# Um, my tank stinks...



## Melissa3 (Feb 27, 2007)

I set up a 10gal tank over the weekend and last night when I checked it I noticed it had a funky smell. Kind of sour, like a turtle tank, and it doesn't smell anything like my 29gal, which smells like fresh dirt.

I got the tank and equipment from a friend and cleaned it throughly (with warm water) before I set it up. I only have regular gravel in it, which I cleaned also. I checked ammonia, nitrate and nitrite and the results were fine. I just don't understand why it smells.  

I'm still a newbie and this is the first tank I've set up myself, my 29gal was already running when I got it, and I'd like to know is this smell common while the tank cycles? Will the smell go away or should I be concerned?

Thanks.


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## evercl92 (Aug 14, 2006)

Prob should do a WC. Any fish in it? See if the smell is from the filter or the water itself. Any fish in there? Any fish missing? When you say "results were fine", give us the actual results. What's "fine" to you may not be fine for others.


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## Melissa3 (Feb 27, 2007)

Nope, no fish yet. I plan on putting my 2 bettas in there but not until the tank was cycled and stable.

I thought the smell meant bad water conditions and that's why I did the tests. So, when I said the "test results were ok" I meant the nitrate/nitrite/amonnia/pH levels in that tank were ideal and safe for fish, according to what I've read. 

The filter pad is brand-new, but I soaked it water from my 29gal to get it going. 

It just doesn't smell good. I wasn't sure if something was wrong or if this is normal and goes away after awhile.


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## AaronT (Apr 26, 2004)

Are there some dead snails perhaps? Usually, something has died whenever I get a strong odor in a tank that otherwise looks fine.


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## Ownager2004 (Apr 18, 2006)

Adding some activated carbon to the filter may help with the smell. I agree a big water change would also probably help as well as a gravel vac and maybe try to stir up any deep areas of substrate.

Are you doing fishless cycling? If so, how are you going about it? And how long has the tank been set up? Im sure someone else can give better ideas on what to do if these questions are answered.


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## Melissa3 (Feb 27, 2007)

No, nothing has died in there yet, all I have in it is water, gravel and a few stones and decorations. Yes, I am doing a fishless cycle. I only just set it up on Sunday, 3 days ago, yet it smells already.

Its a strong smell. I have it in my kitchen and you smell it when you walk near the tank. 

I will try a water change and see what comes of it.....


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## furballi (Feb 2, 2007)

Rinse the tank,gravel, and filter with diluted bleach (19:1). Let air dry in the sun for 24 hour. Refill the tank with dechlorinated water. Wait one week before adding a few fish.


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## NatalieT (Mar 20, 2007)

Melissa3 said:


> No, nothing has died in there yet, all I have in it is water, gravel and a few stones and decorations.


Any dead snails in the gravel? They could have been there from the previous owner, and just started to smell since you got them wet again.

Natalie


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## ed seeley (Dec 1, 2006)

Do you have any wood in your tank? My nano had a large piece of wood that developed a bacterial/fungal growth that absolutely stank.

Other than that I'd follow the others recomendations of carbon and large water changes. Syphon the substrate as much as possible too.


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## John N. (Dec 11, 2005)

Smells like stagnant sewer water? You may need to get a better filter with more flow capabilities.

Your water shouldn't emit a foul smell, especially when just set up.

-John N.


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## Melissa3 (Feb 27, 2007)

Thanks everyone for your help!  

I just did a water change and used water from my 29gal to fill it up. Now the water smells a lot better and has that "dirt" smell (Call me weird but I just LOVE that smell! haha) 

On a sad note:

I set this tank up for my 2 bettas - 1male, 1 female. I had them in their own, seperate, 1 gal tanks and I hated it as much as they did. But when I came home I found my female betta had passed. Don't know why, she wasn't sick or showing any signs......Just makes me mad that I was so close to giving her a better home.... :tear: 

Anyway, thanks again for all your help =)


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## furballi (Feb 2, 2007)

Male can kill the female if she's not ready for breeding.


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## NatalieT (Mar 20, 2007)

The male did not kill the female--Melissa3 says "I had them in their own, seperate, 1 gal tanks."

Natalie


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## DonaldmBoyer (Aug 18, 2005)

Try adding some of the carbon from your other tank to help set up the bacterial bed. Also, when you do water changes, add water from the 29gallon into the 10 gallon. This will help to mature your tank faster, and get rid of the smell. You will also need to buy some cheap starter fish to make sure that the tank remains cycling; the bacteria you need fixate the NH4 from the fish waste, so you will need somthing in there to supply NH4.


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## Melissa3 (Feb 27, 2007)

Are small frogs good tank mates for bettas? My betta is a bully and I don't think I could put any fish in with him except large angels (which would be too big for the tank, anyways.) 

Any suggestions for tank mates?


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## ed seeley (Dec 1, 2006)

donaldmboyer said:


> Try adding some of the carbon from your other tank to help set up the bacterial bed. Also, when you do water changes, add water from the 29gallon into the 10 gallon. This will help to mature your tank faster, and get rid of the smell. You will also need to buy some cheap starter fish to make sure that the tank remains cycling; the bacteria you need fixate the NH4 from the fish waste, so you will need somthing in there to supply NH4.


Sorry but you NEVER need to add fish to cycle a tank or "make sure a tank remains cycling". The NH4 from the fish comes mainly from the food they eat which you add, amongst other things.
Just adding food will cause more than enough waste, along with all the other things dying and breaking down in a planted tank, for the filter to process and save the need to put any fish through the stress and trauma of an un-, or partly, cycled tank. In fact the recomendation of adding water from another tank will also add 'waste' for the filter to process along with some bacteria and is a great way of getting, and keeping, a new tank going. 'Starter fish' is a phrase that should be struck from everyone's vocabulary in this context.

Keep adding a small amount of food once a day or so, that will break down and your tank will be perfectly ready for when you want to add the fish you want to live in the tank permanently.


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