cloudy water, help!

[southernstyle]

I have a 180 gal reef tank and its been up for two years now.
In the past month my water has been getting cloudy on and off.
Its really irritating me, I miss my crystal clear water, please help!!

It seems that this happens when I add fresh water or on a water change, but im not positive. I have not had this problem before. I have asked all my local marine stores and they have not been able to help.
My water tests are not all exactly what they should be but not far off. My nitrates are - 0
ammonia - 0
nitrate - 0
nitrite - 0
p.h. - 8.0
calcium - 380
KH - 13 dkh
salinity - 1.026
Is there another element that I should be testing that would cause my water to be hazy.
My livestock seems to be doing good, except for my pulsating Xina died off but I have other Xina that are growing and mulitplying.

Can anyone help me?

[Rosseau]

Clams?

[Percula9]

It could be calcium precipitate, your alk is high compared to your calcium level. Don't dose alk, let it come back to around 10dkh. Bring calcium to 420 ppm. I think you have caused an ionic imbalance due to the fact that calcium and alk are some what out of balance. Try some water changes with R/O water to bring things back into balance. What brand of salt do you use?

[southernstyle]

Thanks, ill try that.

I gave up mixing my own water so I get it pre mixed from the aquarium store.

thanks again for the reply.

[bertoni]

The dKH is a bit high, but not likely low enough to cause precipitation on its own. A magnesium test result might be interesting. Cloudiness can be caused by various microbes, as well. Sometimes, water changes can encourage microbial blooms.

[southernstyle]

Thanks,
I never tested for magnesium, I will tomarrow and see what happens. I was thinking about the duration of my lights, how long do you have yours set for mine are on 12 hours would it be better to do less?

Thanks for the reply!

[bertoni]

Less is probably fine, and perhaps better for the animals, but I'm not convinced that it'll help the cloudy water situation.

[Percula9]

Is the salt water your buying, natural seawater or synthetic? I would suggest testing the water before you put it in the tank.

[jmarti705]

excess of protien maybe?

[24gnanonewbie]

Do you have any form of mechanical filtration? I had this problem and after putting a cartridge filter on it... It clear'd it right up.

[Philwd]

Do you see any stringy strands? Maybe looking a little like coral slime? If so maybe bacterial blooms.

[saltysupply]

bacteria blooms? maybe from dead xenia?

[southernstyle]

I BUY NATURAL SEA WATER FROM A STORE 1.00 A GALLON. THE STORE I BUY IT FROM IS REALLY POPULAR AND THE GUY HAS SOME AWSOME LIVESTOCK SO I FIGURED IT WOULD BE A GOOD THING. I MY WATER IS FILTERED THROUGH CARBON BAGS THEN A 100 MICRON PAD, THEN INTO THE SUMP WITH THE PROTIEN SKIMMER. WELL I GOT HOME FROM WORK TODAY AND THE WATER CLEARED UP A LITTLE BUT STILL HAZEY, IM PRAYING IT WILL GET BETTER. IS THERE A CHEMICAL TREATMENT FOR BACTERIA BLOOMS?
THANKS EVERYBODY FOR YOUR RESPONSE.

[southernstyle]

I BUY NATURAL SEA WATER FROM A STORE 1.00 A GALLON. THE STORE I BUY IT FROM IS REALLY POPULAR AND THE GUY HAS SOME AWSOME LIVESTOCK SO I FIGURED IT WOULD BE A GOOD THING. I MY WATER IS FILTERED THROUGH CARBON BAGS THEN A 100 MICRON PAD, THEN INTO THE SUMP WITH THE PROTIEN SKIMMER. WELL I GOT HOME FROM WORK TODAY AND THE WATER CLEARED UP A LITTLE BUT STILL HAZEY, IM PRAYING IT WILL GET BETTER. IS THERE A CHEMICAL TREATMENT FOR BACTERIA BLOOMS?
THANKS EVERYBODY FOR YOUR RESPONSE.

[bertoni]

I don't know of a chemical treatment, but if you could borrow a good UV unit for a few days, that might help.

[Percula9]

Like I said earlier I think water changes would be a good idea, before attempting a chemical solution. Potasium permagenate will knock out bacterial blooms. I think a UV sterilizer might be a good idea.