Ammonia smell new tank

[mrzap]

It is day 2 of my 29 gal planted tank and it has a very strong ammonia smell. I don't have any fish in there.

It has been awhile since I setup my last tank and I never did one with Eco-Complete substrate so I don't know if this is normal.

Is this just part of the cycle?

 

[Tiffi]

After two days you can't really have an ammonia smell, unless you dosed pure ammonia to cycle. How are you cycling your tank? With fishfood? Raw shrimps?

I could imagine that that might stink some, but after only 2 days it couldn't even be foul gases yet. Please give some more information if you can.

 

[mrzap]

I have 2 bags of eco-complete gravel in there and 7 live plants. I put in the Aquasafe liquid to dechlorinate last night when I filled up the tank. I haven't put any additives to begin the cycle.

Only thing I can think of is all the organic matter in the gravel. It isn't so bad where I can smell it standing outside the tank. I need to open the hood and smell the water close up to detect it.

 

[Tiffi]

I still think that any organic foul gases after only 2 days of having the aquarium set up is nearly impossible. Either your Eco Complete is foul and stinks (take some out and smell it) or you're smelling the aquasafe.

If you can smell something fouleds, sth is wrong with your tank. If it just smells "earthy" everythings fine.

Does your tap water smell?

 

[mrzap]

seems to have cleared up on its own <shrug>

 

[Tiffi]

Well then... Tell us if it comes back, maybe somebody else might have some ideas.

 

[Tiffi]

I just thought about this: If you take a stick or something and swivel it around in the gravel, are there smelling bubbles coming up? That way you could tell if there is/was something rotting in the substrate.

 

[greenmaji]

just a thought.. do you know what curing silicone smells like? sounds like that may have been the sorce of the smell.. if so.. it shouldnt come back..