cloudy water

okay well at 8 am my tank was crystal clear the water, but with diatoms going crazy at the moment. And low at 11 am i see water is ultra cloudy. What could of caused this sudden reaction? What can i do?

 

Using any additives in the tank? What are the inhabitants - any missing? Parameters? Something fall in the tank? Sounds almost like a bacteria bloom - how long has it been running?

Copy and paste from here, actually, and fill in the blanks- it helps.

http://www.3reef.com/forums/asap/asap-please-start-here-54456.html

 

Did you mess with the sand in the tank at all. Some times trying to clean te sand will cause the cloudyness almost like a mini cycle. That happened to me last week and it cleared up in two days.

 

mm havent touched anything yet

 

How old is the tank? could be a simple bacteria bloom

 

tank is maybe 1 month now. What is a bacteria bloom

My tests are
amonia 0
nitrate 20
nitrite .5

1 clown, 1 blue fin damsel, 1 hermit, with 1 snail
29 gallon biocube, temp is moving between 79-81

 

Tank is brand new. This is a simple bacteria bloom. Bacteria is spreading/seeding and is all over your tank, which is expected. Considering your tank is so young, it has not even finished cycling yet. Your levels are fine, not toxic and shouldn't harm your 2 fishies. Just keep testing for ammonia to make sure none becomes present. I am assuming your over the ammonia hump of the cycle but I could be wrong. Water should clear within a day or two. Have you noticed any diatoms yet? Its a brown film that grows on the glass, sand and rocks of new tanks. If so, you are on the right track. Just gotta wait it out.

 

Hopefully the bacteria bloom does not drop O2 levels to dangerous levels.

 

Ya my tank is pretty new, and yes tehre is diatom "the brown stuff?"
going on. Its all over the tank, on glass, rock, sand, and its hairy. And nope i did not use RO/DI water, and i used tap water. How screwed am I?
And i cant afford Ro/DI water filter, and ppl say i should use Ro/DI water
:-X

 

its ok to use tap water. I use tap water all the time so you should be fine. Although there is always the risk of having chlorine on the water. Just make sure your water is clean.