New member first question

[highland]

Hello folks,

I been on this site for about 2 weeks now and your answers to Chazwick's questions have answered most of my noob questions. I've also read up on all the sticky's several times and everytime I reread them, I learn someone new.

I bought a used 26 gallon bow front tank. It came with a Penguin 125? filter and dime and quarter size pebbles. I throughly cleaned the tank but not the pebbles and the filter hoping this would speed up the cycle process. The tank has been running properly for the 2 weeks I have been cycling the tank. The ammonia, nitrite and nitrate levels are looking good.

Now for my question. My wife is complaining that the tanks starting to smell. Is it time for a partial water change even if my tank haven't been completely cycled? What else can I do so my wife won't complain about the smell.

Thanks in advance,

Shawn

 

[ashleigh]

This is probably a dumb question but was the tank running when you bought it? Did the filter or gravel dry out at any point?

 

[FroggyFox]

the "smell" that tanks have is a kind of earthy smell. IF it starts stinking to high heaven you might have an issue...but honestly, I can't smell my tanks unless I've got my nose right in em...or have a tank part in the sink washing it in hot water or something (which btw no one should do that unless you're fully aware of the ramifications of cleaning any part of your tank with chlorinated water). I think during cycling you might have a slightly stronger smell from the ammonia/nitrites/nitrates that are in there...but normally those levels should all be as close to 0 as possible. (Of course if you dont have really high levels of any of those...that might not be the issue...you didn't give us the actual numbers so I'm totally guessing)

Welcome to the site...and the hobby

 

[revfred]

A friend of mine had a similar experience. He bought his spouse a wonderful and expensive bottle of cologne...a scent she wears everyday. Since then, the "smell" of the tanks has not been an issue.

 

[seastaar88]

run carbon in your filter. that will help with the smell. and since you have'nt really washed your gravel, do a good siphoning to get any dead organic material out of the gravel that maybe the cause of the stink.

 

[Fish Friend]

naybe it was just getting a abit stagnant when you were setting it up ??