good fertilization. looks like you have 2 out of three, algae can thrive in lower co2 and high light, where your plants cant consume enough nutrients (ferts) without the co2 to help them burn it. 

I would say you probably need to reduce lighting (photoperiod or amount) and cut back on your fertilization, or consider injecting co2.


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## snafuspyramid (May 27, 2010)

I've been gradually cutting down on the fertilization until I reach the point where I start to see deficiencies. I don't use test kits unless something seems to be going wrong.

My nitrate levels are quite low. I'll get my phosphate levels tested at my LFS later today.

As I mentioned, the lighting is quite a distance from the surface and the tank is very deep.

I don't want to get pressurised CO2. The plants I have all grow like crazy, I don't want to do more maintenance than I already do. Plus I have an almost lifetime supply of gluteraldehyde for next to nothing. CO2 would cost AU$300 to set up and $50 a year to maintain. It's simply not an option, even if it is the simplest solution. 

So:

Is there too much light?

If not too much light, too much nitrates and phosphates?

If too much nitrates and phosphates, what should appropriate levels be?

AND: in the short term, what's the harm in this level of algae? Should I just put some flocculent through?


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