New tank smells bad.

[Oughtsix]

I would guess that you lost the majority of your benificial bacteria... it was all over the inside of the old tank and on anything in the old tank.

I would do frequent water changes... every day or two until the water parameters level out. I would also consider running activated carbon for a week or two. The bacteria in the filters should propragate pretty quickly... but not instantly.

 

[RD.]

I would guess that you lost the majority of your benificial bacteria... it was all over the inside of the old tank and on anything in the old tank.

See below

So I just set up my 130g tank. I moved everything from my 90g to the 130g tank.

Obviously the tank bio-bacteria was secure, I have started more tanks than I can count by simply moving over a mature bio-bag from an AC110, adding 100% (dechlorinated) tap water, and adding fish. Instant cycled tank. I have done this countless number of times over the years. If one sets up their filtration media wisely, the vast majority of a tanks BB lives on the media in their filter..

IMO what Niki is seeing is "total" ammonia (NH4+), not free ammonia. (NH3) Only the latter is dangerous to your fish, at least at the higher pH values where Niki lives. The reason for the ammonia showing is the test kit that she is using only tests for "total" ammonia (NH4+), and the water where she lives is treated with chloramine, which consists of chlorine/ammonia. With a sensor designed to test for free ammonia (NH3), such as the one that I linked to, I predict that Niki will no longer see "ammonia" in her tap water, or in her tank water.

The odor that she experienced would be from this:

It's more likely the detritus in the substrate of the old tank got all stirred up during the move. My old tank smelled this way when I moved everything over except for the substrate and water to the new tank.

 

[Niki_up]

I forgot to update yesterday

I bought the seachem ammonia alert for free ammonia and RD is correct it is showing no ammonia.
The smell has also subsided

 

[RD.]

Good stuff, thanks for the update.

 

[islandguy11]

Yes, one of the most accurate sensors available to hobbysists when testing for free ammonia. The sensor is the same as the ones found in Seachem's Ammonia Multitest Kit. https://www.seachem.com/multitest-ammonia.php
Just follow the instructions. I have been using these sensors for many years when setting up new tanks.

I wish Seachem would make a "Nitrate Alert" but I guess not feasible or they surely would be.

 

[Niki_up]

I wish Seachem would make a "Nitrate Alert" but I guess not feasible or they surely would be.

Wouldn’t that be nice!!!!