Large Tank Fishy Smell - can i remove this?

[Knowdafish]

Dead fish or not enough biological filtration is the likely cause. Enough bio = no fishy smell at all! Carbon is just a cover up and doesn't get to the root of the problem! What are your Ammonia, Nitrite, and Nitrate readings before doing a water change? Next day? In 3 days? A week?

 

[scubasteve06]

^I agree a lot of bio will kill any smell, carbon is a cover up but also a good cover up for smells more bio will mean less w/c's and lower nitrate nitrite and ammonia levels for longer periods of time in between w/c's.

 

[mojo2776]

^I agree a lot of bio will kill any smell, carbon is a cover up but also a good cover up for smells more bio will mean less w/c's and lower nitrate nitrite and ammonia levels for longer periods of time in between w/c's.

More bio filtration is not a replacement for water changes in reducing nitrate levels.

 

[scubasteve06]

I never said it was a replacement I said more bio=more time between w/c's. More filtration in this case bio would mean more time between w/c's in keeping the nitrate levels down instead of doing large 70% w/c in its place.

 

[mojo2776]

How does it increase the time between water changes? The bio filter doesn't remove nitrates; it produces nitrates. And the primary reason for doing water changes is to reduce those nitrates.

 

[gunnerx]

225 Gallon is a big tank. What's a single "big" Eheim Canister that's going to take care of a tank that size? The 2260/62 ? Definitely under filtration there. A second "big" canister is definitely needed.

 

[ar0wan]

ITT: lots of similiar advice coming from different perspectives.

increasing carbon changes:
-will fix your issue, not your problem.

 

[scubasteve06]

How does it increase the time between water changes? The bio filter doesn't remove nitrates; it produces nitrates. And the primary reason for doing water changes is to reduce those nitrates.

I agree with the only way to completely remove them is by doing a w/c but since I added a second hob filter to my 90 to go along with a 205 my nitrite, nitrate, and ammonia levels stay much lower and I dont have to do a w/c twice a week now and the tank stays crystal clear. With a big tank such as that one and that much water volume the levels of nitrate don't flucuate in big spikes unless there is a dead fish or waste in it. With a second canister filter he could reduce the levels much better than with one and doing large w/c's.

 

[mojo2776]

I agree with the only way to completely remove them is by doing a w/c but since I added a second hob filter to my 90 to go along with a 205 my nitrite, nitrate, and ammonia levels stay much lower and I dont have to do a w/c twice a week now and the tank stays crystal clear. With a big tank such as that one and that much water volume the levels of nitrate don't flucuate in big spikes unless there is a dead fish or waste in it. With a second canister filter he could reduce the levels much better than with one and doing large w/c's.

It sounds like your tank may not have been fully cycled at that time, or you were going through a mini cycle. If nitrite or ammonia levels are at all detectable, then that indicates a problem. If adding another filter solved the problem, perhaps you didn't have enough bio filtration to handle the bioload prior to adding the second filter.

 

[greenterra]

It sounds like your tank may not have been fully cycled at that time, or you were going through a mini cycle. If nitrite or ammonia levels are at all detectable, then that indicates a problem. If adding another filter solved the problem, perhaps you didn't have enough bio filtration to handle the bioload prior to adding the second filter.

I agree.In a cycled system with adequate biological fitration , Ammonia or Nitrite should not be present.