Took over 4 years.. but back in the hobby :)

My RODI is a 0ppm courtesy of the RODI unit I won at Frag Farmers Market and measured by TDS meter bought on Amazon recently. Also.. haven’t tested CA and Mg as color and growth (unrelated but polyp extension) have been great. I do have test kits, just reluctant to crack them open.
Lol,
 

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What is your setting on Hydra 26HD?

I was setting it as follow and my corals very happy.

Start 3pm to 9pm with ramping 1:30
Total 9hrs

UV 9
Royal blue 116
Blue 100
White 15
Green 5
Red 7

Never had any issues. So, I don't agree you blame on the Hydra 26HD LOL...also, try to use "Chemipure Elite" that might help your cloudy water to clear up. I always used it on my system and replace every 3 months.
 
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I’ll test Ca and Mg when I get home today. I’ve done 4 huge (10 gallon) water changes in the last 2 weeks. I mix, let it sit over night with Powerhead and heater. Match temp and salinity. It is always clear when it goes in. Does that rule out precipitation?

I don’t really think it is the hydra... it’s just wild timing if that makes sense. I just did the “easy setup” and have lights on from 1-9 with a 2 hour ramp. It has been in acclimation mode. I had it set to finish acclimation mode in a few days.

I’ll get some chemipure elite..

Thank you guys for working through this with me!
 
That def looks like a bacteria bloom in the water column, I've had 2 and both went away before I had to buy a UV sterilizer. Something probably went out of wack in the chemistry and the population exploded. If you have a skimmer you should be fine, but if not I'd maybe add an airstone so you can get more O2 in the water as those guys can suck it up fast and lead to hypoxia
 
Something is blooming in the water column. See if you can borrow/buy a uv sterilizer and that should clear that up.

I think yall are right to try the chemipure then consider a uv sterilizer. I don't really want to go that route tbh.

Another reefer suggested a round of Clarity.

@Aquanaut... I really thought it was bacterial. It's a relatively new tank, although I did allow it to cycle slowly and naturally.. it can be part of new tank syndrome. Fish seem fine though, not bothered at all. Also, I've been reading and 10 days is a very long long time for a bacterial bloom. This has been a few weeks now. In fact.. I messaged a fellow reefer friend on June 12 that the tank is driving me nuts and I'd just done a water change hoping to interrupt (what I thought was) a bacterial bloom.

That's why I was so aggressive with the water changes initially. Both to remove the bacteria, but also to have the mechanics of dumping water in the tank give it a surge of O2.
 
CoralJunkie had green water and even doing a larger than 50% water change didn’t help. By any chance is there aerosols/candles or incense being used around the tank?
 
CoralJunkie had green water and even doing a larger than 50% water change didn’t help. By any chance is there aerosols/candles or incense being used around the tank?


Man what a pain. UGH.

I do light a candle couple hours sometimes. Maybe two or three times in as many months. Definitely no aerosols. I'm very careful with cleaning chemicals and such.
 
CHECK IT OUT!!
Hey all! I have NO idea what I did to please the reef gods, but my tank magically cleared up. Just- clear.

Thank you all sooooo much for going through the frustrations with me. And I sure hope it doesn’t come back!
 

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A small tank update:

A bit fed up with the Aiptasia that snuck in. Gosh I felt I did better than this. Anyway.. picked up 3 Berghia nudis (gotta love autocorrect on a reef forum ) Wish me luck! Hope this goes well!! He also gave me a fresh cut acro with blue polyps! Pretty excited to see it grow our thank you @saltwaterB so great to meet you and see you again soon! So nice to talk with someone that sees this as a fantastic hobby and also looking at the big picture and how coral figures into it.

Coralline is growing (would love to find some scrolling coralline!) and color is coming back. I had a lot of colors disappear when I changed my light from a Brightek Cetus to a hydra. And the untimely something or other bloom and cloudy tank. About 3 weeks into dosing Brightwell CoralAmino I’m seeing good things. Not sure if it’s the CoralAmino or the new clear tank lol Probably a good bit of both!!

The corals I added a few months ago are doing quite well and I am enjoying the growth. This is why aquariums are so addicting!!
 

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So. My BC29 tank now just hit between 5-6 months. I’m an “experienced” reefer.. but damn. Every tank is different.

Not to provoke Karma.. but I’ve added 3 fish. All are well. 2 snapping shrimps. Both are happy and expose themselves frequently. A handful of clean up.. snails and crabs are alive. May have lost a few microscopic hermits.. but I doubt it.

Corals.. from SPS to LPS. All well and happy.

But my tank is sooooo cloudy!!
I started with an undersized light from Dong (footprint changed.) All looked FANTASTIC!!

Added 2 gobies and a Mandy and two snapping shrimps. Biota Mandy was insanely small... and have been adding phyto, pods and feeding (for me) heavy.

Then I found a hydra for sale (supposed to be only a couple years old.)

Bought it. Put it on the tank. For the last month-dig... I’ve been dealing with cloudy tank.

I was worried about bacterial bloom. Paid attention to water movement and changes to avoid a low o2 situation. Every one is fine but damn. Still cloudy.

I use Reef crystals. All parameters have been good.. (yeah.. Am 0, nitrate 5 (omg I’ve fought nitrates before and 90 didn’t have symptoms AND was shocked due to heavy feeding. Nitrite 0, PH typically 8.4 ish, haven’t tested Ca and Mg.. but have kits and will if advised to do so. Don’t think it will help.)

We call this the uglys stage it is probably just an algae bloom I read your original post but I forget did you start with dry rock or used rock? BTw welcome back to this madness we call a hobby
 
We call this the uglys stage it is probably just an algae bloom I read your original post but I forget did you start with dry rock or used rock? BTw welcome back to this madness we call a hobby
Thank you!!

I’m in the happy stage now. And wanted to share I’d turned a corner. Clear water, lots of growth. Perhaps I should make an official build thread
 
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