nate_n_sab

alright, i dont think im gonna use the dechlor anymore, because our tank is reall starting to smell, and i've been doing water changes twice a week, of almost 20% of the water, and the smell always comes back, i dont really know where the smell is coming from. none of our fish are dead, there's no excess food on the bottom of the tank, and the tank is relatively new, like less than 2 weeks new.

is it possible that the dechlor could be the cause of this smell? or perhaps the salt in the water? because it kind of smells chemical, and not really like anything is rotting or decomposing? anyone have a suggestion other than water changes, because im keeping those as regular as possible right now, and its starting to smell up the whole room, my girlfriend is gonna sleep in her sister's room soon

Gunnie

Refresh my memory. How big is the tank, and what fish do you have in it? Was the tank cycled before you added the fish? What are you ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate levels? If you are using a water conditioner like amquel or ammo lock, that can really smell up a tank. Regular dechlor that does just the basics should not be the cause of a smelly tank.

Are you running carbon in your filter? If not, this is one of those times when carbon is helpful to use in your filter. Try using carbon and see if the smell goes away a day or 2.

atmmachine816

Pretty much answer the questions Gunnie gave you and I can help you first hand. I went through the smell thing when I set up my tank and my parents got real mad since the smell got in their room. My problem was I had to get a new filter. By the way what filter do you have?

Austin

nate_n_sab

im using a top-fin filter, came with the tank, meant for a 10-gallon tank, and i replaced the carbon 2 days ago, no improvement thus far, and our tank is probably almost done cycling. water changes help,butdont solve the prolem. also, it looks like some of the colour is coming off the gravel, could tha be the smell?

vin

It could very well be the salt........Dechlor will not cause the water to have an odor.....unless you are creating a reef tank, I would omit the salt......

atmmachine816

Ya but how big is your tank?

vin

If you're asking me - 15 gallons.....odor free....

nate_n_sab

oh yea, sorry, its a 10-gallon tank

and everywhere i read recomends adding 2 tblspns of salt for every 5 gallons for guppies, which is what i have, and i added less than that, probably 1 1/2 tblspns, should i really not add the salt? i mean, the tank progressively gets smellier, it doesnt smell right away when i change the water

0morrokh

What and how many fish do you have in there?

vin

I would omit the salt...Unless you've got wild caught guppies, they won't need it......

Butterfly

The salt is really not necessary for guppies. But as for the smell it sounds like your tank is not cycled. Sometimes an uncycled tank will have a rotten egg smell. Could you tell us your water test readings please? Amminia, Nitrite, and Nitrate particularly. As the tank has only been set up for two weeks I seriously doubt it's cycled. We need this info to be able to help you further.
Carol

0morrokh

I'm cycling my tank (fishless) and it smells AWFUL! The smell should go away once it's done cycling as long as the tank is properly cared for.

nate_n_sab

i just actually tested the water yesterday, and dont think the tank has finished cycling yet, although its getting there, because the smell is going away, still there a little bit, im doing a partial water change in the morning because the ammonia levels were at 1.0 ppm, and the nitrate and nitrite levels tested safe, i cant remember the readings, but they were okay. i thought this was unusual though because the amonia was unsafe, or at least causing stress for the fish, but the nitrite and nitrate levels arent ideal, but signifgantly lower....


on a side note, we're cycling the tank with the fish in it, my girlfriend is impatient, so im learning this stuff as i go, but i want to do whatever i can to help my fish survive, we've already lost 2 female guppies, which dropped our ratio of male/female guppies, but i dont want to add anymore fish until the tank is cycled. we now have 4 male/4 female guppies, and 3 cory cats, is this too much for a 10-gallon tank?

Butterfly

It's at its max for fish I'm afraid. When your ammonia starts to go down you will see Nitrites and the Nitrates. Then the ammonia will be 0, Nitrites will be 0 and you will have some Nitrates then your cycle will be over.
Carol