What's that smell!?
- Thread starter ItsAName
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gtbarsi
Well-Known Member
What makes you think it is the sand in a 2 month old tank?
The fact that it sounds like you had a algea outbreak as you mentioned leads me to believe that you may have overdosed and possibly caused the sand to rot as a result of your algae outbreak, I may be wrong having not even laid my eyes on your tank, but thats my assertion, from what little you have said...
gtbarsi
Well-Known Member
Dosing, that is a good idea...
There are some 'detoxifies' that use sulfur in them to process ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate that could cause strong odors, what has been dosed into this tank?
Did you or are you using Seachem PRIME?
Reef Ryder
Active Member
Wait?!? Am I missing something? His set is 2 months old and he has a protein skimmer and is doing water changes already?
IMO I think you should turn off the skimmer. Do you have corals yet?
IMO I think you should turn off the skimmer. Do you have corals yet?
I do have corals. I cycled all my dry rock for 2 months. I then set up the tank with live sand, the cycled dry rock, and water and let that cycle for 1 month. I also add live bacteria to that 1 month cycle.
After the 1 month cycle, I added 3 fish, waited a week, added some coral, and about another month in is when the smell started. I did have one of those fish die, I can't find it, but it hasn't affect the ammonia level.
I just tested my water params tonight if it's helpful and brought it to the LFS to have them test too (for a second opinion of course, the LFS uses Salifert, I noted where I differ)
PH 8.21 (8.2 from LFS)
Nitrate 2 using Nyos (3.5 from LFS)
Salinity 1.025
Alkalinity 9.75 (10 from LFS)
Calcium 380 using Red Sea Pro (LFS read 435)
Ammonia 0 using Red Sea (LFS agreed)
Phosphate 0 using Hannah (LFS agreed)
Magnesium 1220 using Red Sea Pro (LFS read 1380)
gtbarsi
Well-Known Member
Well, if you have a dead fish and can't find the body there is no question it may stink until the corpse is gone. I would do everything I could to try and find the remains and remove them.
You mention algae showing up at the same time but there does not appear to be any free nutrients in the water. Where is the algae and is it continuing to spread / grow?
What do you have for a cleanup crew?
You mention algae showing up at the same time but there does not appear to be any free nutrients in the water. Where is the algae and is it continuing to spread / grow?
What do you have for a cleanup crew?
Charterreefer
Active Member
It sounds like your skimmer is working just fine. As far as the smell... I have a bucket that my skimmate (i.e. the black stuff coming out of the skimmer) goes to. If I were to get that bucket squeaky clean every time I serviced my skimmer it would then start to stink when the skimmate has been sitting in it for a few hours, probably like you are smelling. If I just empty the bucket and not disturb the bacteria that is building up and colonizing in it, it will NOT smell anymore (when skimmate goes into it). The bucket has it's own little ecosystem going on, sort of like a sewerage treatment plant. Try it, you'll be amazed. Of course like anything in this hobby you need to be patient and let it happen.
Also don't be to critical on what color your skimmate is at this point, your tank is new and going through it's changes.
FYI: Your skimmer will be doing all kinds of crazy things while your tank is settling in. Skimmer collection cup overflows are not uncommon at this stage. If you don't want to be emptying your skimmer every time you walk past it and like the bucket idea you can go another step further and get a skimmer overflow stopper or SOS. It's sold by Zaya.co SOS. It's about $50.00 and really easy to set up. It will shut off the skimmer when the bucket fills to the point you set. It gives me peace of mind...no waking up to a stinky mess on the floor (almost sounds like I have a dog, lol!). You won't have to empty it all the time and no smell. I hope this info helps you.
Also don't be to critical on what color your skimmate is at this point, your tank is new and going through it's changes.
FYI: Your skimmer will be doing all kinds of crazy things while your tank is settling in. Skimmer collection cup overflows are not uncommon at this stage. If you don't want to be emptying your skimmer every time you walk past it and like the bucket idea you can go another step further and get a skimmer overflow stopper or SOS. It's sold by Zaya.co SOS. It's about $50.00 and really easy to set up. It will shut off the skimmer when the bucket fills to the point you set. It gives me peace of mind...no waking up to a stinky mess on the floor (almost sounds like I have a dog, lol!). You won't have to empty it all the time and no smell. I hope this info helps you.
tom reilly
Active Member
Clean up crew should process dead fish. Do you have crabs in clean up crew ?
When the algae started (it's mostly on the rock but also on the glass and sand), I added 14 red banded snails (trochus), 3 nassarius snails, 2 hermits, and a tailspot blenny over a period of 3 weeks. I just added the tailspot blenny.
tom reilly
Active Member
That should police any small dread fish in no time.
Lionfish Lair
Renee
I believe it's your cyano/algae issues.
Charterreefer
Active Member
After a while from doing this, all the black crud that starts to cake and form at the bottom of the bucket (if you choose to use a bucket)...leave it in there, it's your friend. Just pour out whatever liquid accumulates and leave the rest. If you are using a skimmer cup you need to get the inside neck (where the bubbles come in contact with) squeaky clean.
The protein skimmer will smell. I'd be concerned if it were emitting a sulphur dioxide smell however.
Might just be worth testing ammonia levels.
I'd agree with others on the sand. More on that in a minute.
The fish could take a long time to break down I'd be inclined to get the rock and check it. I had a snail kark it once.... the snail stunk of eggs.when o found it. Caused algae issues for weeks.
Take some rock out and scoop some sand into container and start rinsing with ro. Money on it being brown and smelling. Repeat till running as clear.as you can and do some more.
Low tide smell will be the algae feeding from the nitrogen cycle and no doubt the sand.
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