Stinky aquarium

[Morganna]

Yep! My aquarium SMELLS!
I'm not sure why though, and that's why I'm here asking y'all's opinion!
It's a 10 gallon tank with no nitrates or ammonia. It has been fishless for over 3 months now, so I wouldn't think it's a rotting fish or snail or something like that.
My maple wood that's in there was naturally collected, and had been growing fungus non stop. Could that be the reason it smells?
There's also the tiniest amount of BGA, but not enough to be making it so stinky.
Just wanted some thoughts and opinions on why it smelled and if there's anything I can do about it.
Thanks!
-Morganna

 

[GaryE]

It could be the maple, or it could be the start of cyanobacter - it stinks.

Maybe having a tank with no fish - to me, that would stink...

 

[lnsaneM]

If the wood has been growing fungus then you should remove it from the aquarium, that's probably what's causing the smell too

 

[JuiceBox52]

Have you been doing water changes even while it’s empty? A stale tank can definitely smell

 

[Morganna]

Have you been doing water changes even while it’s empty? A stale tank can definitely smell

Well, because of the fungus and an algae problem I was having (but it is under control now) I have been keeping up with 10% water changes everyish week.
Hopefully the smell will go away soon.

 

[AmyKieran]

Well, because of the fungus and an algae problem I was having (but it is under control now) I have been keeping up with 10% water changes everyish week.
Hopefully the smell will go away soon.

10% is nowhere near big enough weekly, I do 75% weekly. 10% isn’t gunna change the nitrate much. Bump up water change amount

 

[kiko]

10% is nowhere near big enough weekly, I do 75% weekly. 10% isn’t gunna change the nitrate much. Bump up water change amount

pretty sure we had a thread about this very same issue not very long ago xD
small VS big water changes...

just keep doing your 10% water changes and fix the problem at hand...
take the wood out...boil it for a good 10mins..clean it up...let it drop to room temp and put it back in
now...your water stinking staleness as previously said will cause smell you need something to move the water around
you didn't mention if you had any type of filtration or anything going in your tank
but after you clean up the wood look at getting a small power head at least

 

[JuiceBox52]

pretty sure we had a thread about this very same issue not very long ago xD
small VS big water changes...

just keep doing your 10% water changes and fix the problem at hand...
take the wood out...boil it for a good 10mins..clean it up...let it drop to room temp and put it back in
now...your water stinking staleness as previously said will cause smell you need something to move the water around
you didn't mention if you had any type of filtration or anything going in your tank
but after you clean up the wood look at getting a small power head at least

Boiling will break down the cells and make it rot faster I don’t recommend it

 

[jaylach]

pretty sure we had a thread about this very same issue not very long ago xD
small VS big water changes...

just keep doing your 10% water changes and fix the problem at hand...
take the wood out...boil it for a good 10mins..clean it up...let it drop to room temp and put it back in
now...your water stinking staleness as previously said will cause smell you need something to move the water around
you didn't mention if you had any type of filtration or anything going in your tank
but after you clean up the wood look at getting a small power head at least

It is my understanding that you should never boil wood as it breaks down the fibers causing the wood to more quickly break down and rot.

I TOTALLY agree about still having filtration going for water movement and... well... filtration. If there is no movement or filtration the water can become stagnant.

 

[kiko]

I don't have a single piece of wood in my tanks that hasn't been boiled before going into my tanks..
heck I even boiled cholla wood for my shrimps

 

[Morganna]

just keep doing your 10% water changes and fix the problem at hand...
take the wood out...boil it for a good 10mins..clean it up...let it drop to room temp and put it back in
now...your water stinking staleness as previously said will cause smell you need something to move the water around
you didn't mention if you had any type of filtration or anything going in your tank
but after you clean up the wood look at getting a small power head at least

I boiled it before I first initially put it in the tank to help sterilize it some since I got it from my yard.
For now I have currently done another water change (20%) and scrubbed the wood. It looks a lot better, and doesn't smell as much, making me think that the fungus might be the culprit.
I have a sponge filter running, to answer y'all's question.
Thanks so much for y'all's responses!