Strong smell. Please help.

smartwater101 · 09/30/2012, 12:46 PM

Nothing is dead. Did a water change last week. My skimmer was out of commission for 2 weeks (prazi-pro) Its now running great but smells baaaaad. The sump has always had a slight oder but yesterday it became very noticeable even from across the room. I also just rearranged rock, added anemone and some coral.

I’m running a small 6” fan to maintain the water temp. I’m getting a second fan tomorrow . I’m also replacing the chemi-pure-elite bag today. And I added a powerhead to the bottom of the sock/skimmer level to increase flow. Also just cleaned out the skim cup.

Anything else I could do to keep the smell away? Could this just be the skimmer breaking back in?

29 gallon tank. 15 galons of water in sump/refugium
Temp 77.5-79.5
Salinity 1.026
Ammonia 0.25
Nitrate 0
PH 8.2

Toadally · 09/30/2012, 12:59 PM

You sure there's nothing dead? Your ammonia is up a little. Something dead may be the reason... anything animals missing?

smartwater101 · 09/30/2012, 01:08 PM

Nothing seems to be missing... I lost a clown goby to the overflow last night. But I found and disposed of it this morning... smell started before that.

I hope its not a burrowing snail...

Toadally · 09/30/2012, 01:12 PM

Maybe whatever is producing the smell killed your goby. Is it a strong ocean smell?

smartwater101 · 09/30/2012, 07:24 PM

Not salty ocean smell. Dirty fish smell. Like nasty new live rock combined with skim cup. (Rock isn't new.)
IDK seems to have died down throughout the day... hopefully the changes I made will fix it soon. (Display tank doesn't really smell too bad btw)

audacious1 · 09/30/2012, 09:43 PM

do you run carbon? i can't think of any other reason but a dead fish/invert.
do you have starfish?snails?

smartwater101 · 10/01/2012, 02:53 PM

No starfish. In fact out of all the fish/cleaning crew there is only one thing I can't seem to locate... one stupid nass snail.... If it died wouldn't the other snails take care of it? And wouldn't the DT have the strong odder as well? I had a hermit and turbo snail die a few weeks ago and my cleaning crew devoured them within a few hours. (shells were removed and ammonia was 0)

I also remember I fed live brine to the tank a few days ago and accidentally added what seemed to be too much. (OOPS!!) sponges and filters have since been cleaned/replaced. Smell seems to have died down quite a bit. Now I only notice from 3 feet away.

I did a 10% water change this morning. Ammonia looks to be down, but not by much. I think I may try some stress-zyme to naturally battle the spike. I have a feeling rearranging my rock and adding too many thing too fast was responsible for the smell and spike. The next month will be observation and maintenance only

oh and yes I replaced the chemipure-elite bag.

audacious1 · 10/01/2012, 10:43 PM

i don't think those nassarius snails are big enough to smell outside the aquarium. if your ammonia is 0 then it's all good. get carbon that helps a lot. overfeeding by accident shouldn't be the cause either. if you have a lot of detritus on your rock then that might be the cause.
btw..emerald crabs eat dead fish

09/30/2012, 12:46 PM	#1
smartwater101 Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2012 Location: Los Angeles Posts: 382	Strong smell. Please help. Nothing is dead. Did a water change last week. My skimmer was out of commission for 2 weeks (prazi-pro) Its now running great but smells baaaaad. The sump has always had a slight oder but yesterday it became very noticeable even from across the room. I also just rearranged rock, added anemone and some coral. I’m running a small 6” fan to maintain the water temp. I’m getting a second fan tomorrow . I’m also replacing the chemi-pure-elite bag today. And I added a powerhead to the bottom of the sock/skimmer level to increase flow. Also just cleaned out the skim cup. Anything else I could do to keep the smell away? Could this just be the skimmer breaking back in? 29 gallon tank. 15 galons of water in sump/refugium Temp 77.5-79.5 Salinity 1.026 Ammonia 0.25 Nitrate 0 PH 8.2

09/30/2012, 12:59 PM	#2
Toadally Registered Member Join Date: May 2001 Location: Mount Holly, NC Posts: 986	You sure there's nothing dead? Your ammonia is up a little. Something dead may be the reason... anything animals missing? __________________ _Michael "Who was the first person to look at a cow and say, "I think I'll squeeze these dangly things here, and drink whatever comes out?" Reef Aquarium Society of Charlotte (RASOC) Treasurer Current Tank Info: 57gal. Illuminata, Bubble Magus Skimmer, Tek Elite 6x39w, 40gal. Breeder, 2x A150w Kessil LED

09/30/2012, 01:12 PM	#4
Toadally Registered Member Join Date: May 2001 Location: Mount Holly, NC Posts: 986	Maybe whatever is producing the smell killed your goby. Is it a strong ocean smell? __________________ _Michael "Who was the first person to look at a cow and say, "I think I'll squeeze these dangly things here, and drink whatever comes out?" Reef Aquarium Society of Charlotte (RASOC) Treasurer Current Tank Info: 57gal. Illuminata, Bubble Magus Skimmer, Tek Elite 6x39w, 40gal. Breeder, 2x A150w Kessil LED

09/30/2012, 01:08 PM	#3
smartwater101 Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2012 Location: Los Angeles Posts: 382	Nothing seems to be missing... I lost a clown goby to the overflow last night. But I found and disposed of it this morning... smell started before that. I hope its not a burrowing snail...

09/30/2012, 07:24 PM	#5
smartwater101 Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2012 Location: Los Angeles Posts: 382	Not salty ocean smell. Dirty fish smell. Like nasty new live rock combined with skim cup. (Rock isn't new.) IDK seems to have died down throughout the day... hopefully the changes I made will fix it soon. (Display tank doesn't really smell too bad btw)

09/30/2012, 09:43 PM	#6
audacious1 Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2011 Location: Los Angeles Posts: 93	do you run carbon? i can't think of any other reason but a dead fish/invert. do you have starfish?snails?

10/01/2012, 02:53 PM	#7
smartwater101 Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2012 Location: Los Angeles Posts: 382	No starfish. In fact out of all the fish/cleaning crew there is only one thing I can't seem to locate... one stupid nass snail.... If it died wouldn't the other snails take care of it? And wouldn't the DT have the strong odder as well? I had a hermit and turbo snail die a few weeks ago and my cleaning crew devoured them within a few hours. (shells were removed and ammonia was 0) I also remember I fed live brine to the tank a few days ago and accidentally added what seemed to be too much. (OOPS!!) sponges and filters have since been cleaned/replaced. Smell seems to have died down quite a bit. Now I only notice from 3 feet away. I did a 10% water change this morning. Ammonia looks to be down, but not by much. I think I may try some stress-zyme to naturally battle the spike. I have a feeling rearranging my rock and adding too many thing too fast was responsible for the smell and spike. The next month will be observation and maintenance only oh and yes I replaced the chemipure-elite bag.

10/01/2012, 10:43 PM	#8
audacious1 Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2011 Location: Los Angeles Posts: 93	i don't think those nassarius snails are big enough to smell outside the aquarium. if your ammonia is 0 then it's all good. get carbon that helps a lot. overfeeding by accident shouldn't be the cause either. if you have a lot of detritus on your rock then that might be the cause. btw..emerald crabs eat dead fish