My tank smells, why?

cynicechoes · 08-15-2007, 10:45 PM

We just set up our tank about 2 days ago and yesterday threw in 2 cocktail shrimp. The tank stinks today. Is there a problem or is this normal? How long before we can ditch the shrimp? Thanks

Triggerjay · 08-15-2007, 11:50 PM

More than likley you are smelling the decaying shrimp... Prob a good thing.. This means the first step of the cycle has started. The shrimp will start to decay, release ammonia, then the ammonia will be converted into nitrite as your new bacteria colonys are getting established, and finally the nitrites will be converted into nitrates.. when ammonia and nitrite read zero, this will mean your tank has completed the cycle. This could take from as little as two weeks, to 6 weeks, depending on your setup, amount of live rock, etc. By all means, leave the shrimp in the tank. Just plug your nose when you walk by.. lol. The smell should subside in a couple more days.

Jason

prow · 08-16-2007, 01:34 AM

is there anything else in the tank? rock or sand ect...the shrimp i would not think would make the tank smell. if the shrimp is down in the tank and not at or above the water line that is. are you using a skimmer? is you flow enough, what are using for water movement?

Dentoid · 08-16-2007, 06:39 AM

Sounds like the LR is uncured.

Woodstock · 08-16-2007, 06:55 AM

Check the ammonia. If it has spiked high, then you can remove the stinky shrimp.
Curing live rock will stink bad also.

cynicechoes · 08-16-2007, 08:33 AM

That would be why then. the rock we purchased was uncured & it seems the smell might be subsiding just a little bit, either that or I've just gotten used to it, probably that later lol! Thanks guys!

AQTCJAK · 08-16-2007, 08:39 AM

uncured rock would sure do it

CMG · 08-16-2007, 10:46 AM

Finally I can answer a question! (I am new to saltwater tanks too but I have some experiance with this part..hehe)

I cured my own live rock in my tank in my room and it stank at first...but...when I thought that I didnt get a cycle from the die off I added a cocktail shrimp about 1.5 months later and that thing stank even worse than the "die off" (I am not sure if I really had any die off).

So for those of you who dont think its the shrimp think again...wheeew that thing stank bad. Maybe it depends on the shrimp..hehe.

BigAl07 · 08-16-2007, 10:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CMG

Finally I can answer a question! (I am new to saltwater tanks too but I have some experiance with this part..hehe)

I cured my own live rock in my tank in my room and it stank at first...but...when I thought that I didnt get a cycle from the die off I added a cocktail shrimp about 1.5 months later and that thing stank even worse than the "die off" (I am not sure if I really had any die off).

So for those of you who dont think its the shrimp think again...wheeew that thing stank bad. Maybe it depends on the shrimp..hehe.

OMG did mine ever stink! It smelled like fido's posterior and My wife was NOT happy about that. But it only lasted a couple of days (or we got used to it ).

Allen

cynicechoes · 08-16-2007, 11:37 AM

HAHAHA! Yeh when I got up the other morning I was like searching around the house like scooby doo sniffing trying to figure out what the heck the smell was, thought it was the trash or something, but I couldn't make it go away! It wasn't until we opened the hood on the tank to check the water that we realized it!

The good thing: I got used to the smell, so unless I leave and come back into the house I don't smell it anymore! LOL

Dentoid · 08-16-2007, 03:19 PM

Smell is the one sense that is most closely associated with memory.

sasquatch · 08-16-2007, 03:43 PM

just wait till you get a good cup of skimmate lol

lcstorc · 08-17-2007, 06:33 AM

If you wait for the skimmate it will convince you to always run a skimmer anyway.

Woodstock · 08-17-2007, 08:11 AM

I don't know of anything worse smelling than skimmate from my ASM G3! It is so strong I have to hold my breath while cleaning it.

Triggerjay · 08-18-2007, 07:10 AM

Man, we need to start a thread about the stinkiest thing found from/in your tank.. lol.. My story would be the day I opened up my HOT Magnum, after running it about a month with the paper filter in it. It filled the room with an overpowering sulfer smell and didnt go away for hours! My wife about killed me. It had everyone in the house gagging... Smelled like one of those novelty store stink bombs.... 10x worse!

Jason

08-15-2007, 10:45 PM	#1 (permalink)
cynicechoes Midas Blenny Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: San Diego, CA Posts: 114 View Gallery Karma Komment Add yours!	My tank smells, why? We just set up our tank about 2 days ago and yesterday threw in 2 cocktail shrimp. The tank stinks today. Is there a problem or is this normal? How long before we can ditch the shrimp? Thanks __________________ Casey & Cody(probably not) -Thus the task is not to see what nobody yet has seen, but to think what nobody yet has thought about that which everybody sees. - Unknown Our Newbie Reef Tank Journey!

08-15-2007, 11:50 PM	#2 (permalink)
Triggerjay Golden Moray Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Springfield MO Posts: 2,067 View Gallery Karma Komment Add yours!	Re: My tank smells, why? More than likley you are smelling the decaying shrimp... Prob a good thing.. This means the first step of the cycle has started. The shrimp will start to decay, release ammonia, then the ammonia will be converted into nitrite as your new bacteria colonys are getting established, and finally the nitrites will be converted into nitrates.. when ammonia and nitrite read zero, this will mean your tank has completed the cycle. This could take from as little as two weeks, to 6 weeks, depending on your setup, amount of live rock, etc. By all means, leave the shrimp in the tank. Just plug your nose when you walk by.. lol. The smell should subside in a couple more days. Jason __________________ The start of my journey: http://www.reefsanctuary.com/forums/...xperience.html My current journey: http://www.reefsanctuary.com/forums/...ld-thread.html My clownfish breeding log: http://www.reefsanctuary.com/forums/...ne-fishes.html

08-16-2007, 01:34 AM	#3 (permalink)
prow Tridacna maxima Join Date: May 2005 Location: Redondo Beach, CA Posts: 4,239 View Gallery Karma Komment Add yours!	Re: My tank smells, why? is there anything else in the tank? rock or sand ect...the shrimp i would not think would make the tank smell. if the shrimp is down in the tank and not at or above the water line that is. are you using a skimmer? is you flow enough, what are using for water movement? __________________ "He who sees things grow from their beginnings shall have the finest view of them" ........Aristotle........ "The only difference between me and a madman is that I'm not mad." - Salvador Dali my chronicle........ http://www.reefsanctuary.com/forums/...al-system.html my clamicle..........http://www.reefsanctuary.com/forums/...my-tank-d.html

08-16-2007, 06:39 AM	#4 (permalink)
Dentoid Over Achiever Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Virginia Posts: 10,258 View Gallery Karma Komment	Re: My tank smells, why? Sounds like the LR is uncured. __________________ Scott Dentoid's Reeforama

08-16-2007, 06:55 AM	#5 (permalink)
Woodstock The Wand Geek was here. ;) Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: North Carolina Posts: 23,606 View Gallery Karma Komment Add yours!	Re: My tank smells, why? Check the ammonia. If it has spiked high, then you can remove the stinky shrimp. Curing live rock will stink bad also. __________________ ~Doni Marie~ *GOT ICH???* *My Anemone & Picasso Tank ~* 120 Reef Chronicle ~ *Breeding Picasso Clownfish~* *Massive 300 gal growout~* *Picasso & Snowcasso for sale~* "Energy and persistence conquer all things." Benjamin Franklin __________________________________________________ ______________________________________________

08-16-2007, 08:33 AM	#6 (permalink)
cynicechoes Midas Blenny Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: San Diego, CA Posts: 114 View Gallery Karma Komment Add yours!	Re: My tank smells, why? That would be why then. the rock we purchased was uncured & it seems the smell might be subsiding just a little bit, either that or I've just gotten used to it, probably that later lol! Thanks guys! __________________ Casey & Cody(probably not) -Thus the task is not to see what nobody yet has seen, but to think what nobody yet has thought about that which everybody sees. - Unknown Our Newbie Reef Tank Journey!

08-16-2007, 08:39 AM	#7 (permalink)
AQTCJAK Tiger Shark Join Date: Aug 2007 Posts: 7,213 View Gallery Karma Komment Add yours!	Re: My tank smells, why? uncured rock would sure do it __________________ A Wiseman once said build a stage add a pole & they will dance - Jack 2007 www.aquaticaggression.com Projects & Chronicels http://www.reefsanctuary.com/forums/...car-buffs.html http://www.reefsanctuary.com/forums/...nts-tanks.html

08-16-2007, 10:46 AM	#8 (permalink)
CMG Neon dottyback Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Sonoma County, CA Posts: 602 View Gallery Karma Komment Add yours!	Re: My tank smells, why? Finally I can answer a question! (I am new to saltwater tanks too but I have some experiance with this part..hehe) I cured my own live rock in my tank in my room and it stank at first...but...when I thought that I didnt get a cycle from the die off I added a cocktail shrimp about 1.5 months later and that thing stank even worse than the "die off" (I am not sure if I really had any die off). So for those of you who dont think its the shrimp think again...wheeew that thing stank bad. Maybe it depends on the shrimp..hehe. __________________ My Chronical: http://www.reefsanctuary.com/forums/...wlr-setup.html 40g, Banggai Cardinal, B&W Clown, Flame Angel, Scooter Dragon and a golden banded shrimp.

08-16-2007, 11:37 AM	#10 (permalink)
cynicechoes Midas Blenny Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: San Diego, CA Posts: 114 View Gallery Karma Komment Add yours!	Re: My tank smells, why? HAHAHA! Yeh when I got up the other morning I was like searching around the house like scooby doo sniffing trying to figure out what the heck the smell was, thought it was the trash or something, but I couldn't make it go away! It wasn't until we opened the hood on the tank to check the water that we realized it! The good thing: I got used to the smell, so unless I leave and come back into the house I don't smell it anymore! LOL __________________ Casey & Cody(probably not) -Thus the task is not to see what nobody yet has seen, but to think what nobody yet has thought about that which everybody sees. - Unknown Our Newbie Reef Tank Journey!

08-16-2007, 03:19 PM	#11 (permalink)
Dentoid Over Achiever Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Virginia Posts: 10,258 View Gallery Karma Komment	Re: My tank smells, why? Smell is the one sense that is most closely associated with memory. __________________ Scott Dentoid's Reeforama

08-16-2007, 03:43 PM	#12 (permalink)
sasquatch Brunt of all Jokes~ Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: the very farthest west coast of canada Posts: 8,917 View Gallery Karma Komment Add yours!	Re: My tank smells, why? just wait till you get a good cup of skimmate lol __________________ castawayreefers.com

08-17-2007, 06:33 AM	#13 (permalink)
lcstorc Sunshine Reefer Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Cocoa Fl Posts: 20,778 View Gallery Karma Komment Add yours!	Re: My tank smells, why? If you wait for the skimmate it will convince you to always run a skimmer anyway. __________________ Peace LYNN You can't change the past but you can change how you view it. A reef tank is like a racecar. The faster you go the harder you crash. Lynn and Franks saltwater adventure Lynn's 20g clown tank Lynn's 90g of sunshine Every 60 seconds you spend upset is a minute of happiness you'll never get back. In Loving Memory Of Z 01/22/07 - 08/19/08

08-17-2007, 08:11 AM	#14 (permalink)
Woodstock The Wand Geek was here. ;) Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: North Carolina Posts: 23,606 View Gallery Karma Komment Add yours!	Re: My tank smells, why? I don't know of anything worse smelling than skimmate from my ASM G3! It is so strong I have to hold my breath while cleaning it. __________________ ~Doni Marie~ *GOT ICH???* *My Anemone & Picasso Tank ~* 120 Reef Chronicle ~ *Breeding Picasso Clownfish~* *Massive 300 gal growout~* *Picasso & Snowcasso for sale~* "Energy and persistence conquer all things." Benjamin Franklin __________________________________________________ ______________________________________________

08-18-2007, 07:10 AM	#15 (permalink)
Triggerjay Golden Moray Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Springfield MO Posts: 2,067 View Gallery Karma Komment Add yours!	Re: My tank smells, why? Man, we need to start a thread about the stinkiest thing found from/in your tank.. lol.. My story would be the day I opened up my HOT Magnum, after running it about a month with the paper filter in it. It filled the room with an overpowering sulfer smell and didnt go away for hours! My wife about killed me. It had everyone in the house gagging... Smelled like one of those novelty store stink bombs.... 10x worse! Jason __________________ The start of my journey: http://www.reefsanctuary.com/forums/...xperience.html My current journey: http://www.reefsanctuary.com/forums/...ld-thread.html My clownfish breeding log: http://www.reefsanctuary.com/forums/...ne-fishes.html

Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)