Re:hazy/cloudy water quality

Dear Kinsey:

The kind of cloudy or hazy aquarium conditions you describe can result from a number of causes — a bacterial bloom, a vegetative event during which a mass die off of Caulerpa occurred, precipitation from improperly mixed saltwater, fine sediment stirred up from a white sand substrate, etc..

It’s very difficult to determine what may be causing the foggy or cloudy aquarium water in your case without knowing more about your aquarium system. How big is your seahorse aquarium, Kinsey? What type of filtration system and equipment does the aquarium use? How is the turnover rate or circulation in the aquarium and what provides the aeration? Does it include a live sand bed? How about live rock? Does the aquarium have any form of mechanical or chemical filtration? How long has the aquarium been established (up and running with the biofilter fully cycled)?

What are the current inhabitants or specimens that are living in the aquarium? what species of seahorses are you keeping? How about a cleanup crew — do you any sanitation engineers for your seahorse tank, Kinsey? Are there any macroalgae or marine plants in the tank?

What is your feeding regimen for the seahorses (what do you feed them, how much do you feed them, and how often do you feed them)? How do you offer the food to your seahorses?

What are your current aquarium parameters (temperature, pH, specific gravity, ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate readings)? Also, it would be very helpful if you can tell me the dissolved oxygen levels in your seahorse tank if you monitor the DO.

Please get back to me with the additional information I requested as soon as possible, Kinsey. In the meantime, I would recommend increasing the aeration and circulation in the cloudy aquarium and adding a good brand of activated aquarium (i.e., low ash content and phosphate free) to your external filter. Feed the seahorses very sparingly until you get back to me. I hope to hear from you again shortly!

Respectfully,
Pete Giwojna