Smelly Water

[Clear_View]

Okay, well I am just starting to cycle a 30 gallon tank. I tried to explain the whole fish and fishless tank cycling process to my mom the other day. Well so I thought she understood me, so I went off to school the next day, and I come home and look in my fish tank and there are 3 feeder fish swimming around. . I asked my mom why she put them in there and she said, so that I can cycle my tank. Well I guess she wanted to me cycle it with fish. She said she couldnt find ammonia for the fish tank in the store so she just got some cheap feeder fish. So I thought that would be fine. I took some gravel from my already cycled fish tank and hung it in a stocking in there, and let the filter run and stuff in the tank. Well today I went to feed the fish and the water smells awful. I just did a 20% change last night. It was starting smell a little funky then too, but nothing like today. So is there anything I can do to make that smell go away or is that just what happens when you cycle a fish tank? Or is it because of the feeder fish? I would really appreciate any advice. Thanks.

 

[Shizat]

Do you have any carbon in your filter?.... If not throw a bag of it in there and change it out every month. It takes out the color and odor out of the water. I'm thinking its from the goldfish though since they are pretty nasty fish.

 

[Da_Oz]

Fishy smell - strong pungent smell that resembles a dead fish that is not freshly caught. Smell is typical of ammonia or nitrite, but can also be caused by dirty gravel, filter and water. Solution = partial water change with a gravel vacuum and new activated carbon. You may also see a blue green algae or a white cloudy tank outbreak if let go

Mildewy smell. I have only had this smell occur in a planted tank that was starting to crash. I have not been able to find a lot of information on this smell, but I have a strong suspicion it is the first indicator of plants starting to stagnate and rot. You may also see a blue green algae outbreak.

Rotten egg smell - This is hydrogen sulfide buildup do to an anaerobic gravel bed. Very carefully gravel vacuum as release of hydrogen sulfide bubbles can be detrimental to your fish. May also see nitrite levels when tested for as denitrification takes place in anaerobic conditions.

Earthy smell like rich compost - this is a good smell that signifies that your biological filter is breaking down wastes and functioning properly. This is how your water should smell always.

 

[Clear_View]

Thanks for the help. It was like a fishy smell. So I cleaned the gravel and did a water change and I took 3 of the fish out. I read that they are very messy fish and that is starting to help get rid of the smell

 

[SnowyzMom]

Yeah it was probably ammonia you smelled. Goldfish are big poopers and that equals lots of smelly waste. Mind you that is part of cycling the tank too. I'm just glad I got old gravel and bio filters and didn't have to go through that. Hang in there.