Aquarium Smells

C

cheryl

Guest
Should my tank water have a smell? I dont really know what to compare it to... it just smells. My ammonia etc levels are fine. I think my axy is ok but he just hides for very long periods of time (like 24hrs at a time). His gills have gone a bit red and his tail is always curved (that means he is stressed doesnt it?).
 
the tail curved in the end , yes it ´s a stressed axie.
As for the smell I think it´s normal, sometimes my tank have a strange smell , but it does not mean that anything is wrong, it´s not a strong smell but yes it got some smell..
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Can you describe the smell? It may smell like a pond, or like garden soil, but it should not smell stinky. Do you have blue-green algae (it's grows as a nasty flat "film" that is easy to remove). BGA has a unique stench, that's why I ask.
 
It just smells kind of rotten. I put activated charcoal in the filters again and it is almost gone. I do have some alge on the tank walls its an olive green colour.
 
yip, charcoal masks those nasty smells, leave it in there if its bothering you while you fix the problem but make sure you remove it after. anerobic pockets in the substrate can let off a nasty smell when distubed, like rotten eggs sort of?
if i stick my nose inside the lids it smells a bit musty but nothing super strong, however i did have a problem with a bad smell once in my oscar tank but that was due to certain foods (shrimp pellets) and once i stopped feeding them it went away
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the algae sounds like mine, hard to get off? if so it hasnt made smells in my tank. no rotting food in there at all?
 
the alge wipes off really easily... there is no significant amount of rotting food. bits of meal worm were floating off as he snapped at them, but they were barely bigger than a grain of sand.
 
My aquarium sometimes smells bad as well. I think its cos I get quite a lot of both green and brown algae?? I don't know how to descibe the smell, maybe bit like vegetables going off?
 
If things smell rotten, then I would look carefully for any leftover food or places where the substrate could be anaerobic. Filter carbon/charcoal should help.

The smell from BGA is like a strong mildew - nasty and unforgettable, but very different from rot. BGA film comes off so easily you can suck it off with the turkey baster. Other types of algea don't smell at all.
 
I started getting an ammonia reading (0.25) and so did a 30% water change, and moved all the ornaments, tunnels etc to syphon from under them. I did find maybe half a dozen black worms and a few other very small bits and pieces. Im hoping it all settles down soon.
 
Sorry Jennifer, but what does BGA stand for?
Many thanks in advance
 
It depends on the blue-green algae. Some BGAs have been used as nutritional supplements for centuries..

Ed
 
I have wondered about it being toxic, given the nasty smell. But it hasn't killed any of my newts yet. Hopefully the aquarium variety isn't terribly toxic.
 
my tank smells like dog. i have no algea or anything my tank is pretty clean but it just smells. i dont really worry about it.
 
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