Fish Tank Smells!!!

[bbebber]

I recently did a water change in my tank and once I drained most of the water I noticed that it had a pretty bad smell to it. It has like a nasty fishy smell. Is this normal or could there be something wrong with my tank?

[omard]

Depends on what you call a "nasty fishy smell"...I happen to like the salty ocean odor I get when doing water changes...

But if what you smell is a really rotten disgusting smell...you probably have a problem...check your water params...what do they tell you?

BTW

To 3Reef!!!




The Tao of Marine Aquaria
Tips for Our Hobby and Life

© 1997 Adam H. Whitlock
Edited By Elizabeth M. Lukan 11/25/00

[Tangster]

You need to run Carbon thats how I know when its time to change it I can smell that musty ocean/saltwater smell like low tide on thr coast..

[djnzlab1]

HI,
If i have to guess, you smelling the deitris in your tank, do you have lots of snail that clean the sand or grave, and small hermits.
Did anything die like rock, whats you nitrates and ammonia.
somethings off,
my tanks smell like the ocean breeze, excepts for the skimmers they'd gag a skunk..
Doug

[dbyrd]

how do i know if my live rock is dead? and my water params are a little off and i have been battling with nitrates for a while now.

[coral reefer]

The smell is probably caused by a number of different reasons, from fish respiration to defication, a number of biological end products that have been suspended in your water column, such as Dissolved organic and particulate matter. A water change, efficient skimming and carbon additive should help to alleviate the fishy/decaying smell.
As for the question by dbyrd, live rock may contain some die off either within or on live rock, especially during the curing process. Live rock in a tank for a lengthy period of time, should contain little if any die off, unless something is terribly wrong with your tanks make-up both biologically and/or chemically IMO. Even then, the chances of your live rock being totally dead are very nominal. When you have die off on your live rock whether it has been cured or not, you will have some die off but not every living organisms which lives in or on that rock. Many times if you have or had sponge, algae etc. and it has died initially, many times it will grow back again so don't fret it.
What are your nitrate and other parameter levels? Nitrates alone will not be the sole cause of death on live rock, but combined with other variables, could aid in problems with livestock, however, a high nitrate reading usually has more of an impact on macro and microalgae growth.
Try doing a water change and cut down on feeding.