Milky looking water

[DSAfanatic]

I have a 90 gallon tank and for no reason last week it started getting a little cloudy. I thought it was just a sand storm and repositioned my Vortech. By Sunday, the water was almost white. It looked as if someone poured milk into my tank. I did a 30% water change and it cleared up slightly, but after a few hours it was right back the way it was. I started running a LOT of carbon last night and it is still the same today. So, I did a 50% water change and as of right now it is still a little cloudy, but its only been an hour or so. My ammonia before the water change was .25. I am waiting a couple of more hours to test it again. Nitrite and Nitrates are undetectable, KH is 12, Calcium 420, Temp 78, Salinity is 1.022.

I had a 40g for a year and transfered everything to my new 90 gallon tank 6 months ago. I did have it as a bare bottom setup, but I added some sand about a month ago.

Any ideas what might be causing it?

[LoneStar]

What kinda live stock do you have in the tank?

[DSAfanatic]

Sailfin Tang, Bristletooth tang, sixline wrasse, neon goby, 2 false perc clowns, algae blenny, RBTA, a couple of softies and a bunch of sps

[LoneStar]

hmmm sure it wasn't from the anenome?

[JimD]

hmmm sure it wasn't from the anenome?

It very well could be, Ive had them "smoke" on several occasions. Usually the skimmer goes nuts and the water has an odor.... Keep running fresh carbon and do smaller water changes, keep an eye on other softies and LPS you might have especialy Frogspawn or similar....

[DSAfanatic]

It very well could be, Ive had them "smoke" on several occasions. Usually the skimmer goes nuts and the water has an odor.... Keep running fresh carbon and do smaller water changes, keep an eye on other softies and LPS you might have especialy Frogspawn or similar....

What causes them to "smoke"? My skimmer isn't pulling anything more than it normally does though.

[DSAfanatic]

Some people said it could be a bacteria bloom and it may last for 10-14 days.

What do ya'll think?

[Bill S]

.25 Ammonia IS a problem. What kind of test kit? Did it ever show "zero" before (some, like API, can show a false-positive for ammonia)?

[R.Allard]

are you running a kalk reactor??

[JoshOdphi]

from my experience...when my frogspawn died...thats exactly how it turned the water....a couple of water changes later everything was good....i have my a/c to blame for the deaths of my corals....

[JimD]

Any ammonia reading is a reason to be concerned. Varify your reading with a friend or a local fish store that you trust. If its for real, theres something in there thats dead, if you have a decent cleanup crew, the level should go down in a few days... Are you missing anything like some snails or something?

[DSAfanatic]

.25 Ammonia IS a problem. What kind of test kit? Did it ever show "zero" before (some, like API, can show a false-positive for ammonia)?

I used an API test kit and I tested twice to ensure it was actually .25 but the day before it tested 0.

[DSAfanatic]

are you running a kalk reactor??

I am running a Geo Calcium Reactor and have been for a year now. That was the first thing I checked. I wanted to make sure that the media didn't turn to mush.

[DSAfanatic]

Are you missing anything like some snails or something?

I'm not missing any fish or snails that I know off. I haven't seen my sea cucumber in a while, but he rarely comes out from the rocks. Yes...I know it was a bad idea to put it in there and as soon as he shows himself he is coming out...unless he is the one thats dead.

[Bill S]

Take a sample to a LFS or a friend for testing - with a different kit manufacturer.

And, turn off your Ca reactor - for now - just in case that's it.

[JTrott]

How long has the tank been setup?

Jason

[DSAfanatic]

6 months except and most of the rock and sand came from my 40g that was setup for a year.

[Mr Cob]

If it's a bacteria bloom then the water is low in oxygen. It would not hurt to add an airstone in there to help clear the water if it is in fact a bacteria bloom.

[Mr Cob]

You also said you have a lot of SPS, could the SPS be breeding...? Just a thought. I don't know much about this but have heard of similar stories.

[Bill S]

You also said you have a lot of SPS, could the SPS be breeding...? Just a thought. I don't know much about this but have heard of similar stories.

Interesting thought, Rob. Coral spawn at the full moon, which was last week. Don't know how they know it's a full moon... Is there a calendar in your fishroom?

[aggman]

the same thing happened to my tank in june. and it was my anemone. stupid thing floated right into my powerhead. and i had the 'milk' effect too. he didn't die though, i was able to pull him out of the powerhead, and he only lost about half of his tentacles.

and i have heard some real bad stories of the cucumbers freaking out and spewing their filth in to the water, but that usually kills everything doesn't it? maybe your anemone split and the baby got a vortech swirly. lol, i have learned that anything is possible.

~alex

[Mr Cob]

Fullmoon...Maybe a window...LOL.

[JoshOdphi]

clear up any?

[beareef19]

Have you added calcium lately? If you add to much it will precipitate out and you will have a milk storm or actually creating small grains or sand.Caused by water and chemical imbalance.
Barry