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Why do my aquarium smell like ammonia2007-11-24 23:43:13

I am new with aquariums and fish, but I noticed that my aquarium have a loud smell of ammonia or some kind of strong chemical smell. Why is this and what should I do about it?

Answers:

Perform a google search on Cycling a Fish tank. A help link for this information is : http://badmanstropicalfish.com/start_up..

It's very long; but lots of information. Continue on through the pages until you get to the nitrogen cycle. This is probably your problem.

A new fish tank has to establish a bacteria culture which will grow as food becomes available for it to go. The fish's waste, excess wasted food all produce Ammonia. This ammonia turns to nitrites by bacteria and then to a more harmless nitrates.

For the short term the best thing you can do for you fish tank is to do a 10% water change. The ammonia is toxic for the fish; but until the bacteria is established there isn't much that can be done. . the water changes will help give the fish some "fresh water" to live with while the bacteria establishes and deals with the rest of the tank.

Good luck.

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the waste of the fish. clean it once in a while. like every month or get a fish that eats the waste. cleaning it involves changing the water and cleaning the pump element

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You need to drain about 75percent of your water out and replace with new.In about a week drain 25 to 50 percent and replace with new. Then drain 25 percent out about once a month to keep it clean and fresh. You also might want to try replacing the water with RO/DI(Really clean water Probably sold at any fish store).

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that smell is urine which tells me you do not have a good filter OR aerator. Ammonia is a gas, not a liquid. Aerating eliminates it into the atmosphere.