The water in my tank is smelling.... Any ideas what it is?

[Tim804]

Good morning all!
Well I had Put an undergravel filtration system in my 44 gallon hexagon tank a couple weeks back. After I did that night it gave off a TERRIBLE smell... I talked to my local fish store and they said it was from the bacteria in the gravel getting stirred up. Well its been about 2 weeks now and it still has a smell but not as bad. I did a 25% water change and still smells, at times it gives off a smell into the room, but not terrible like originally. Does this smell go away or is there something I can do to help get rid of it????
Thanks in advance.
Tim

 

[GIS Guy]

IME...
I have a 26 bow front with a turtle housed in it. Turtles are very messy and therefore smell a great deal. I have taken care of the problem by using activated carbon in a canister filter. This has been working for more than a year (replacing carbon when needed). I might suggest another water change then running a filter with activated carbon in it until the smell is absorbed. Since the carbon works for a turtle, I am confident it will work the same for fish.

 

[Orion]

How long had the tank been setup when you added the UGF (under gravel filter)? If there was a lot of waste in the gravel bed and when you stired it up that could have created the smell. A tank should have an earthy smell if any at all. And even this should only be noticed when right above the water in the tank.

Adding carbon will get rid of the smell, but it can get pricey after a while and is more of a band-aid on the problem than a fix. It's easier to find the problem that is creating the smell.

 

[GIS Guy]

Adding carbon will get rid of the smell, but it can get pricey after a while and is more of a band-aid on the problem than a fix. It's easier to find the problem that is creating the smell.

I agree, but with a couple more water changes to rid the tank of the fouling waste, the one-time carbon filtration will clean up the dissolved particles left over. The carbon treatment doesn't need to be any longer than that.

 

[Tim804]

I had the tank setup for approx. 7 months. Then had a fungus came through and wipe out my fish, except 2 of them (pink kissing Gouramis). So then I decided to try the UGF and installed that since the fungus had happened. Now back before I messed with putting in that UGF it never smelled.. I am using carbon in the "up" tubes for the UGF, and also carbon in the filtration system I have (Emporer over the back). I am going to continue to do weekly water changes and hope something happens....
thanks,
Tim