wierd tank smell

[steveoutla]

Ok, I've had my tank going for about 4 months. I put a protien skimmer on it about 3 weeks ago and I have to empty it about 2-3 times a week. Over the last couple of days my tank has gotten a wierd smell........almost like a bug spray smell. Any ideas why this might be???

 

[steveoutla]

Just a little more info. I just added PC lights about a week ago and put them on a timer. About 4 days after I put the PC lights on I got a big algea bloom......the brown algea all over the live sand. I stirred that up to get it in the water and did a 15g water change. I'm testing the water right now so I'll post readings when I'm done. Another thing, I've noticed the remains of a few blue leg hermits floating around and my clownfish is missing (I assume dead).

 

[steveoutla]

Ok, here are my water readings:
Ammonia - 0.8 mg/l
PH - 8.0 units
Nitrate - 10 mg/l
Nitrite - 2 mg/l
I'm going to buy a different test kit because everyone else's readings are different than mine. Any suggestions on which one?

 

[nas19320]

You should have no ammonia or nitrites in a cycled tank.

 

[squidd]

Originally posted by steveoutla
Ammonia - 0.8 mg/l
PH - 8.0 units
Nitrate - 10 mg/l
Nitrite - 2 mg/l
I'm going to buy a different test kit because everyone else's readings are different than mine.
Which kit are you using now...??
Definitly try a different kit or have LFS test to "confirm" readings...
Readings are NOT GOOD if these are accurate....
Partial Water Change would be in order...

 

[steveoutla]

what could have sent my tank into another cycle? I just did a 15g water change with RO water. I got another 15g today. what about the algea bloom? What about the dead hermits? Could this cause my levels to rise??? Could that be causing the smell???
I'm using the Aquarium Systems FasTest kit. Never have liked it.:
:help:

 

[squidd]

The APS Fastest (with the plastic see through color slides) is really not too bad a kit..Generally accurate...
But still double check...
Actually though, the sequence of events listed may be backward...
The high levels "may not" have caused a cycle which killed the animals which caused the smell...
Rather the "smell" (bug spray...:thinking: ) may have "killed" the animals which raised the levels and caused the cycle...
Any possibility of "poisoning" accidental or otherwise..??

 

[steveoutla]

Not that I can think of. I've been very careful with the tank and making sure I do a water change every week. I'm wondering if I have just been over feeding. I've been having trouble with the fish eating the formula 1 and it falls to the bottom of the tank. Could this accumulate and hurt the fish??

 

[sula]

Just a thought, but is it possible that the stirring of the sand released so much gunk into the system that it is causing what appears to be a cycle?:notsure:

 

[squidd]

That is a possibility...
Generally the "advise" is (and my fish follow it) is to not feed them more than they will eat in a minute or two and usually none hits the bottom...
I'd rather give them a second or third "SMALL" pinch (and they eat that as well) rather than too much all at once...
Sometimes they are not in the "mood" to eat (by reaction to first pinch) and then I don't add any more...If I/you gave it to them all at once, quite a bit may sink down and build up...

 

[steveoutla]

I'm definately cutting down on what I am feeding them. The last couple of days I've been emptying my skimmer cup once per day. It's not the nastiest stuff but it is stinky. That is where the smell has been coming from. I'm going to do a water change this weekend and I'll do another test of the water and hopefully it will be better.
thanks for all the advice.