Fishy smell in aquarium?

[Philipgonzales3]

So I first noticed a strong fishy smell from the aquarium when we broke it down and moved houses like a week ago. Before that I hadn't really noticed a smell. My sense of smell isn't that great since I've smoked cigarettes for about 10 years and recently quit.

I notice when my head is about 6 inches off the water line I get a decently strong fishy odor. Maybe up to a foot away. Everything I take out of the tank has this smell. I noticed it most on the rocks during the move and also when I was scooping out the sand. I'm bad at describing smells but let's say if the skimmate was a 10 as far as strength and retchidness the tank is a 4. It smells sweeter or more pleasant but not really good if that makes sense. Maybe like an earthy sweet fishy smell? Haha

I noticed when I've taken my macro algea frag out or my snail's out, or one of the decorations out that they have a smell. I read read snail's smell like rotten eggs or something. I'm not really sure what that smells like but the snail's I've sniffed are still moving around haha. I check them from time to time to make sure they are still alive if I think the snail hasn't moved much over night. Usually I'll see it move a little inside the shell and call it good. I did not track the snail's at all during the move. I think I'm "missing" about a handful lol. I used a new cat litter scoop and don't find any dead snail's in the sand. This is what I think set of my diatoms again. That and the move of course.

I'll also add that I also add carbon passively in the sump in the return section. I use a cup of red sea reef-spec carbon and replace every 30 days. 5 more days will make 30 days. Maybe I need to switch to every two weeks?

Anyway hopefully I don't sound too dumb but let me know if this is normal lol.

 

[Mastiffsrule]

Hard to say what a smell could be. Could it be a sulphuric smell like rotten eggs?

I would be more worried if it smelled like fried chicken;Jawdrop

 

[KyOsIBa515]

I’d say it is rather normal. Every time I have broke a tank down you get the smell as though you have a rotting 200lbs flounder laying around. Maybe I am wrong but if you are running carbon give it time...should clear up.

 

[ReefSlice]

Every tank smells like this to some extent. Take out a chunk of matured LR from any tank and it'll smell a bit like low tide! Perfectly normal. Algae specifically I've noticed gives off more of a smell.

 

[Brad Miller]

Normal, most just use carbon to help it

 

[Philipgonzales3]

Hard to say what a smell could be. Could it be a sulphuric smell like rotten eggs?

I would be more worried if it smelled like fried chicken;Jawdrop

Every tank smells like this to some extent. Take out a chunk of matured LR from any tank and it'll smell a bit like low tide! Perfectly normal. Algae specifically I've noticed gives off more of a smell.

Normal, most just use carbon to help it

Ok, so sounds like I may be good. Just double checking. I just asked my fiancee to smell my tank and tell me what she thought. I told her to get directly above it and take a whiff. I asked her if it smelled like rotten eggs. She said no it smelled like algea. That it just smelled like the ocean. So I think we are good!

 

[sergifed91]

even though this might be a dead thread. I notice a smell to when I do a wc. but to me it doesn't bother me. It actually brings back some good memories of fishing with the brother and father when I was younger. It's like going to a lake early in the morning and smelling the fresh air off the lake and the smell of algea. I love it.

 

[Philipgonzales3]

even though this might be a dead thread. I notice a smell to when I do a wc. but to me it doesn't bother me. It actually brings back some good memories of fishing with the brother and father when I was younger. It's like going to a lake early in the morning and smelling the fresh air off the lake and the smell of algea. I love it.

Man sounds nice! I better take my kiddos out fishing. Not sure how much fun they will have with dad cussing in the corner trying to get all the equipment sorted but hey what can you do? Lol

 

[sergifed91]

Man sounds nice! I better take my kiddos out fishing. Not sure how much fun they will have with dad cussing in the corner trying to get all the equipment sorted but hey what can you do? Lol

I miss that part also. my dad used to curse all the time when we go fishing. it was good times...

 

[jd371]

My tank smells like when I'm in waist deep water at Toby Beach working the rip tides with a Bucktail for Stripers, love that smell. When I open the stand door it smells like low tide.

 

[jtl]

The water should not smell foul, but once you remove rocks and they hit the air they stink.