Cloudy water caused by UV light?

[schafon]

Hi everyone!
I recently setup my RedSea 750xxl, it was a tank transfer from my 120G system.
Everything moved from there including live rock minus sand (got new).
The transfer went pretty well, everything looked very good till today.

I've changed 3 things today:
1. Plumbed a 55 watt UV light from Amazon
2. increased dosage of All For Reef
2. set up a RO top off directly from RODI system.

After setting up the UV light I didn't see any effect on the tank after 1-2 hours.
I went away from the tank for around 3 hours and when I got back I've noticed cloudiness in the tank + elevated temp.

I've immediately turned off the UV and the AFR dosing.

I think that there are 2 options for the new cloudiness in the tank:
1. UV heats the water which causes a bacteria bloom
2. UV light is not compatible with reef aquarium?


PH: 8.15 - 8.33
Alkalinity: 7.6 (Thats why I've increased the AFR dosage, aiming for 8.5)
Phosphate: 0.07 - 0.09
Nitrate: 19.7
Salinity: 1.025

What do you guys think?
I've order SeaCam clarity in case it will still be cloudy tomorrow, should I use it?


Thanks!

 

[The Roaming Reefer]

Check the Uv to see if water leaked into the quartz sleeve. If the bulb or connection to the bulb got wet, it could be shorting out in your tank. 1/2 degree temp increase wouldn’t cause any issues.

 

[schafon]

Check the Uv to see if water leaked into the quartz sleeve. If the bulb or connection to the bulb got wet, it could be shorting out in your tank. 1/2 degree temp increase wouldn’t cause any issues.

First thing I've checked, took the bulb out, nothing there, not even humidity.

 

[Lbrdsoxfan]

Temp increase is due to the UV for sure, dont worry about it You did fully disassemble the uv before install? There is usually packing crap inside the housing. Also how long since transfer? New sand?

 

[schafon]

I've took out the bulb just to see what inside and washed the water pass-way with tap water than salt water, didn't noticed anything inside.

Transfer was a week ago from today, new sand and some new rock (dry).
Started to get brown and ugly (both sand and rock) in the last 2 days, but seems to be under control.

BTW, i've noticed the cloudiness coming out of the return nozzle to the display, so that's defiantly coming from the sump.

 

[MrGisonni]

Probably a bacterial bloom. AFR does add a bit of carbon dosing. And I am not surprised this is happening after a tank reboot. Ironically I think the tool you need to add here IS the uv. Imho

 

[littlefoxx]

Hi everyone!
I recently setup my RedSea 750xxl, it was a tank transfer from my 120G system.
Everything moved from there including live rock minus sand (got new).
The transfer went pretty well, everything looked very good till today.

I've changed 3 things today:
1. Plumbed a 55 watt UV light from Amazon
2. increased dosage of All For Reef
2. set up a RO top off directly from RODI system.

After setting up the UV light I didn't see any effect on the tank after 1-2 hours.
I went away from the tank for around 3 hours and when I got back I've noticed cloudiness in the tank + elevated temp.
View attachment 3175395
I've immediately turned off the UV and the AFR dosing.

I think that there are 2 options for the new cloudiness in the tank:
1. UV heats the water which causes a bacteria bloom
2. UV light is not compatible with reef aquarium?


PH: 8.15 - 8.33
Alkalinity: 7.6 (Thats why I've increased the AFR dosage, aiming for 8.5)
Phosphate: 0.07 - 0.09
Nitrate: 19.7
Salinity: 1.025

What do you guys think?
I've order SeaCam clarity in case it will still be cloudy tomorrow, should I use it?


Thanks!

I stand by UV lights. They make my tank water crystal clear. I doubt that the uv is the cause. Now maybe the heat is causing it. I actually have two tanks. Red sea 70 gallon and a 125 (unknown brand). So my 70 got super cloudy after the UV like yours, but I checked the temp and it was very high. So I took the heater completely out of that tank and just keep the UV in the back of the tank (the “sump” is in the back compartment) and it cleared in a day or so. But my 125 has a UV and a heater and no issues. Maybe taking the heater out and see?

 

[schafon]

I control my heater with a heater controller + the APEX, I can see when it's on or off and I verefied it was off using the power consumption.

This morning the tank is clear again.
Now I will turn the UV on and let it run for few hours, then turn on the AFR and see if there is any cloudiness.

 

[bert236]

I stand by UV lights. They make my tank water crystal clear. I doubt that the uv is the cause.

I'll second this. I have a 10ft 400 gallon tank at work with an aqua uv and the tank is crystal clear down the 10ft section. Cleared up a brutal algae bloom and bacteria bloom quick for us. The tank looked like a phyto culture I'm guessing due to the tap water we initially filled the tank with to cycle. Unless something is wrong with the uv it won't be the cause but it sounds like a bacterial bloom so it should be the solution. I don't know anything about that uv but are you sure it's ok to use with saltwater? Have you matched the proper flow rate to deal with bacteria and algaes? It will be a much higher turnover than for parasites. Another consideration is where the output of the uv is.

 

[schafon]

Don't get me wrong guys, I'm all in for UV, I've used a UV in the other tank before the upgrade and now I've purchased a bigger UV for the new one.

I don't know anything about that uv but are you sure it's ok to use with saltwater?

That's my biggest worry, I've send the manufacture a message using Amazon, but logic says that it's basically a plastic tube with a clear sleeve inside, the UV bulb is the same UV bulb.

I've increased the flow rate to hopefully get the temp down, I guess not it's just a waiting game.

 

[bert236]

That's my biggest worry, I've send the manufacture a message using Amazon, but logic says that it's basically a plastic tube with a clear sleeve inside, the UV bulb is the same UV bulb.

I was more worried about having metal inside it and what type. I don't think it would be causing this issue unless it's very defective. You just want to make sure you aren't going to run into rust issues like with the Coralife twists. If the manufacturer didn't give you flow rates maybe ask them if they can provide them or if not I guess the best bet would be to look at a similar sized uv that does give flow rates and go with that. It's going to raise your temp a tiny bit so don't worry about that worry about turnover rates. Bacteria breed fast compared to parasites so you need a fast turnover rate to sterilize them.

 

[The Roaming Reefer]

Do you have the all for reef dosing into your sump or your display? It could be depositing for some reason if it’s flowing through the UV sterilizer and coming out of your return as calcium carbonate or some kind of flocculant

 

[schafon]

So so far no cloudiness, water is clear.
I've turn the AFR back on.
The AFR is being dosed into the return pump section and from there to the UV and then to the display.
I've thougt it might cause a reaction but I can't find nothing about it in the forum.