Fish Tank Smell

sparty059

sparty059

Active Member
So as many of you know there is a smell that comes along with having a fish tank. I don't want to pollute my living room with an awful smell so I wanted to know what are some best practices to keeping a clean smelling fish tank... I know I will have to do bi-weekly 10-20% water changes... but is there anything like a fragrance that I can put in the water or around that will keep the tank/water from smelling so bad?
 
meowzer

meowzer

Moderator
FRAGRANCE

NOOOOOO
I have 6 tanks in my house....LOL...I don't smell anything....keep up with good maintenance, and don't let dead fish rot (LOL) and you should be fine
 
btldreef

btldreef

Moderator
I have the same reaction to seeing "fragrance" as Meowzer.
Run Carbon and/or Purigen
Keep your tank maintained and if you have a protein skimmer, it might be time to wash it out.
 
mrdc

mrdc

Active Member
Shouldn't smell IMO. Now if you take something out like polyfiber from your sump and put it on a chair and forget about it, you will regret it!!!
 
slice

slice

Active Member
I have to flip up the glass cover and put my nose right over the water to smell anything (and I do this often), and it smells like ocean, if anything. If I smelled anything else, I would think something was wrong and start a full investigation...
 
sparty059

sparty059

Active Member
Ok, well I was just asking because I had that tank in my garage that I didn't touch for a while but had water in there. I went to empty it out and clean it out to move it in doors and it had the smell of death trailing along with it so I left it outside to air-out for the day today as well as tomorrow... possibly the whole weekend. I clean it out with soap and scrubbed extremely hard to get anything that might be on the glass off. I just assumed that would be a smell that would come back after a while... of course not as intense. But I'm excited for this ocean smell now! Ahhh, to smell the ocean every day would make my life a living dream! :)
 
meowzer

meowzer

Moderator
YIKES...You need to sanitize the tank
Fill it with water and bleach....let it soak a few hours.....empty....rinse.....refill with water and add a dechlorinator....let sit a few hours....rinse ....rinse....rinse
then you should be sanitized and good to go
 
flower

flower

Well-Known Member
Originally Posted by Slice
http:///forum/post/3298079
I have to flip up the glass cover and put my nose right over the water to smell anything (and I do this often), and it smells like ocean, if anything. If I smelled anything else, I would think something was wrong and start a full investigation...

+1 I also think it smells like the ocean...However when I do maintenance..Cleaning out the canister filters or cleaning the skimmer there is that "fish tank" smell, it waifs through the house, just like when you clean algae from a freshwater tank. That is because I am stirring up muck to clean out. Your tank in general should not smell bed.
Then there is the possibility that we who live among the fishes do not realize the fish smell like fish…LOL, people who have dogs and cats think they have a clean house. Strangers know you have a dog or cat the moment they walk in the door.
 
al&burke

al&burke

Active Member
My favorite thing is when I am cleaning out the canister filter - the smell makes me feel like I am sitting next to the ocean.
 
navigator

navigator

Member
Originally Posted by Flower
http:///forum/post/3298093

Then there is the possibility that we who live among the fishes do not realize the fish smell like fish…LOL, people who have dogs and cats think they have a clean house. Strangers know you have a dog or cat the moment they walk in the door.
The dog/cat point is a good one!
I'm too new to the hobby to speak with much authority, but my tank has been up for a few months and the only scent associated with it is when I clean the skimmer cup and/or rinse the canister filters, and that is limited to just a few minutes in the kitchen. However, I *have* learned not to do this while my girlfriend is preparing a salad nearby... :p
 
srfisher17

srfisher17

Active Member
A healthy tank doesn't smell. Don't use soap; if you use bleach: put the tank upside down somewhere, raise one end end slightly with a 2x4, run an occilating lawn sprinkler under it for an hour or so. If any trace of bleach smell remains, don't use it yet.
 
meowzer

meowzer

Moderator
Originally Posted by Sparty059
http:///forum/post/3298124
Eek, I've already used soap. Do I have to bleach even if I do the vinegar thing?
....I did bleach and then the dechlorinator on my 29G.....LOL...Of course it's smaller......but when I was done....I WAS SURE that it was clean...
Did you read my post up above....I think I detailed the steps I took
 
sparty059

sparty059

Active Member
Originally Posted by meowzer
http:///forum/post/3298125
....I did bleach and then the dechlorinator on my 29G.....LOL...Of course it's smaller......but when I was done....I WAS SURE that it was clean...
Did you read my post up above....I think I detailed the steps I took
I must have missed it. I'll be sure to do that... ugh... all this tedious work... I don't like to clean!
 
meowzer

meowzer

Moderator
Originally Posted by Sparty059
http:///forum/post/3298127
I must have missed it. I'll be sure to do that... ugh... all this tedious work... I don't like to clean!
Then quit now....LOL...I have been cleaning fish stuff all day.....I am off Fri, Sat and Sun....and it seems all I do is water changes...pick on this/....pick on that.....LOL....Today just has been extra busy
tomorrow I am taking apart to clean another protein skimmer :(
 
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