Refugium stinks!

[Varga]

is this normal? started 3-4 days ago, now its very bad. its not the skimate (yes, I stuck my nose in there) seems to be the entire sump. any ideas?

 

[lcstorc]

Dou you have enough water flow and air flow. I used to get kind of a mildew smell so I cut some holes in the stand to allow more air circulation.

 

[BigAl07]

Is it a Urine/Pee smell?

 

[Varga]

Is it a Urine/Pee smell?

yup.....pee, or dead animal. stand does not even have doors yet.
not too much flow due to small return pump but i thought that was the idea. bigger pump is on the list, right passed mortgage and car payment

 

[Varga]

any ideas?

 

[Snelly40]

i had this for a little when i made my baffles to high for the flow, high flow will help you out i think

 

[rmlevasseur]

If you are smelling a pee smell I'd run some ammonia tests pronto

 

[Varga]

Amo is 0, i think flow is my issue, my fuge is like a swamp

 

[leonick]

yup.....pee, or dead animal. stand does not even have doors yet.
not too much flow due to small return pump but i thought that was the idea. bigger pump is on the list, right passed mortgage and car payment

this same thing happened to me when I was starting to cycle out my new tank. I had to turn off the powerhead that brings the water to the aquarium, my aquarium started to smell like pee the following morning. I turned the flow back on, poured alot of the sera ammovec biostarter stuff. After 3 days, the water does not have any smell at all! My skimmer pulled out alot of stuff from the water also. My skimmer is skimming from the refugium.

 

[Varga]

this same thing happened to me when I was starting to cycle out my new tank. I had to turn off the powerhead that brings the water to the aquarium, my aquarium started to smell like pee the following morning. I turned the flow back on, poured alot of the sera ammovec biostarter stuff. After 3 days, the water does not have any smell at all! My skimmer pulled out alot of stuff from the water also. My skimmer is skimming from the refugium.

increased flow, smell is almost gone. i think the stand still reaks a little cus the nasty smell has penetrated the ply wood. my gf wont even sit in the living room cuz of the smell. goes to show even bad things have a positive side :verymad: