Smelly

**TehTANK** · 12-08-2006, 12:42 PM

Alright, my wife is saying I am doing something wrong because the Fish tank is smelling up my living room pretty bad. It smells like moldy water and what not. It is hard to explain. I told her that I would post on here and ask why this is happening. It is a 90 Gallon tank with one large oscar and one really small one. I also have a small Cory in it. Anyway, I do a 50-75% water change every Saturday. I have two filters running on it right now. I started out with one filter that was doing just fine when I started the tank. I put on an old filter that has a lot more water flow to it. It really circulates the water pretty well I would say. I know I have more then enough filtration. I know you are going to ask what kind of filters I have but I am not sure. All I know is they are the spounge ones that are at the top of the tank. I am having a small issue now(has slowed down a bit) with brown alge. My question is this...what can be causing the smell? Could it be caused from the second filter pushing the water around so much? I am just confused and I told her I know what I am doing but she wants me to get rid of it if it is going to smell up the living room like that. Any help would be great guys. Thanks!

**Abbeys_Mom** · 12-08-2006, 12:55 PM

My guess would be the algae, that stuff can really stink. I advise cleaning the filter and take a shot at getting rid of the algae.

Cause:

Excess silicates & nitrates
Inadequate light
Low oxygen levels Brown algae is a common occurrence in a newly set up aquarium. It is generally caused by too little light, an excess of silicates, an abundance of nutrients, and too little oxygen. Silicates can build up through tap water that is high in silicic acid, and silicates that leech from some types of substrates.

Cure:

Wipe off surfaces & vacuum gravel well
Use silicate adsorbing resin in the filter
Increase the lighting
Stock a Plecostomus or several Otocinclus This type of algae does not adhere strongly to the tank surfaces, and is easily wiped away. Vacuuming the gravel with a siphon will quickly remove coatings from the substrate. Increasing the lighting will inhibit regrowth of brown algae. As a new tank matures brown algae is often eliminated naturally by plants and green algae competing for nutrients.
Some suckermouth catfish will readily eat brown algae, most notably plecostomus and otocinclus. If the problem is due to high silicates in the water, and the brown algae persists, a special silicate absorbing resin can be used in the filter.

Prevention:

Use of RO(Reverse Osmosis) water
Regular water changes
Regular aquarium cleaning
Good lighting As with any algae, keeping the tank clean and performing regular water changes is one of the best preventative measures. Unfortunately it is still possible to get algae in spite of regular maintenance, especially in a newly established aquarium. Prompt attention to sudden algae growth will prevent more serious problems.

**Fishguy2727** · 12-08-2006, 12:56 PM

Nothing stands out to me. Try and find out exactly what filters you have. Do they hang on the back of the tank? Do you remember what size tank they were rated 'up to'? Any problems recently with parameters? (ph, ammonia, nitrites, nitrates, etc.) Are you cleaning the filters enough? I almost never recommend carbon, but it can remove odors. IF you want to add some really high quality carbon to the filters (or change out what you have), that may help. However, that is treating a symptom and not the problem. In general though I would not have carbon in an oscar tank. Check out the thread I posted on HITH in the diseases section if you have any concerns about that, or just ask me. Anyone who has an oscar should check out that thread though.

Do not add a common pleco, too big, too messy, and decrease in algae consumption over time. Obviously ottos are too small to hang out with oscarts. The best way to stop brown algae is more intense lighting, something I need to do with my 150.

**TehTANK** · 12-08-2006, 02:27 PM

Thanks so much for the responces so quickly. They were both very informative. I am sure it is a lighting problem. I clean the filters every time I clean the tank. I do large water changes and wipe everything down extreamly well when I do my cleanings every saturday. The filters are both that hang from the back of the tank. I know the old one I put on there is for a 60 gallon tank and is very poweful. I can tell that by the water flow coming off of the filter back into the tank. It is very strong. The other one is a very large filter. It is for a 200 gallon tank so it should have no problem with handeling a 90 gallon. It isn't as strong of a return though as the 60 gallon one though. I have a feeling it is a lighting issue that is causing the brown alge and possibly the smell. I have a cory in there But I don't think he is eating any of the brown alge. I am not keen on puting carbon in my tank because of HITH and your post that you did about it. I have noticed that the brown alge is not as thick as it has been the last couple of weeks but the smell is getting stronger. I am hoping it is just because the alge isn't as thick or something along those lines. Thanks for all the suggestions on how to get rid of it and the smell. I think it is time to buy a new light.....
Oh it can't be the air in the tank. I have three air lines running in the tank at all times. One has an air stone and the other two are just the hoses. My oscar loves to sit over the hoses and let the bubles hit his body. It is his own little hot tub I guess.

**phishmin** · 12-10-2006, 06:03 PM

To just say the water flow looks pretty good, isn't enough. How many gallons per hour are you actually turning over? Do you have enough filter media and do you rinse it out regularly? Are you using carbon and do you change it monthly? There will really be no oder from a well maintained tank that is properly set up.

**kimmers318** · 12-11-2006, 02:11 AM

This is a good one for "stump the forum"! I have gone thru the "new tank" algae problems and never had a smell coming from my tanks. They all smell kinda like a nice clean pond, but only if you get right over them and take a big whiff. I have always used carbon though in my tanks. It was what I learned in the beginning, haven't had any problems so I just stick with what works. I can certainly sympathize with your wife though because if hubbys 90 and 75 gallon tanks were stinking up the living room, I would have issues also!

**TehTANK** · 12-11-2006, 02:53 AM

I wasn't using carbon because of the link with it to HITH and oscars. I have now started using one and want to see if there is a difference and if it does anything to my oscar. I did just put some rock in wich you guys can see in another part of the forum. Thanks for the responces. I think it is the alge. I do a 70% water change every week and clean my filters once a week as well. I have a 110 gallon Aquaclear filter and a 70 gallon Aquaclear filter on the back of my tank. That should be enough for my 90 gallon tank. Thanks for all your help guys. I am sure I will get it to level out.

**j0hnh0lmes** · 06-30-2007, 04:45 AM

I have a 10gal and have a bit of a stench problem....
The tank hasn't really cycled yet, I have 4 zebra danios in the tank right now and getting a fishy smell, could it be my nitrates?

**Drumachine09** · 06-30-2007, 05:01 AM

Originally Posted by j0hnh0lmes

I have a 10gal and have a bit of a stench problem....
The tank hasn't really cycled yet, I have 4 zebra danios in the tank right now and getting a fishy smell, could it be my nitrates?

Hate to break it to ya, but this thread is from a LONG time ago. If you want your question answered, start a thread in the proper section.