Smelly Tank

[keeleyb]

Ok folks, I have a smelly, cloudy tank. I have posted this in the emergency section and have had some helpful replies but actually I dont think now that it is an emergency as I havent lost any fish like many of the poor folk who are posting on there!

So this is the score, small tank 38L with 3 adult platys and 5 fry a few weeks old floating in a breeder trap. I have been advised that the cloudy water is probably bacterial and due to over feeding, so I did a 50% water change 2-3 days ago and have just done a 25% change because I noticed that the adults were hanging out on the surface, all water tests have come back within safe parameters, however it still smells, a bit like brussell sprouts (rotting!) and is still cloudy at the bottom, I have hoovered as best I can but in such a small tank it syphons off the water too quick. so here are my newbie questions........

1. how often can I safely carry out water changes and hoovering?
2. if all water readings are fine is is ok to put back some of the water after hoovering, because all the debris sinks to the bottom of the bucket, I am thinking that I could hoover every day if I could put the water back (hope that makes sense!)
3.with each water change I am adding a quantity of water conditioner but have read on the info board that you should avoid adding too many things to your water (which I find confusing)

Hope these are not daft questions, I am thinking that I must be doing something right because my babies are thriving (really cute!)

many thanks to all you very helpful and knowledgable folk out there
regards
Keeleyx

 

[modaz]

hi
do a water change of 25% every week, choose a day then keep to it, never put the old water back, the reason for water change is to add freshwater to the tank and good for your fry, you must add the recommended amount of conditioner with every change to nutralize chemicals from your tap water.

 

[Dutchie]

I would actually do a 10-15% water change every second day until the cloudiness and smell clears up.........weekly may not assist in getting rid of the cloudiness quickly.........

 

[sarena_rye]

I would actually do a 10-15% water change every second day until the cloudiness and smell clears up.........weekly may not assist in getting rid of the cloudiness quickly.........

I agree. I do a 10-15% water change every two-three days as a rule because I have fry almost constantly and prefer to make sure the water is as fresh as possible for them.

 

[ICEEGRL]

In an emergency this is what I do when I need to clean and can't afford to change more water that soon...
put just a little carbon in some filter material. Then fasten it to the dumping end of the syphon with a rubber band tightly so it doesn't come off. Then do a good gravel vac stopping to dump the water back in the tank now and then. The filter material filters it just like a hang on filter would. The only difference is doing it this way you can actually reach to the bottom where the problem is. The carbon helps with the smell. doing this you can just keep cleaning until you feel you are through. It is not a water change. It is extra (manual) filtration. Just make sure you use a clean safe bucket or something to catch the water in so it doesn't get anything bad in it. You will also need a spair bucket to swap your hose into while you dump that one. This way you don't have to keep starting the suction over.
This has worked for me many times. If you do decide to try it... don't forget to rinse the carbon first. You don't want the dust in your water.
I am filtering this way with just a polishing pad on one of my tanks that has green water issues. I do it every day now so the plants can get enough light to grow. once they start growing enough that should fix the problem. I hope so any way.
Good luck

 

[keeleyb]

In an emergency this is what I do when I need to clean and can't afford to change more water that soon...
put just a little carbon in some filter material. Then fasten it to the dumping end of the syphon with a rubber band tightly so it doesn't come off. Then do a good gravel vac stopping to dump the water back in the tank now and then. The filter material filters it just like a hang on filter would. The only difference is doing it this way you can actually reach to the bottom where the problem is. The carbon helps with the smell. doing this you can just keep cleaning until you feel you are through. It is not a water change. It is extra (manual) filtration. Just make sure you use a clean safe bucket or something to catch the water in so it doesn't get anything bad in it. You will also need a spair bucket to swap your hose into while you dump that one. This way you don't have to keep starting the suction over.
This has worked for me many times. If you do decide to try it... don't forget to rinse the carbon first. You don't want the dust in your water.
I am filtering this way with just a polishing pad on one of my tanks that has green water issues. I do it every day now so the plants can get enough light to grow. once they start growing enough that should fix the problem. I hope so any way.
Good luck

Thanks for all advice, this site is better than any book you can buy!. I am thinking of getting a little tank for the fry, because everything was going swimmingly (excuse the pun!) until they arrived, sadly I cannot bare to watch them get eaten and LFS wont take untill at least a couple of months old.
Thanks again
regards
Keeleyx

 

[celaeno]

1. how often can I safely carry out water changes and hoovering?
2. if all water readings are fine is is ok to put back some of the water after hoovering, because all the debris sinks to the bottom of the bucket, I am thinking that I could hoover every day if I could put the water back (hope that makes sense!)
3.with each water change I am adding a quantity of water conditioner but have read on the info board that you should avoid adding too many things to your water (which I find confusing)

1.as much as once every 4-6 hours
2.yes, as long as you don't pour back any debris into the tank
3.water conditioner is a necessary chemical if you have chlorine/chloramine in your tap water, but other chemicals are usually unnecessary and are best not to use.

 

[MojoDex]

i had a problem like this in my planted tank it started to smell a bit rank all i did was create water movment with a good powerhead now u may well have a powerhead already but i dont know lol

but with this being a fry tank its probly not a good idea so i think the water changes everyone else has recommended are better

 

[Dutchie]

i had a problem like this in my planted tank it started to smell a bit rank all i did was create water movment with a good powerhead now u may well have a powerhead already but i dont know lol

but with this being a fry tank its probly not a good idea so i think the water changes everyone else has recommended are better

Mojo, I'm seriously impressed with the amount of tanks you have............my god, imagine the maintenance...............just as well you dont name each fish..............Do you??

Amazed actually...............and I thought I was getting passionate.........WOW

 

[Miss Wiggle]

just a note about siphoning the water out, if the siphon is going too quickly and draining the tank before you have tiem to hoover up all the debris, try pinching the tube, not completely tightly but just enough to give a bit more resistant, you can put a peg or something on it so you don't need to keep holding it. the thinner the tube (at the smallest point) the slower the siphon. or if you nose around lfs's and diy stores you will probably be able to find a thinner length of tube to use.

 

[vinylman]

Firstly, water changes are to do just that - change water. Once you've syphoned some dirty water out, replace it with fresh, dechlorinated water. Also when you vac the gravel, don't do more than half of the gravel at any one time; do one half the next water change, then the other half the time after that.

 

[kpintheshed]

my water smelt alot so i did a water change and the smell went like that.