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why does my fish tank still smell2007-11-24 23:43:57

Here's a good article on what happens in a new tank

http://thegab.org/articles/waterqualityc.

Here's a tropical tank/fish caresheet that may also help:

http://thegab.org/articles/tropicalbasic.

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Well #1 you shouldn't ever do a 100% water change. This tends to kill off the bacteria that breaks down ammonia. This is what you should do.

1)Get a cheap gravel vacuum and vacuum the gravel weekly, and replace 10-20% of your water. If it's smelly other than a musty/earthy scent do 20% changes via the gravel vacuum every day.

2)Don't over feed fish should be fed once a day only what they can eat in a minute or 2. If you worry about the cory cats, and pelco getting enough food. Buy sinking catfish pellets, and algae disks. The amount of food put into the tank is the only measure of the amount of ammonia produced. It doesn't matter if cats eat it or it rots. (Note that rotting food is bad for other health reasons.)

3)Don't change the filters at the same time. Changing the filter removes the bacteria living there, and these bacteria convert ammonia. Ideally alternate changing one every 2-3 weeks. Also take a spoon or knife and scrap some of the gunk on the filter media onto your new filter media.

PS- You shoud test your water for ammonia, and nitrates.

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maybe the tank you have somebody spilled some kind of odor in it or it made contact with a smelly smell.

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The stuff that lives on your rocks is essential in keeping your tank healthy. Beneficial bacteria digests fish waste (ammonia) and converts it into nitrites. Other bacteria converts nitrites into less harmful nitrates. This cycle tanks time to develop and your mucking with the tank just sickens the fish. Be a bit more patient and it will develop. Feed a lot less food, and change 25% of the water weekly (use a gravel vacuum) and make sure the temp of the new water is the same as the tank. You don't want to destroy too many of the beneficial bacteria when you do a water change and changing too much water or having it at the wrong temp stresses them. Also, your filter media has a lot of the bacteria growing on it. Don't change it too often (and never at the same time as a water change). When it start becoming clogged, rinse it out in cool tap water. Only change it when rinsing no longer is effective.

Remember, without this bacteria, your tank cannot break down excess fish waste and food, making the water smelly and polluted. It can take three weeks for your tank to clear up, but it will (if it doesn't, you are feeding way too much).

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