Cat pee smell

WhiskeyCoffee · May 23, 2017

Just moved into a new house and in the process did a 10 gallon water change in my 40g tank. Since moving in to my new house my tank has taken on a cat pee smell. Is this from stirring up the sand bed while moving the tank or what? It's not a rotten eggs smell, just a musty/urine smell... all fish are swimming happily and all corals are open.

bif24701 · May 23, 2017

WhiskeyCoffee said:
Just moved into a new house and in the process did a 10 gallon water change in my 40g tank. Since moving in to my new house my tank has taken on a cat pee smell. Is this from stirring up the sand bed while moving the tank or what? It's not a rotten eggs smell, just a musty/urine smell... all fish are swimming happily and all corals are open.

Are you sure it's your tank water? Cat pee smell would indicate ammonia.

Snookin · May 23, 2017

I just wanted to comment on a Cat pee smell thread....so I did.

spiraling · May 23, 2017

Are you sure its the tank and not the carpet?

WhiskeyCoffee · May 23, 2017

bif24701 said:
Are you sure it's your tank water? Cat pee smell would indicate ammonia.

Yes. Well, maybe it's the rim of the tank? I could smell closer lol. I have been searching all over the house trying to figure out if there were pet odors from the previous owner until my wife smelled my tank and discovered the source. It's a very musty smell. This is the first time I've smelled this and the tank has been running for over a year.

domination2580 · May 23, 2017

WhiskeyCoffee · May 23, 2017

spiraling said:
Are you sure its the tank and not the carpet?

House has hard wood floors. Also I could tell it was the tank when I put my nose two inches from the top and bam it hit me.

Ty Hamatake · May 23, 2017

...do you have a cat?

;Troll

d2mini · May 23, 2017

Can't say i've ever smelled that (in my tank) but since you did just move the tank I'd say run some carbon and change it every few days until the smell subsides.

cjd · May 23, 2017

weird?? I would do a small water change and leave a bucket of the old water away from the tank . When your nose clears of the smell you and the wife take a whiff of the old water in the bucket to see if its the actual water that smells. If the previous owners had a cat that marked the location where you placed the tank , any dampness from water could cause the smell from under the hard wood floors to be noticeable.

Marlon2024 · May 23, 2017

Maybe change your substrate to kitty litter? Jk

AdamNC · May 23, 2017

Marlon2024 said:
Maybe change your substrate to kitty litter? Jk

Hey don't laugh but some of the Freshwater guys do this .

WhiskeyCoffee · May 23, 2017

d2mini said:
Can't say i've ever smelled that (in my tank) but since you did just move the tank I'd say run some carbon and change it every few days until the smell subsides.

I might do that. How can I run carbon, just put some in an old HOB or can I put it in my sump? I just spent buku bucks on moving so I'm trying to keep other costs down haha.

mtraylor · May 23, 2017

Mesh bag in the sump will work. YOu can get them at petco for cheap. Place in the path of the inlet water.

mtraylor · May 23, 2017

OH yeah. Also make sure your protein skimmer is working and pulling out stuff.

Ghxst · May 23, 2017

I made a WC once and let the water sit way too long, over a week, and when I opened the lid smelled like pee. I think you have some ammonia, I would test and do a WC regardless.

saltyfilmfolks · May 23, 2017

WhiskeyCoffee said:
I might do that. How can I run carbon, just put some in an old HOB or can I put it in my sump? I just spent buku bucks on moving so I'm trying to keep other costs down haha.

Yea. Jus place the bag so it gets the best possible flow throug the bag.

I've never heard of this btw.

Philt56 · May 23, 2017

Ghxst said:
I made a WC once and let the water sit way too long, over a week, and when I opened the lid smelled like pee. I think you have some ammonia, I would test and do a WC regardless.

What water was sitting? The new replacement water or what you took out? You should prob keep an airstone in the new water if it will be sitting.
What kind of container?

wpeterson · May 23, 2017

+1 for actual cat pee not aquarium problem

sbash · May 23, 2017

Definitely test...

I have noticed this phenomenon in my mixing station sometimes. Since there is no filtration (just a tub with salt water), and some sort of contaminate gets in there (no idea how, it is a covered bin)... Mixing up your tank could (by could I mean very likely) have kicked some dead particulate into the water and now the bacteria is eating it up...

Please report back with the test results, I am sure lots of us are curious!