Smelly Tank
- Thread starter JoeA
- Start date
They can have a strong musty/mildewy smell. My tanks did during the beginning part of the cycle (when ammonia levels are rising, and before nitrites start showing up.) It did go away after a few days. A fully cycled, healthy tank should have an earthy smell.
A cycling tank without fish can smell a bit bad due to high ammonia levels. A cycling tank with fish shouldn't. Water changes will reduce ammonia and nitrite levels to something more acceptable (less than 1ppm and less than 0.25ppm respectively). That will keep the smell down.
yes, and it will go away. Not stinky, just, whew, what is that? If it is stinky then maybe a dead fish behind the tank.
TKOS said:
My 10 gallon had that odd cycling smell both when I tried cycling with fish (even with water changes to keep the numbers down) and when I did a fishless cycle. Didn't last for too long though. However, it's possible, since I'm sensitive to smells, that I noticed it when others might not.
During my cycle my ank smelled funk. It still has a smell it's not a bad smell, it's just kinda there. If that makes sense.