tank smell

[tothna]

It seems like when I change the filter cartridge in my tank, it smells bad for a day or two, is this due to losing helpful bacteria that live in the filter?

 

[Vitaliy]

Usually tanks smell because they are cycling or they are not being taken care of. So I am guessing its just the bacteria rebuilding...

 

[tothna]

Cycling? whats that? Also, I just bought a 55 gallon because I have a 10 gallon now ( I just got into this fish thing) and no matter how much I clean it, it seems to smell and the ammonia is always high, even when I do a water change and put ammonia clearing chemicals in it. Could it just be that I have too many fish in a small tank?

 

[Vitaliy]

Cycling? whats that? Also, I just bought a 55 gallon because I have a 10 gallon now ( I just got into this fish thing) and no matter how much I clean it, it seems to smell and the ammonia is always high, even when I do a water change and put ammonia clearing chemicals in it. Could it just be that I have too many fish in a small tank?

You are exactly what I am talking about. Fish keeping is not just adding water into a tank and throwing in the fish. There is beneficial bacteria that builds up in filter media that eats ammonia and other waste helping the fish survive. Cycling is the process when a tank builds up the bacteria. Your options are to put the old filter you had on a 10 gallon on the 55 to help the bacteria to transfer a little. And add just a fish or two to the 55 to have little tank load to help the bacteria build up.
If you have a lot of fish in an uncycled tank, chances are they are going to die. What fish and size do you currently have in there?

 

[tothna]

Easy there buddy, I'm trying to learn this stuff I'm not just adding water and throwing fish in. I haven't set up my 55 gallon yet, but in my 10 gal I have a green terror that is probably 3in, a powder blue ciclhlid that is also about 3 in, two smaller fish that look like green terrors but have spots instead of the irridescent lines that are less than 1 in there is also a gourami that is about 2 in a pleco and a blue crayfish, I'm thinking that this is too many fish in a 10 gallon. the tank has been set up for about 6 months.

 

[Vitaliy]

Easy there buddy, I'm trying to learn this stuff I'm not just adding water and throwing fish in. I haven't set up my 55 gallon yet, but in my 10 gal I have a green terror that is probably 3in, a powder blue ciclhlid that is also about 3 in, two smaller fish that look like green terrors but have spots instead of the irridescent lines that are less than 1 in there is also a gourami that is about 2 in a pleco and a blue crayfish, I'm thinking that this is too many fish in a 10 gallon. the tank has been set up for about 6 months.

I am not flipping out or anything I just said that to try and explain. Do this, decorate the 55 gallon and get it up and running. Take all the decor and gravel from your current 10 gallon and put it in a 55 gallon (gravel and such holds a whole bunch of bacteria as well). Then take the filter from the 10 gallon and hang it on the 55 so more bacteria will be able to transfer and drop your fish from there.

Just monitor your water parameters and if something do mass water changes 50%.

 

[tothna]

How long should I let the tank cycle before I put all of my fish in?

 

[Vitaliy]

How long should I let the tank cycle before I put all of my fish in?

There is a way to cycle the tank with leaving everything on the 10 gallon intact until 55 is done cycling.

http://badmanstropicalfish.com/articles/article14.html
http://www.tropicalfishcentre.co.uk/Fishlesscycle.htm
http://malawicichlids.com/mw01017.htm

You would have to Google for more on Fishless cycling.

 

[tothna]

thanks

 

[atwabn]

stay away from the chemicals!! go natural and just let the cycling happen. watch that you arent changing too much water, could also affect your cycling time. do about 5 to 10 percent a week, every week.