Stinky Tank

[caitylee]

Okay I have a question. We am new to the planted tank thing. We just planted our ten gallon and it seems like every since then when I walk into my house it stinks. Do planted tanks normally smell up a house? Is there anything I can do about it? Am I doing something wrong?

[Ozymandias]

might be something wrong i've never had a tank that smell bad. what exactly does it smell like (fishy smell or rotting sulfur smell or such)

[caitylee]

Neither really .... my house smells like when I walk down to the lake at my parents house ..... I don't know how to describe it.

[Ozymandias]

mm cant help you there if any thing my tank smell a bit fishy if i don't do water changes you might try doing that. also what are the specs of the tank?

[mavisky]

It could have something to do with the fact that you have 6 tanks in your house totalling 145.5 gallons and probably containing a pretty vast surface areas amongst them. Weekly water changes on all of them could help some, but during the summer you've got to expect a little humidity and smell in the air with that many tanks.

[SchizotypalVamp]

My aquarium just smells faintly of aquarium, and it's planted. Try gravel vaccing and cleaning the filter media if the tanks has been running. Also, try carbon. My tank used to stink in like the first month, and after my first media clean the smell went away. I don't know why, exactly, unless it was the filter media itself stinking...

[Ozymandias]

or if you don't like carbon (some people don't) you could try some purgen

[Fishy_Fun]

I have to agree with mavisky.I have 10 tanks and my fish room well smells fishy

[LuxyBlue]

What does a sulfur smell mean? I have one tank that always smells faintly brimstoneish and I attributed it to the devilspawn I keep in there.

[wataugachicken]

Neither really .... my house smells like when I walk down to the lake at my parents house ..... I don't know how to describe it.

would 'musty' be the right word? then you need to get more air circulation in the fish room/house. lingering moisture with no circulation causes that musty smell, and can lead to issues with mold and mildew.

[fishorama]

Cyanobacteria also stinks. My husband can tell when he walks in the house, even before much is visible.

Watauga is right, beware damp carpet etc & high indoor temps. Check the wall & under tank hoods etc. for molds & algae can smell too.

[irishspy]

Could be the odor from decaying vegetable matter. Do you have much algae? I'm fighting an algae problem right now, and it definitely has its own aroma. :barf:

If you don't already, try some carbon in your filters: that might help clean the odor from your water. And, while doing water changes, be extra careful to vacuum up any decaying plant matter.

[DooSPX]

thank you much for the great suggestions!!!

[zzyzx85]

I noticed that the clumps of clado algae i tear off my driftwood has a rather pungent odor to it.

[Que]

Most plants have an odor to them but for the most part I don't smell them until they're removed from the tank. Java moss has a stronger odor than most plants I have. I think planted tanks do have an oder but it really shouldn't be all that strong as compared to a fish only tank. At least mine aren't.

Q

[caitylee]

would 'musty' be the right word? then you need to get more air circulation in the fish room/house. lingering moisture with no circulation causes that musty smell, and can lead to issues with mold and mildew.

You are right it is a musty smell. I have been telling my landlord that the a/c doesn't work all that well. It probably is from lack of circulation. We shall see when I move soon. Thank you everyone, I guess it isn't all that bad I just don't like to smell anything when I walk into the house.

[emptywallet]

What does a sulfur smell mean? I have one tank that always smells faintly brimstoneish and I attributed it to the devilspawn I keep in there.
lmao that reminds me of when my dad, me, and my freind tried to fix my canister filter that didnt work for some reason and when my dad opened it, all the canister filter water that has been stored in there for a months exploded all over my freind. he smelled horrible it was so funny tho

[wataugachicken]

You are right it is a musty smell. I have been telling my landlord that the a/c doesn't work all that well. It probably is from lack of circulation. We shall see when I move soon. Thank you everyone, I guess it isn't all that bad I just don't like to smell anything when I walk into the house.

my apartment definitely started to smell like a fish store a couple weeks ago - 7 tanks running. it was after it started getting pretty hot (high 80's) but before we turned the AC on full-time. now it doesn't smell at all.

[Bk828]

^^ I agree this heat will make the tanks smell a bit. I had an amano shrimp die in the morning due to the heat, I was going to take it out later at night when i get home but once i got home lets just say the smell of the tank wasnt pretty..