Can't get water clear

I have an 24 gal Aquapod Nano Tank Salt water tank. It has sand on the bottom and no live rock. It has been established for about 3 months now with water obtained from the aquarium store. I seem to have a lot of orange-ish algae? on the glass and the artificial rocks. The fish are fine but it is ugly. The tank also seems to run hot around 82-85 deg. I don't even turn the big bright light on because that seems to make it hotter and more cloudy. I rinse the sponges once a week. Any suggestions. I have another saltwater tank that is just an old fashioned tank with an penguin bio wheel filter, and this tank is between 75 - 78 deg and is crystal clear and maintenance free! I do the same feedings in each tank and they have the same amount of fish. Any suggestions would be appreciated. (I also do a water change once a month, (water from aquarium store) and emply about half of the tank.

Thanks

Jen

 

most likely bacterial blooms due to the lack of rock

 

I have bio balls, does that help?

 

No

 

I would definitely add some live rock to the tank. Also try running some carbon in the filter. Do you have a clean up crew?

 

Sorry pack i have to dissagree bio balls preform the same function of live rock in a system.

 

Hi sean

they perform a similar function but not as well IMO

they present a great surface area for the oxygen requiring bacteria species
they dont have any anaerobic areas for the bacteria that converts Nitrate to Nitrogen gas

Live rock does have these areas in the pores and inside the rock itself

tanks with Bioballs and lack of maintenance/ cleaning coupled with a lack of areas for these nitrogen breathing bacteria - have a tendency IME to experience Nitrate issues

if you have Bioballs and a lot of live rock or Nitrate reductor or other means of Nitrate export fuge, DSB etc
for example you would be OK

but if you just run bioballs as you main source of biological filtration and dont to the maintenance you could have issues


Steve

 

additional comment for Jen

if you have access to a product called Purigen by Seachem- that does an excellent job of polishing water - IME even better than carbon in terms of results per QTY used
it can be placed in the external filter same as carbon could be

Steve

 

Yes, I do use carbon in a bag between the 2 sponges. Thanks. One more questions. Does it have anything to do with the water being so warm?