Odor Eliminator For Sump Area

[RMS18]

With my recent larger build the sump compartment has a stronger odor mainly coming from the larger skimmer. Although the smell doesn't affect the room much you can smell it when I have the doors to the stand open. Also as the skimmer cup start to fill the odor will sometime escape into the living room. Was curious if anyone uses a reef safe odor Eliminator For in the sump area? I do run carbon but this is primarily coming from the skimmer air. My gf has these odor eliminator beads that have fragrances she uses in closest in our place not sure if they are reef safe, baking soda?

 

[saltyhog]

The skimmer cup should be the only source of odor (unless your SPS is exposed to air )anywhere in your tank. I don't know of any odor eliminator that I would feel safe using in the enclosed confines of the sump. Just have to empty your skimmer cup more often. At least it sounds like your skimmer is well dialed in!

 

[Stigigemla]

There are 2 ways to get rid of this.
Have an active carbonair purifier as over the stove.
Add some hydrogen peroxide in the skimmer cup. Not much because you wouldn´t crasch the tank if the skimmer floods.

 

[RMS18]

The skimmer cup should be the only source of odor (unless your SPS is exposed to air )anywhere in your tank. I don't know of any odor eliminator that I would feel safe using in the enclosed confines of the sump. Just have to empty your skimmer cup more often. At least it sounds like your skimmer is well dialed in!

Oo yea it's dialed in. I empty it once a week during my water change/ tank cleaning but 2 days after a cleaning it smells with not much in it.

What about a baking soda box?

 

[USMC 4 LIFE]

Maybe cutting a circular carbon pad over the skimmer

 

[reefwiser]

A Aquadriver skimmer cup clean would do the job.
http://aquadriverusa.com/products/aquadriver-skimclean-helix-200
With a skimmate locker you could keep the smell down and your skimmmer running great. [emoji3]

 

[RMS18]

A Aquadriver skimmer cup clean would do the job.
http://aquadriverusa.com/products/aquadriver-skimclean-helix-200
With a skimmate locker you could keep the smell down and your skimmmer running great. [emoji3]

Lol $480... suddenly I no longer smell anything guess it was just the stinky phase!

 

[mcarroll]

Oo yea it's dialed in. I empty it once a week during my water change/ tank cleaning but 2 days after a cleaning it smells with not much in it.

What about a baking soda box?

I think you need to skim wetter to see if that helps. Also, clean it more often.

I co-sign on not using a deodorizer.

 

[mtraylor]

With my recent larger build the sump compartment has a stronger odor mainly coming from the larger skimmer. Although the smell doesn't affect the room much you can smell it when I have the doors to the stand open. Also as the skimmer cup start to fill the odor will sometime escape into the living room. Was curious if anyone uses a reef safe odor Eliminator For in the sump area? I do run carbon but this is primarily coming from the skimmer air. My gf has these odor eliminator beads that have fragrances she uses in closest in our place not sure if they are reef safe, baking soda?

If you want to get rid of the smell you can do the following.
1. Get yourself a waste collector. Purchase a waste collector with the carbon filter on top. The carbon at the top of the filter will neutralize the smell.
2. In the waste collector, you can put vinegar in the bottom. It neutralizes the smell as well.

You and the gf will be real happy

 

[mcarroll]

you can put vinegar in the bottom. It neutralizes the smell as well.

If that works, you should be able to do the same in your skimmer cup.

I'd still clean more frequently and/or skim wetter to see if you can prevent the problem rather than treating it.

There really isn't a good reason for a skimmer to stink in the first place.

 

[RMS18]

There really isn't a good reason for a skimmer to stink in the first place.

How not? A skimmer should smell it's waste and organics.

 

[mtraylor]

If that works, you should be able to do the same in your skimmer cup.

I'd still clean more frequently and/or skim wetter to see if you can prevent the problem rather than treating it.

There really isn't a good reason for a skimmer to stink in the first place.

Do not. I repeat. Do not put vinegar in your skimmer cup. Yes it does work....but if your skimmer cup overflows into your sump, then the DKH will change drastically and can kill everything in your aquarium causing a crash etc. So do not put vinegar in your collection cup.

If you purchase a collection cup. YOu can put vinegar in the collection cup because there are shut off valves that prevent the skim mate in the collector from going back into the cup. Some use like a ping pong ball to prevent suction and sum use electronics.

That being said. IF your skimmate doesn't stink.....then your protein skimmer isn't working properly. It should be bringing out fish uran, feces, decay, detritus, etc.

 

[mcarroll]

I can tell you as long as I've been doing this the only thing that makes a skimmer reek is leaving it uncleaned.

Maybe try the wet-skimming option as well as the waste-collector-with-carbon-air-filtering if you can't be there to clean it more often. (Totally understandable.) Failing that, maybe the peroxide or vinegar in the skimmer cup trick will help.

 

[mcarroll]

Don't get me wrong BTW.....some skimmers do stink. I'm not saying that's impossible. I'm saying it's totally avoidable.

 

[esolo16]

I have heard cutting some carbon pad and placing it on top the skimmer cup may cut down on the smell. I have never done this but it could be a cheap fix.

 

[pscheel2]

An open box of Arm and Hammer Baking Soda in the sump cabinet helps

 

[TbyZ]

fill a cup with bicarb soda & place somewhere in cabinet. it will absorb the odour.
Replace contents of cup every month.