Is Using Fish Food To Cyle Normal To Stink?

So short story, my tank has been cycling for about 9 days. I tested the water and so far no Nitries or Nitrates, but I do have 2 ppm of Ammonia.

I'm letting my fish food rot in a net, so I don't know if I need to take it out because of this.

My water smells horrid, like a dirty trash can. I heard this was normal if you're using fish food or a dead shrimp. My tank also is a little cloudy, but that's most likely a combo of a bacteria bloom and the food. Do I dump all the food out of the net? It has stunk up my entire room so I have to often spray air freshener in there. However, today it only smelled when I hovered over the tank. I've been double dosing Prime, I'm not too sure it that'll help significantly, but my tank temp is a little above 80.

Thanks in advance,

 

Mmm my tanks didn't smell at all when I cycled them using fish food but ok.

I let my fish food sit at the bottom of my tank and just did two 50% water changes before adding fish (it was a bare bottom though so that makes the whole process easier) it's up to you really

 

Hmm, I've never had a cycling tank smell noticeably bad before. Maybe try checking the water parameters? The ammonia/nitrite is probably super high if it's smelling like that.

 

Yes. Fish food makes your tank stink when cycling, because you are literally waiting on the fish food to rot, before it produces ammonia. It is so yucky!

You should test your tank and see where you are. You may be able to do a water change at this point.

 

Hmm, I've never had a cycling tank smell noticeably bad before. Maybe try checking the water parameters? The ammonia/nitrite is probably super high if it's smelling like that.

Yep, it was just as suspected! My ammonia is 4 ppm. Shoot, that spiked real fast. I don't have nitrites yet as I tested it this morning, so if the ammonia won't go down I'll do a 20 or 30% water change and see what'll happen.

 

Yes. Fish food makes your tank stink when cycling, because you are literally waiting on the fish food to rot, before it produces ammonia. It is so yucky!

You should test your tank and see where you are. You may be able to do a water change at this point.

My ammonia is 4 ppm, so it's starting to get to dangerous levels of hurting my bacteria, I have no nitrites or nitrates yet, just a huge ammonia spike. I took out that nasty fish net with the food in it and dumped it, so if any food was still decaying it wouldn't produce any more ammonia. I will check again tomorrow, and if the levels are still pushing that 4 ppm of ammonia or higher, I will do a small water change to bring the levels down, and leave it alone until the cycle is done . I heard you should only do water changes at the end of the cycle, but it's also important to do them if the ammonia/nitrites are super high as well. Is 4 ppm too concerning of ammonia?