Smelly Water

My water has become smelly over the past few days, about 3 days ago i did a gravel cleaning (50%) and yesterday i did a 45% water change, yet my water becoming worse, i have 2 filters running. Whats wrong with my water?

 

Onewolves~

Are you using carbon in any place in your filtration system? That should help considerably with the smell. With all your filtration, I can't imagine what is causing the odor. Are you sure that nothing has died (small fish/snail/etc.) in your tank?

 

cute avatar....but yeah, i use carbon in all of my filters, my new one has the filter bags so when you need to you can replace the carbon you buy in boxes at your lfs, i just checked out all my fish and none of them are ded and i dont have large enough snails so cause that sort of a probolem, its really getting bad now. i closed my door when i left for school, walked in now and the smell is horrific. Any other ideas of whats causing this?

 

Are you severely overstocked? How big is your tank and what do you have in there? Do you have live plants? An algae problem? Is the water cloudy, too?

Can you add some additional carbon - like put some in stockings and rubber band it and let a couple float to the bottom.

Is your filter functioning properly? Maybe it's a problem with the filter.

My best advice would be to do a 20-25% water change. Vacume up the dirt in the gravel, too. I know you did that yesterday, but I just can't figure out what else to do.

 

I have a 29 gal and no its not overstocked. I have 3 live plants that are really healthy and i just got done with a clouded water prob the other day. I also havenever had an algae prob.
Can you add some additional carbon - like put some in stockings and rubber band it and let a couple float to the bottom.

I took down both filters and checked them and they where workin just fine.

Im about to do a water change, but i still dont get what the prob for it was.

 

Hi OneWolvesDream, Is there any other organic matter other than the fish and plants; anything like driftwood, or new rocks that could have had insects hiding inside crevices in the rocks? What color was the cloudiness problem; brown, white or green?

 

The cloudy water was the normal white color and wasnt to bad, I have about 3 coral rocks in there (carefully cleaned and sanded down the rough areas, i also have 3 small pots and 1 cave for my algae eaters. All of them have been cleaned within the past month. Could the water just be going off? if it is what are some possible ways to move all the fish with the least possible stress. Is this even needed?

 

My guess is it's probably NOT bothering the fish...It's got to be the decor, I think... :shock:

 

k, well im about to take that all out and clean it, the fish arnt bein bothered but i am, it smells so bad i wont go in my room ne more.

 

I did a 50% water/gravel cleaning and the water dosnt smell as bad, i also took out all the rocks and deco and washed them. It seems to be a bit better now.

 

Hi OneWolvesDream, I'm sure your aware that the white cloudiness is most likely bacterial bloom, possibly indicating a mini cycle. With the cloudiness clearing up and the smell decreasing with the last 50% water change it would tend to indicate that there was too much waste in the tank. At this point I would keep a close watch on ammonia, nitrite and nitrate levels to see if the tank is going to recycle. You should get a clear indication of this within two weeks if you start to see the ammonia level spiking. While this is the most likely cause I would hold off reintroducing the coral for a couple of weeks. If everything runs fine for two weeks then you can reintroduce the coral.

 

The water is back to the same smell, just not as bad, my ammonia levels are 0 my ph is perfect, im going to go get new testers today so i will be able to tell you the other levels. The water is still very clean. All the fish are healthy but i saw i am over run with snails, i had 29 baby snails under 4 rocks. Could that be part of the prob?

 

Are you removing debris from the gravel when you are doing your water changes? What type of media are you using in the bottom, pea gravel, coarse gravel or sand? Is it possible that some of the snails have died and are buried in the bottom media?

 

I think it might be the snails, how do i sort that out?

 

If you're just trying to get rid of the snails Clown Loaches do a great job, if you have the tank space for them. If the snails are dead and buried up in the gravel it is a little more difficult. You can put the gravel in a plastic bucket and then fill it with water. When the snails die there is usually a small air pocket created in the shell. Gently stir the gravel and let it settle. This should allow the dead snail shells to float to the top of the water. Skim the shells out. You will probably have to do this a few times to get rid of all of the shells.

 

:? how do i do that in a fully stocked tank? its gonna take forever to move all the fish out the way. i can fit a clown loach in there, im getting one anyways cause i have the snails all over. I took my gravel thingy over the gravel and i hav the snail shells all over.

 

I'm not sure what a gravel thingy is, but if you mean a gravel vac or siphon, you could use that to get them out. In either case you are probably looking at repeated use to get all of the snails out.

 

Lol, yeah thats what i was looking for, i have been using that but its not strong enough to suck up the shells.

 

Who changed my msg? whats wrong with my words, its not a curse word!

 

Hi OneWolvesDream, In the context which you used it, it isn't. A short while back it was being used excessively in context where it was. For that reason it was placed on a filter list which filters language automatically.