horrible smell

[fishiefish51]

earlier today I bought java fern and a black mystery snail from petsmart. Now about 12 hours since I put these 2 in the tank, the water stinks!!!! why????

 

[TheCrazyFishLady]

It might be coincidental. When is the last time you cleaned your filter?

 

[fishiefish51]

It might be coincidental. When is the last time you cleaned your filter?

what do you mean by clean? changing the filter cartridge?

 

[TheCrazyFishLady]

Well, you need to clean your filter out every so often. Like, in the impeller and intake tube and the actual body. You can't just leave it up forever just changing cartridges. It takes awhile for enough junk to build up inside of there to cause a smell though. You want to clean the filter on a week that you aren't changing out the cartridges to cause the smallest amount of a cycle possible.

 

[fishiefish51]

Well, you need to clean your filter out every so often. Like, in the impeller and intake tube and the actual body. You can't just leave it up forever just changing cartridges. It takes awhile for enough junk to build up inside of there to cause a smell though. You want to clean the filter on a week that you aren't changing out the cartridges to cause the smallest amount of a cycle possible.

ok I havent cleaned it out for about 7 weeks now. I smelled inside the filter box and it is the worst there!!

 

[TheCrazyFishLady]

Well, there you go. Now, that might not be the only source of the smell. But, it could be a good contender.

 

[fishiefish51]

Right right...well what else would cause this? I dont want it to stink up my room.

 

[TheCrazyFishLady]

Well, you could have algae causing the stink. Do you have a bloom? If not, I'm not sure, personally what else it could be. I'm sure someone else will chime in with their two cents. For now, clean the filter. It should help.

Oh, and what are your parameters? I did a quick google search and an abundance of ammonia can cause a smell, apparently. Not sure how accurate that is.

 

[fishiefish51]

I dont think its an algea problem. Although it could be but for now like you said I will just clean the filter.

nitrate: 20ppm
nitrite: .5ppm
ph: 7.8
ammonia: 0

 

[TheCrazyFishLady]

Maybe you should wait on the filter cleaning if you have nitrites.

 

[fishiefish51]

Yes I agree. I think it might be cause of over feeding. Im going to switch to every other day again.

 

[fishiefish51]

you dont think its the java fern?

 

[TheCrazyFishLady]

Sounds good. I overfeed sometimes too... I can't resist spoiling the little guys.

 

[TheCrazyFishLady]

you dont think its the java fern?

Unless it has something rotting on it, I don't think so. You can always pull it out and rinse it down.

 

[fishiefish51]

haha me too! Ok im going to take it out and see if its the fern

 

[fishiefish51]

It smells like somethings rotten. thats what the water smells like

 

[Tigroscr]

Have you checked the snail lately that you just bought? Just wondering because I had one die and didn't know it until I smelled a terrible smell in my tank and the poor little guy had died!

 

[TheCrazyFishLady]

I didn't even think of that! Those suckers smell awful when they pass.

 

[fishiefish51]

No hes doing perfect!

 

[xxwolfpackof1xx]

clean the filter housing its self in some tank water it wont harm anything but it's worth a shot may wana pwc anyways just to nock that trite reading down