Aquarium Odor

[Phlynamjax]

Hello,
My 120g aquarium has this sweet, but nasty smell that fills up the room. I cannot find the source of it. I keep my aquarium pretty clean. I run 2 cups of carbon in media reactor that I replace bi-weekly. I also run skimmer and 3 filter socks that I replace regulary. I do about 20~30% water change bi-weekly. Is there anything I can do to get rid of this smell? I had saltwater aquarium (Fish only/Reef) Since 2003, and this is first time I had this kind of smell coming from my aquarium. Please help!

 

[Poof No Eyebrows]

Sure your not just smelling the ocean, perhaps it’s the larger size of tank???
Are you noticing any algae growth close to the surface?

 

[Uncle99]

Did you turn anything off recently?
Have you stirred the sand?
The only time I got that smell was when I turned the flow to my UV off, when I turned it back on, it was gone.
A build up of nitrogen gas?

 

[MaxTremors]

I like the smell of my tank(s). My current tank you have to open the lid to smell it, but it’s just an oceany, salty, sort of fishy smell.

 

[Auquanut]

Sure your not just smelling the ocean, perhaps it’s the larger size of tank???
Are you noticing any algae growth close to the surface?

Good question. Kinda sounds like a possible algae smell. Do you run a fuge that has macro exposed to the surface? Maybe algae around the wiers or in the overflows? Just a guess.

 

[Calm Blue Ocean]

The only things that I'd say smell unpleasant are dead things (coral, algae, snails) and the skimmer. I call the skimmer the fishy outhouse. It can be rank! But aside from the smell of the bucket when I vacuum the sand, I generally don't notice an odor from the tank at all.

 

[Phlynamjax]

Its not the smell of the ocean (Typical marine aquarium smell). Only algae growth are some brown algae in my sand that I siphon out weekly (I do dose vibrant). My tank doesn't have alot of algae in general. Can snails or pineapple sponge cause the smell? Is there any other method that helps with smell other than GAC?

 

[jft]

ozone in skimmer

 

[PeterC99]

Hello,
My 120g aquarium has this sweet, but nasty smell that fills up the room. I cannot find the source of it. I keep my aquarium pretty clean. I run 2 cups of carbon in media reactor that I replace bi-weekly. I also run skimmer and 3 filter socks that I replace regulary. I do about 20~30% water change bi-weekly. Is there anything I can do to get rid of this smell? I had saltwater aquarium (Fish only/Reef) Since 2003, and this is first time I had this kind of smell coming from my aquarium. Please help!

Have a 90 gallon saltwater aquarium in my living room and there absolutely NO smell. My wife is very sensitive to smells, so I would know if there was an oder.

Important that you find the source of the smell. Get a friend who has a fine sense of smell and let him get sniffing. There should absolutely NO smell!

 

[Dan_P]

Hello,
My 120g aquarium has this sweet, but nasty smell that fills up the room. I cannot find the source of it. I keep my aquarium pretty clean. I run 2 cups of carbon in media reactor that I replace bi-weekly. I also run skimmer and 3 filter socks that I replace regulary. I do about 20~30% water change bi-weekly. Is there anything I can do to get rid of this smell? I had saltwater aquarium (Fish only/Reef) Since 2003, and this is first time I had this kind of smell coming from my aquarium. Please help!

Aquaria generally don’t smell. Did you check for a leak? Drying algae can produce a fairly strong aroma. Is the odor more in the display tank or sump area?

 

[Galvano]

My 120g aquarium has this sweet, but nasty smell that fills up the room.

I notice such a sweetish disgusting smell when squeezing the filter foam.