Smell?

leewish · 04/04/2014, 09:09 PM

I don't notice it but my wife is complaining about a fish smell from my FOWLR tank saying it is making the room smell. Nobody has jumped out so I'm guessing its just the natural smell from the salt tank. Does anyone have suggestions to mask/remove the smell?

ggk1988 · 04/05/2014, 12:06 AM

Do you have a skimmer on your tank? A dirty skimmer cup of skimmate can smell pretty nasty.

leewish · 04/05/2014, 05:21 AM

I do but it's not filling up fast and clean it every 3 days.

johnike · 04/05/2014, 05:24 AM

Tell her to close her eyes and pretend you took her to an exotic island.

Maybe an air purifier in the room?

Fishy 1 · 04/05/2014, 05:31 AM

The tank should smell like the sea, so something must be causing it. Maybe a water change is dew.

twilmot · 04/05/2014, 06:16 AM

How old is the tank? I know that sometimes going through a cycle can give off an odor. If your not cycling I think you may have another issue.

leewish · 04/05/2014, 07:30 AM

I bought the tank with fish and all from someone. Transported 1/2 the water, live rock, cheto and added 1/2 new salt water. Tank and fish are fine. All test levels are perfect. No issues. Small bio load thAt protein skinner isn't pulling much. I'm thinking it's just the natural smell of a salt tank. Again I don't smell it. Any recommend air cover up items? I don't want to use a spray and risk contamination. I was thinking of putting a jar candle on tbd light strip. I wouldn't light it but the heat of the lamp might warm the scented candle giving off a nice aroma?

downbeach · 04/05/2014, 07:32 AM

Are you running any GAC?

julie180 · 04/05/2014, 08:01 AM

If you have overflows, make sure they are both working. I had the same issue and after I pulled the overflow tubes and drained the stale water out of the overflow box, it started the siphon again and smell went away.

Have your wife go around the tank and see if she can pin point the location of smell.

leewish · 04/05/2014, 09:16 AM

What is a GAC?

Yes. I have 1 overflow box but everything seems to be running ok through it. Also just changed filter sock and added uv sterializer.

greech · 04/05/2014, 09:32 AM

GAC = granular activated carbon. If you aren't using it, it will likely help remove the smell.

If your skimmer isn't producing you may want to adjust it. I notice every once in a while that when I dry skim, my system tends to start smelling. Once I skim a good wet cup or two, the smell is usually gone.

ThreeMoneyJ · 04/05/2014, 09:36 AM

GAC is Granular Activated Carbon. Or just carbon for short. It absorbs unwanted odors/ chemicals/ compounds from the water.

And the ocean doesn't smell badly. It's only when you get near shore that you get the "ocean" smell from all the animal and plant life that is living and dying.

leewish · 04/05/2014, 09:56 AM

Yes. I have a bag of activated carbon in the filter sock. I will play with my skimmer to try and get more bubbles.

leewish · 04/05/2014, 07:02 PM

Great news...my wife's friends came over today and we took them into the room and ask if they smelled anything (not telling them what to smell for). They didn't smell anything. Proof my wife is insane!

04/04/2014, 09:09 PM	#1
leewish Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2014 Location: Philly PA suburbs Posts: 156	Smell? I don't notice it but my wife is complaining about a fish smell from my FOWLR tank saying it is making the room smell. Nobody has jumped out so I'm guessing its just the natural smell from the salt tank. Does anyone have suggestions to mask/remove the smell?

04/05/2014, 05:21 AM	#3
leewish Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2014 Location: Philly PA suburbs Posts: 156	I do but it's not filling up fast and clean it every 3 days. __________________ 22G zero edge lps tank Current Tank Info: Red Sea Reefer 250

04/05/2014, 05:31 AM	#5
Fishy 1 The Reefer From Downunder Join Date: Feb 2014 Location: Western Australia Posts: 2,256	The tank should smell like the sea, so something must be causing it. Maybe a water change is dew. __________________ Rory "The day that I stop learning will be the day that I die" Current Tank Info: Newly Born Regency 220 "The Impulse Reef"

04/05/2014, 06:16 AM	#6
twilmot Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: Michigan Posts: 159	How old is the tank? I know that sometimes going through a cycle can give off an odor. If your not cycling I think you may have another issue. __________________ “Yeah I called her up, she gave me a bunch of crap about me not listening to her, or something, I don’t know, I wasn’t really paying attention.”-Harry Dunne Current Tank Info: 125 gallon

04/05/2014, 07:30 AM	#7
leewish Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2014 Location: Philly PA suburbs Posts: 156	I bought the tank with fish and all from someone. Transported 1/2 the water, live rock, cheto and added 1/2 new salt water. Tank and fish are fine. All test levels are perfect. No issues. Small bio load thAt protein skinner isn't pulling much. I'm thinking it's just the natural smell of a salt tank. Again I don't smell it. Any recommend air cover up items? I don't want to use a spray and risk contamination. I was thinking of putting a jar candle on tbd light strip. I wouldn't light it but the heat of the lamp might warm the scented candle giving off a nice aroma? __________________ 22G zero edge lps tank Current Tank Info: Red Sea Reefer 250

04/05/2014, 12:06 AM	#2
ggk1988 Premium Member Join Date: May 2007 Location: NW suburbs Chicago, IL Posts: 668	Do you have a skimmer on your tank? A dirty skimmer cup of skimmate can smell pretty nasty.

04/05/2014, 05:24 AM	#4
johnike Moved On Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Bureau County Illinois Posts: 5,406	Tell her to close her eyes and pretend you took her to an exotic island. Maybe an air purifier in the room?

04/05/2014, 07:32 AM	#8
downbeach Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Smyrna, Delaware Posts: 3,767	Are you running any GAC?

04/05/2014, 08:01 AM	#9
julie180 Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Raymore, MO Posts: 2,556	If you have overflows, make sure they are both working. I had the same issue and after I pulled the overflow tubes and drained the stale water out of the overflow box, it started the siphon again and smell went away. Have your wife go around the tank and see if she can pin point the location of smell.

04/05/2014, 09:16 AM	#10
leewish Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2014 Location: Philly PA suburbs Posts: 156	What is a GAC? Yes. I have 1 overflow box but everything seems to be running ok through it. Also just changed filter sock and added uv sterializer. __________________ 22G zero edge lps tank Current Tank Info: Red Sea Reefer 250

04/05/2014, 09:32 AM	#11
greech Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Tallahassee, FL Posts: 3,133	GAC = granular activated carbon. If you aren't using it, it will likely help remove the smell. If your skimmer isn't producing you may want to adjust it. I notice every once in a while that when I dry skim, my system tends to start smelling. Once I skim a good wet cup or two, the smell is usually gone. __________________ ~Graham Current Tank Info: Tank: 40 breeder; 20H sump w/SWC 120; Sicce 3.0 return; Vortech MP-10; Sundial T5, DIY Actinic LED (3W Cree). Livestock: Pair of Black & Whites; Midas Blenny; Firefish; Yasha/pistol; Black Leopard Wrasse; LPS and SPS

04/05/2014, 09:36 AM	#12
ThreeMoneyJ Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2013 Location: Santa Rosa, CA Posts: 596	GAC is Granular Activated Carbon. Or just carbon for short. It absorbs unwanted odors/ chemicals/ compounds from the water. And the ocean doesn't smell badly. It's only when you get near shore that you get the "ocean" smell from all the animal and plant life that is living and dying. __________________ -John (threemoneyj is an anagram) -120 mixed reef. 50 cadlights cube. 40B cardinal/dragonet breeding tank/frag tank.

04/05/2014, 09:56 AM	#13
leewish Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2014 Location: Philly PA suburbs Posts: 156	Yes. I have a bag of activated carbon in the filter sock. I will play with my skimmer to try and get more bubbles. __________________ 22G zero edge lps tank Current Tank Info: Red Sea Reefer 250

04/05/2014, 07:02 PM	#14
leewish Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2014 Location: Philly PA suburbs Posts: 156	Great news...my wife's friends came over today and we took them into the room and ask if they smelled anything (not telling them what to smell for). They didn't smell anything. Proof my wife is insane!