My basement smells %$&@ing disgusting! Any ideas?

[IKeepPacu]

unfinished or not, there has got to be wood in your basement. the rafters, the subfloor for the 1st floor of your house, support beams.

anything wood is going to absorb moisture and can start growing mold. you NEED a dehimidifier when running multi-tanks in a basement to prevent the supporting structure of your house from absorbing all the moisture put into the air. a purifier will do nothing but push all of the mold spores around your room, and/or mask the real problem.

cover your tanks, get a dehumid, and crack your windows. especially having asthma and allergies, dont play around letting mold grow where you live.

 

[mattison187]

x2^^^ i live in a bacement apartment and i have 2 dehumidifiers running year round.

 

[FSM]

This isn't the greatest time of the year to be opening my windows when I'm trying to keep my tanks @ 80* and its only 30* outside. I've got concrete walls. My basement is unfinished aside from my room which is finished. I don't think a air purifier is going to help at all. I've smelled around my tanks and have yet to pinpoint the smell. I can bet that it has something to do with when my 130gallon busted and went all over my basement.. I'm going to get some fans going and see if it helps and try to find some places selling dehumidifiers.

this is looking like my best option..
http://www.jehmco.com/html/air_exchanger.html
http://cgi.ebay.com/Suncourt-AIRIVA...photoQQcmdZViewItemQQ_trksidZp1742.m153.l1262

stupid expensive hobby.. I told my parents they should have just let me get a dog lol.

Sounds like a logical conclusion.

 

[nomicon]

Yep, air filter and/or ozone machine.

 

[dogofwar]

First step I'd take is to mop the floors and walls with some Mr. Clean type stuff. Really do a good job cleaning. If theres a dead fish or other

Next, I'd install some fans for circulation. I got some small clip on ones from Big Lots for like $6 each...they use very little power and are easy to position.

Next, I'd do a good job cleaning around all of the tanks. Dried food and other stuff on hoods can smell like @ss.

Finally, I'd add some carbon to the filters in each of my tanks for a couple of weeks. Can't hurt to remove any odors from the water itself.

If you're tanks aren't covered, this is something you should do. Even egg crate with plexi on it can make a big difference. I use Rubbermaid lids on some of my tanks. But they're covered.

 

[Camphilophus]

So I just called my mom down there since she has a better sense of smell than me and what does she find.. A 3lb. bag of frozen shrimp thats been sitting out for 4-5days that I forgot to put away. Probably the nastiest thing ever but.. I'm so happy it's not mold. Still going to price some dehumidifiers though.

 

[Camshaft Ramrod]

I've Got It!
You should check around your basement for a bag of left out shrimp!

 

[pdbrady]

I've Got It!
You should check around your basement for a bag of left out shrimp!

x2. I guarantee that's your problem..... That had to smell absolutely disgusting. How the hell did you miss that?!

 

[XxPrudencexX]

I just put 4 shrimp shells in the garbage and after a few hours they stink real bad, i cant image the stink of a 3lb bag and for 4-5 day.

 

[fobrinkle]

Dude, that's nasty.