Sulfur Smell

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rcsguy

Aquarium Advice Activist
Joined
Mar 18, 2015
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135
I pulled out a new crypt that melted when I first put it in the tank. I inspected the roots and a nasty sulfur smell came from them. Is this something to be worried about in terms of the entire tank? Should I toss the plant?
 
if the plant is still green, leave it in there. give it a wash and stick it back in.

dwarf lettuce, frogbit, raccoon tail and Egeria densa are all plants that absorb ammonia like crazy. literally throw them in there and watch them grow like mad.
 
Crypts will melt anyway when you put them in a new tank. Happens to everyone. Don't disturb, let them do their own thing. They are sensitive, but easy to care for, plants. The sulfur smell is most likely from the substrate where a lot of bacteria make gas, and that's released when you open up the substrate.
 
Crypts will melt anyway when you put them in a new tank. Happens to everyone. Don't disturb, let them do their own thing. They are sensitive, but easy to care for, plants. The sulfur smell is most likely from the substrate where a lot of bacteria make gas, and that's released when you open up the substrate.

Nils told me about this also and is exactly right, mine melted too. I waited it out and they are now looking good. I ge the sulphur smell as well with my dirted substrate capped with blasting sand. I poke the substrate about a quarter section of it each day to relieve the building gas. No effect on the fish so far. I hear it goes away eventually it is just anerobic areas of the substrate. You may also notice the roots turn a junky black. All my plants have this and are growing new ones fine.
 
Check your water parameters. Probably need a couple of good pwc.


since the tank is still cycling , I was planning on waiting until the end. But would I benefit from a water change?
 
only change the water during a cycle to get your Nitrites or Nitrates back down to a readable level. A water change will not remove any BB from the tank, just the ammonia you added along with the bacteria byproducts (Nitrite, Nitrate). The sulphur smell is from what is going on in the substrate, it is the byproduct of anaerobic metabolism. What are you using for a substrate?
 
only change the water during a cycle to get your Nitrites or Nitrates back down to a readable level. A water change will not remove any BB from the tank, just the ammonia you added along with the bacteria byproducts (Nitrite, Nitrate). The sulphur smell is from what is going on in the substrate, it is the byproduct of anaerobic metabolism. What are you using for a substrate?


Thanks, and I am using just regular sand with osmocote root tabs
 
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