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I've had my 2ft tank running for many months now, it's cycled, its clean, I do regular water changes, it's not overstocked, YET, in the past few days it's started to become very smelly!

When I say smelly, I mean and unpleasant odour that you can smell up to a few meters away!

The fish all seem fine, none have died or appear sick, and none of the plants in the tank are rotting or old. In fact these plants have only been in the tank for a couple of weeks old.

This has never happened before and i'm wondering what's up?

Do you have any new algae in the tank? Cyanobacteria (not technically an algae but usually called Blue-Green Algae, BGA) is reported to have a pretty awful smell, although I with my pathetic nose have never noticed it.

-Molly
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My first guess would have to be algae too. BGA stinks to high heaven if it's bad enough! But if you had it so bad that it would smell you'd surely notice it right away. Maybe it's your dechlorinater (sp?)? Or any sort of ferts? I know Excel smells pretty bad but you have to get up close to smell it.

i don't meant o be gross, but what kind of smell is it? If it's musty then it sound smore like an algae or maybe even mold issue. Try looking around the tank.

Last edited by nowherman6 at 06-Dec-2004 16:30

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Back in the saddle!

Not sure where it's coming from, but put if you some new carbon in there and it will take care of the smell.

I definately haven't seen BGA in the tank, and I haven't used any ferts.

Its a kind of putrid smell. But like i've said I only cleaned the tank on the weekend, including using a gravel cleaner to do the water change! I cant see anything in the tank that could cause that kind of smell.

In that case I'd start worrying about mold around the tank or even elsewhere in the room. It gives off a disgusting smell, it's common around fishtanks, and it's definitely something you want to catch early.

-Molly
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the_anigma

Is it possible you could have a dead fish in the tank. Can you describe the smell like "rotten egs etc"

Also what type of filtration are you using & could it be coming from there.

Keith

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Definetly take a good look at your tank, check for any type of mold/aglae/general rot.

You can try removing any ornaments and small sections of gravel at a time perhaps a couple times a week, and cleaning them well under running tap water, incase you have anything growing amoung them.

I would also say add a new carbon media to your filter and see if that makes a difference, if it doesn't then there is obviously something else going on.

I've had experience with BGA a few times, never noticed a smell. Though a couple of my tanks have smelled like salt and pepper before, I assosiated that largely with brown aglae ime.

Do you have an ammonia test kit? If there is something rotting in the tank or if you've over-cleaned and started a cycle, then the ammonia test will pick it up.

Apart from that, I second the idea that it could be something outside the tank - a fish that's jumped out, or mould caused by constant dampness. Take a good look around your tank as well as in it.

I've tested ammonia, nitrate, nitrite, ph...the works...everything is perfect, except maybe the ph which might be a touch high. But i cant see that having anything to do with the smell.

I've added a carbon pad to my filter (Fluval 2 400l/h internal filter). I've only just clean out the filter about 5 days ago. And i cleaned it in tank water when i did my water change.

I have no dead fish, i've checked all the fish and they're all accounted for.

It's not coming from outside the tank...because when you take the lid off the smell becomes stronger. If I put some water in a container and take it well away from the tank I can still smell it. It's definately the water!

The smell is...well...a putrid kind of smell. It's the kind of smell i would associate with something rotting...but damned if i know what!!!!

Thanks everyone for all your suggestions by the way

this may not help, but i recently came back from a vacation and noticed a tank of mine with a very bad smell. so, i did 25% water changes daily until it went away. This is probably against good aquarium keeping advice, but it worked for my tank.

just keep doing water changes
hopefully the smell will go
good luck

Check around the upper seams inside the tank (under the lip around the edge of the tank). Mold could easily grow there because it's moist but not totally wet. There may be mold on the underside of your hood too.

If you've got a spare $100, a UV sterilizer will probably take care of it...but most people aren't rich and/or dumb enough to need one (in FW tanks atleast...unless you have a good number of them on a sump or something, like at an LFS).

Good luck

I had the same problem with my old 2 foot tanks. i ended up just providing more surface agitation, and more airation(my filter when i moved it up started putting out more air) and the smells left.
KRIS

I've had the same problem...do small (10-15%) water changes every other day, and add some dechlorinator to the tank. Also add an extra airstone to the tank. Last, but not least...this is gonna seem crazy, but do it...get out the carpet cleaner, mix a cup of bleach to about a gallon of water, and use the cleaner and this mixture to clean the carpet/flooring around, near, etc the tank...I found mine was from a leak, and this really helped...Yes, I'm crazy, but the smell has gone away...Heidi:%)

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