(Human) allergies caused by aquarium products

[ChileRelleno]

(This is from Chile's other half)
Curious to find out if aquariums or certain products are likely to cause allergies for people sharing a room with fish. I've tried web searches with "aquarium" and "allergy" and most of what comes up is fish are the perfect pets when you have dog/cat allergies.

I've had bad allergy/sinus issues the past several months and I think it's related to the aquariums.
We currently have two ten gallon and one 75 gal (in our main living space.) We're noticing strong odors when using Marineland Bio-Safe/Bio-Coat while doing water changes. The smell lasts for a few days and it's terrible. We started using Bio-Safe/Bio-Coat instead of el cheapo dechlorinator and Stress Coat last autumn but the smell is concerning me.

Is there a certain product that is the best/safest to use for water treatment/changes?

What are some of the main rules to having a tank just to cycle water to have to use for water changes so you don't have to treat a bunch of buckets of water to use for vacuuming/changes.

I'd really like to cut down on the "toxic" odors around here... and hopefully reduce allergy problems.


Thanks,
Mrs. ChileRelleno

[An t-iasg]

Hi Mrs. ChileRelleno,
I have allergy/asthma/sinus problems too. I just have two 5.5 gallon tanks, and they have glass covers with the plastic backstrip. This makes a nice tight cover,and no odors come out. I'm extremely sensitive to odors (no perfume or scented air fresheners for me!) Do you have a tight-fitting cover on your tank? Would the type of fish that you have be okay with a cover? I just have bettas, so the oxygen level in the water doesn't matter as much as some other fish, perhaps.

I have read other posts that say Bio-Safe and Bio-Coat have a bad odor. I use Kordon's Novaqua and Amquel. They have no smell. If you use Novaqua and Amquel, you can add them right to your tank if using a python, or right to your bucket, if that's what you use for water changes. You can fill up your bucket and add the Novaqua and Amquel, and then add that water right to the tank (match for temp. from the tap). You don't have to let the water sit, which may also help to alliviate your problems with maybe the humidity from a bunch of buckets sitting around.

Do you have live plants in the tank? I just got a live plant the other day and I'm surprised at how much it smells. I hope I don't have to get rid of it.

Hope this helps a little!

[ChileRelleno]

We do have a bottle of "Amquel PLUS" and it smells terrible, too. Which Amquel formula doesn't stink?

We have a DEhumidifier machine on loan from my parents and that helped me a lot at first, but now it's the fumes... 8O
(We live in coastal Alabama and the air is 80% or more humidity a good part of the year.)

I'll look into getting tighter fitting lids for the tanks- that's a good idea. The 75 gal does have a bubbble strip and two air stones, if that would make a difference with oxygen- maybe someone will jump in with oxygen level info of the fish. (I updated the fish listing on the signiture so it's current.)

The only live plants we have are a few java ferns and some java moss. Never noticed a smell with them... hmmm.

Think I'll toss all the stinky bottles and send Chile shopping when he gets home... not to mention the tank covers...

[jsoong]

I think pretty much anything that break the chloramine bond smells - the ones I looked at all have some sort of sulfur containing chemical - use. sulfite. BTW - sulphite is pretty common allergen for the asthma/sinus prob pts.

I used to use aquasafe & it didn't smell much out of the bottle, but I think it is simply because it is rather diluted. I am now using Prime (which is something like 10 times more concentrated) & it really stinks in the bottle. But I only need to add a tiny bit (1 ml for 10 gal), and once in the water, I can't smell anything. Also, Prime stated that the product will decompose in 24 hrs, so even if it is a prob. it won't last long. So far, this is working well for me.

[An t-iasg]

My Amquel is the original Amquel. I got it before the Amquel Plus came out. I never tried the Amquel Plus, but now that I know it stinks, I won't try it! The original Amquel is still at the DrsFosterSmith site, so hopefully it won't be discontinued.

I don't think airstones and bubble wands can cause enough oxygenation. It's surface agitation that oxygenates the water. Hopefully someone else will answer about the oxygen requirements of your fish and if they can have a tight lid. Maybe the agitation that comes from your filter will be enough.

If you can make a tight cover, and switch to Novaqua and regular Amquel, hopefully that will work out for you. My cover fits right into the groove at the top edge of the tank, and I cut a small square at the edge of the backstrip, just enough to let the air tube and the heater cord out.

The plant I just got is java moss. It does have an odor. I put it back in the plastic bag! I'll deal with it later!