LF: UV sterilizer. Tank turned super cloudy in 3 hours.

[thesassyindian]

Hello all,
Does anyone have a spare UV sterilizer and willing to part with it? Even on a temporary basis?

My tank turned cloudy over the span of 3 hours tonight, and I’m just trying to be prepared just in case.

Thanks!

 

[NanoCrazed]

That's not a sterilizer solvable problem.

Looks like a bacterial bloom. Did you perhaps have something die in the tank or recently changed water?

 

[reefjedi]

Do you have a skimmer? If it's a bacterial bloom, then a skimmer will help. Try skimming wet?

 

[thesassyindian]

@NanoCrazed, water change day is tomorrow. ot sure if anything is dead - I will need to take inventory of my CUC. My three fish are alive.

@reefjedi no skimmer - it’s a tiny AIO tank.

 

[thesassyindian]

@NanoCrazed will a large 50%ish water change help?

 

[NanoCrazed]

@NanoCrazed will a large 50%ish water change help?

It should. I would test for ammonia and nitrates as well.

 

[Rostato]

Could have just been a snail squirting some sperm as well...

 

[Meshmez]

That's not a sterilizer solvable problem.

Looks like a bacterial bloom. Did you perhaps have something die in the tank or recently changed water?

UV doesn't help a bacterial bloom?

 

[NanoCrazed]

Well, it'll clear up the water after awhile but it's not solving the root cause(s). So on the surface water is clear but underneath there could be bigger issues that persist or snowballs.

Plus, with bacterial blooms, the oxygen will get used up, so livestock might get impacted during. Potentially, it might shift the balance of things in the tank too.

Water changes are much more impactful to the problem than UV might. Since you are diluting the junk in the water to try to restore balance, imo.

 

[NanoCrazed]

Could have just been a snail squirting some sperm as well...

Mmmm... the make small spurts. But if a snail can make the whole tank is cloudy, it's career worthy...

Now if there were BTAs that spawn, it would be the case. Or if a bta dies.

 

[bp123987]

ive got a green machine mini uv i would part with. i've had bacteria blooms like this (usually with bare bottom tanks) and dinos that it's knocked out. let me know if you want to try the UV, good suggestions above too

 

[Chromis]

Would trying UV hurt anything though? If it’s the third possibility, a phytoplankton bloom, it will help.

 

[RandyC]

Mmmm... the make small spurts. But if a snail can make the whole tank is cloudy, it's career worthy...

Now if there were BTAs that spawn, it would be the case. Or if a bta dies.

I've definitely had a tank get cloudy after the moonlight spunking session of trochus snails on number of times in different tanks.

 

[Rostato]

Mmmm... the make small spurts. But if a snail can make the whole tank is cloudy, it's career worthy...

Now if there were BTAs that spawn, it would be the case. Or if a bta dies.

When one does it in my tank it clouds the whole thing up. Usually around 7pm.

 

[NanoCrazed]

When one does it in my tank it clouds the whole thing up. Usually around 7pm.

Interesting. I've seen spurts but usually just fades as soon as it comes (probably a bad choice of words...lol)

 

[tankguy]

Ive always struggled with keeping a small tank. Things can go sour quick. Who am I kidding Ive always struggled period

 

[thesassyindian]

Took inventory of my livestock. All accounted for, except one cerith snail. I guess RIP?
Since one hermit magically is wearing its shell as a home.
Freaking Ed Gein of hermits!

 

[RandyC]

Cerith snails do occasionally bury themselves in sand. So unless you see the empty she'll, I wouldn't count it as a loss just yet.

 

[thesassyindian]

Cerith snails do occasionally bury themselves in sand. So unless you see the empty she'll, I wouldn't count it as a loss just yet.

Yep! I sifted my entire sand bed to look for the snail. I had a few spare shells as well in there, so it might be one of those.
Have since removed the spare shells from the tank, and will take another headcount in a few days.

 

[max_nano]

Yep! I sifted my entire sand bed to look for the snail. I had a few spare shells as well in there, so it might be one of those.
Have since removed the spare shells from the tank, and will take another headcount in a few days.

You might want to put them back in as inventory for hermits if you have more than the one, it can cut down on the crab fights sorta