New tank, stinks, algae....

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sunshinehippy

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
Sep 25, 2009
221
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London
My new 100G tank has been set up for about a month now, cycled with old filter media and 6 congo tetra. I have never had any ammonia and my nitrates are very low at 8ppm. Problem - the tank stinks of what smells like rotten onions and I have hairy brown and green algae trying to grow over everything. My plants look unhappy (covered in brown stuff) although are not dead...yet. I keep one set of lights on (which is low lighting) during the day while I am at work (I have 2 light units as it is a corner tank unit) and then give it 2-3 hours of bright light by switching on the other light unit. I must admit, my lights are on overall for around 14-15 hours.

Any clues as to what the problem is or do I even have a problem? Fish are happy! Siamese Algae eaters not doing a very good job though :(
 
The only time my tank begins to smell is when my nitrates are increasing or when I have performed a large feed. A water change always cures the smelling problem for me. I would recommend trying a different test kit to ensure you are getting the correct readings.
 
Howdy,

What are your following levels
- nitrates
- nitrites
- ammonia
- phosphates
- iron

and what plants do you have? (I am wondering about your plants for several reasons, the least of which is the fact that Congos generally eat them...)

HarleyK
 
I am using the API liquid test kit so very reliable. As said before, nitrates are 8ppm, ammonia 0, nitrites 0. dont know about phosphates or iron - never needed to test those in my experience. I have a couple of anubias, and 4 echinodorus (the non-tasty variety!).
 
Howdy,

Keep up good water change regimes, and make sure your old filter media is not so loaded that it's rotting. Most likely it's your lighting. How old are your bulbs? 14-15h is not a problem if you have decant lights. You could also try a 2h dark period in the middle of the day.

To start, black out your tank for 3 days completely (blanket). That should kill all algae. Then all you have to do is prevent them from coming back.

HarleyK
 
Its a brand new tank, a fluval 350 venezia. The light unit is also brand new and very bright!

I rinse my filter media in old tank water when i do water changes each week.

Will it not upset the fish to have a total blackout?
 
Howdy,

sunshinehippy;3544838; said:
Its a brand new tank, a fluval 350 venezia. The light unit is also brand new and very bright!

I rinse my filter media in old tank water when i do water changes each week.

Will it not upset the fish to have a total blackout?
Click to expand...

Just a few things I'd like to comment on:

  • You should clean your filter when its flow rate goes down. Rinsing media every week greatly disturbs the beneficial bacteria. That's actually the problem you have, this is clear. Leave the media alone and your tank will equillibrate again
  • what media do you have?
  • Fish will be fine for a few days in total darkness
  • The brightness of your lights does not necessarily correspond to light quality. The light spectrum is more important. But having read your filter routine, I am now pointing my finger away from lights and to filter maintenance.
HarleyK
 
I just would like to reiterate:

The tank is BRAND NEW along with the external filter (fluval 405) and everything else. It has been running for one month - I do not need new media. I am only rinsing out lightly the filter media in its own water so therefore hopefully not disturbing the bacteria. I use RO water so no chlorine. There is not a problem with the water as there 0 NITRITES, 0 AMMONIA and 8ppm or less NITRATE.

I have carbon already in the filter.

It happens that the smell is now dying down. I was just wondering if this was a new tank kind of smell as my other tank (very well established) just smells a bit like a pond/river (normal) and has higher nitrates than the new one.

Surely my plants will not survive total blackout?
 
HarleyK;3544865; said:
Howdy,



Just a few things I'd like to comment on:

  • You should clean your filter when its flow rate goes down. Rinsing media every week greatly disturbs the beneficial bacteria. That's actually the problem you have, this is clear. Leave the media alone and your tank will equillibrate again
  • what media do you have?
  • Fish will be fine for a few days in total darkness
  • The brightness of your lights does not necessarily correspond to light quality. The light spectrum is more important. But having read your filter routine, I am now pointing my finger away from lights and to filter maintenance.
HarleyK
Click to expand...

IDK man, I swoosh all my filter media out in a bucket of old tank water every sat or sunday...never once had a problem with stank nasties. As far as the algae goes I would deff say the 15hrs a day of ight is prime suspect. I would suggest getting a power strip with a time on it and set the lights only to come on in the evening when your home to view, somthing like 5pm-12am...they get a good photo period and its only while your home to enjoy it without going over kill. As far as the mookie stank, yea new tanks very often can have some "not so fresh" days.
 
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