Also have the light on for a shorter time so the algae grows less, giving the animals time to eat what is produced.

 

If after all of that it still has not diminished after about a week or two, I'd borrow a UV Sterilizer and run it for 2-4 weeks. That usually clears the problem if there are enough animals to keep it under control after that. Green water from algae is good in a way since it's good food for many reef organisms.

 

Here was a problem I had.

 

And this is what fixed it:

 

The skimmer did nothing so I added coral and clams. This large clam was from a friend who was moving. I didn't have to use a UV Sterilizer this time but since then I have used it successfuly in many tanks temporarily until the tank was able to clean the water itself.

 

So I began growing phytoplankton to feed the clam.

 

Clownfish loved that clam

If the cloudiness is a gray color, it will eventually clear up. If it is a green color it may rrequire more time or some other attention. Which color is it?

 

There are some other hobbyists here that also live in Evanston. Why not ask in a new thread if anyone there can bring over some Macroalgae and a quart or more of their Live Sand. Or you could go see their tanks and learn from them. Take some of your sand to trade for theirs.

These two things, LS and macroalgae will help improve the aquarium in several ways. It will start to capture the dust that is floating in the water and it will add some of the life that is currently missing, which also captures dust from the water. The algae and LS will also help filter the water in very good ways. Be patient and let us know how this goes. Call me if you want immediate help. My phone number is below and I enjoy helping. Also check out this thread which gives lots of tips and understanding of how to have a beautiful reef aquarium.