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73F
pH 7.0
Ammonia 0
Nitrite 0
Nitrate 15

Shortly after getting my 75 stabilized, I started to notice an odor that increased over about a week. I read several threads on this topic. No rotten smell - just smells like an aquarium but strong enough to detect it when you walk in the room. No deaths and I'm still doing water changes twice per week due to odor and cloudy water (recently covered 1 side that gets just a bit of direct sunlight in winter when the sun is low - already clearing up). Also, algea is almost gone. My lighting has a fan that seems to be just perfect for pumping the stink!

I use Aqueon conditioner which smells pretty foul but that has been a constant and I am changing water less frequently now. The only thing I can think of is the fact that I have increased feeding to daily and I found a food that all of my fish love - Hikari Sinking Carnivore Pellets. The fish waste doesn't look much different than the food and sinks as well. I found it building up in the gravel when I did my last WC. I put a 600gph power head in and attached it to my light timer so the fish can rest at night. Add that to my 600gph filter and the water is moving! I changed to an alternate food and after two days the smell has decreased considerably.

Any chance it is related to the pellets?

Hi,
http://www.hikari.info/tropical/t_05.html

They are pretty specific about the food not clouding the
water, but they are also very specific about cleaning up
within 10 minutes after feeding.

I suspect you probably, pretty much covered the cause in
the second paragraph of your comments. It sounds like you
need to do a more rigorous cleaning of the gravel and
be a little more sparse in your feeding.

Frank

-->>> The Confidence of Amateurs, is the Envy of Professionals <<<--

I've been pretty thorough with my cleaning. I will admit to possibly overfeeding though. I bought it specifically for my catfish. Once the others discovered it, I had to start increasing the amount just for some to reach the bottom. I was using the small pellet size. I just purchased the larger size and 2' hemostats for more precise feeding.

Wouldn't my nitrates climb if it were a maintenance issue? They have been steady at 10-15 ppm.

I suggest to "target" certain areas of the bottom that you use some sort of plastic tube; that way you don't have to try to grab the food with something like a hemostat. I haven't ever heard of anyone using that before, although I suppose it is worth a shot.

--------------------------------------------
The aquarist is one who must learn the ways of the biologist, the chemist, and the veterinarian.

I have increased feeding to daily and I found a food that all of my fish love - Hikari Sinking Carnivore Pellets.

It is basically not how often though once a day is preferable, but how much your feed your loved fish. If you keep this method up you could end up killing all you fish with kindness. The water will foul up, your good bacteria will not be able to cope with all the waste and left over food.
It is good that you have noticed a odour from your tank as an healthy tank has more of a sweet smell. It is one of the quickest way to pick if some thing is wrong.

I would reduce the feeding at the moment to every second day. I would also recommend you do a serious gravel vac in at least three stages.
Just because you have a 600Gph does not make for good filtration it is the quality of the filtration that counts.
What type of filtration are you using?
The power head does it have any filtration at all if so here could easily be one of your problems.
Another point do you add any good/live bacteria at every water change if not your good bacteria could easily not be working efficiently?
Filtration how do you clean it and how often?

Have a look in [link=My Profile] http://www.fishprofiles.com/forums/member.aspx?id=1935[/link] for my tank info

Look here for my
Betta 11Gal Desktop & Placidity 5ft Community Tank Photos

Keith

Near enough is not good enough, therefore good enough is not near enough, and only your best will do.
I VOTE DO YOU if not WHY NOT?
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As long as the above params have been in check, I've been satisfied. I over clean everything - gravel and filters. I have a biowheel canopy. I don't disturb the wheels. Everyone seems to believe that biowheels are overkill. Why not use them to your advantage?

The power head has no filtration. I only added it to help with possible dead spots in the tank.

I'm feeding once per day - only what they will eat in a couple of munutes.

I don't add bacteria at water changes.

I'm still settling into a schedule but I currently change 30% twice per week while cleaning 2/3 of the gravel. I clean the other 1/3 every couple of weeks. Ideally, I'll clean each section every two weeks if nitrates permit.

Again, wouldn't I see some params out of whack if this were an over feeding or maintenance problem?

Feeding - I got these for helping with maintenance and feeding: http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?c=3578+3746+13912&pcatid=13912

I know... expesnive but nice

What kind of smell is it exactlly, is it a earthy smell like lake water. Are you using carbon at all in your filtration. A mild scent like you get at a lake would be normal for aquariums. I don't know exactly how strong of an odor you are talking about. IT sound's like from what I am reading you are taking proper care of your fish and your water peremeters look good. A good quality carbon can help cut down odors some to.

Just make sure you keep your gravel cleaned good.

17 years experience with freshwater.

Haven't touched the tank since my original post and the smell has reduced to a normal level. Can't smell it when I walk in the room anymore. I really think it is a normal smell - just stronger.

The power filter eliminated a potential dead spot. My largemouth has taken to Hikari cichlid food but the bluegill has not yet. I purchased the large size pellets that I hand feed to assure 100% is eaten. The large pellets also do not fall down into my substrate. The small ones were pretty tiny and the cat is too timid to roam the tank during the day.

I've always used carbon.

I've always used carbon.

This could be a concern if the carbon is left in the tank too long (how long is too long)??? I have not used carbon since the old days of the little square internal box filter. Today I would say no longer than a week or to and then only after using meds if you think it is necessary.

Now there are two thoughts on Carbon and both will argue that they are correct one.

Yes it does remove meds from the tank that we all should know.
If it is left in a tank for a very long time a toxin "can" build up in the carbon and cause problems with the water.
The other thought is carbon does not cause toxins to build up and there is no concern.

My thoughts are, Why use it at all unless it is necessary and then only for a short time 7 day maximum.

Have a look in [link=My Profile] http://www.fishprofiles.com/forums/member.aspx?id=1935[/link] for my tank info

Look here for my
Betta 11Gal Desktop & Placidity 5ft Community Tank Photos

Keith

Near enough is not good enough, therefore good enough is not near enough, and only your best will do.
I VOTE DO YOU if not WHY NOT?
VOTE NOW VOTE NOW

I use the standard filter cartridges that contain carbon. I temporarily added some to the media baskets to help with cloudiness and the recent odor.

I personally don't really rely on the carbon. I wash the filters frequently with WCs and use them until the floss starts to deteriorate - long after the carbon is inactive. I've heard of people cutting open the cartridges to remove the carbon.

When I say "always used carbon" meant that carbon has been in this particular tank since I set it up about 6 weeks ago. Floss is still looking pretty good

I notice when I put it in the water does smell a little better. Normally regular partial water changes will take care of the problem, still in my situation, I smoke cigars and pipe and our water here is nasty, our water itself has a foul smell at times and other pollutants in it that the carbon will help remove. Taking all of this into consideration Im going to start using Black Diamond Carbon all the time and changing it regularly, about every two weeks. the plus's with a good quality carbon outwhiegh the negative.

17 years experience with freshwater.