Just tore down my tank and it smells RANK!!!!

[NicoleIsStoked]

So after downsizing my 50g fowlr to a 29g reef, today i drained out all the water and removed the live rock and once the tank was empty it began to stink up my entire house with this rancid, rank metallic smell. i cant even describe it. like the smell of old dirty pennies intensified by a million. i dont understand what could stink so bad in an empty tank with some sand on the bottom and why it only stunk once the water was removed. the only thing i can think of is that i had a large infestation of fanworms everywhere that i obviously dried out and nuked. but ****. I was heaving and retching. anyone ever experienced this or have an idea why? i dragged the tank out onto by back deck for the night it hopes to air it out and kill whatever it is that stinks. i also threw out all the sand. after a healthy dose of lysol, my house is just starting to be bearable. i've never had this with FW tanks.

 

[AquaRick]

What you were smelling could have been the anaerobic bacteria from your sand bed.

 

[Jake337]

I've smelled this also when downgrading my 55 reef. I found out the smell was coming from the algae on the glass. It was drying out and it smelled terrible!