Why does my tank smell like a rotting fish?

[mshill90]

No it has no smell =)

That's good. Must of had a ton of ammonia in there for it to smell like actual rotting fish.

 

[fishbum]

The tank has cycled, the ammonia started dropping yesterday and is now at about .25

A cycled tank has 0ppm of ammonia and nitrites,with a measurable amount of nitrate.

Your tank is not cycled.

How long has it been running with fish in it?

 

[Deep Blue Sea]

3 weeks and its dropping it has a small bit of nitrites but only like .25 also and a fair amoutn of nitrates

 

[fishbum]

It still not cycled then. Keep up with the water changes until it has. I would be doing 50% daily.

 

[Deep Blue Sea]

the 3 pet stores Ive talked to said not to change the water until it was cycled because it prolongs the problem

 

[mshill90]

the 3 pet stores Ive talked to said not to change the water until it was cycled because it prolongs the problem

When I cycle my tanks, I put the water in, throw in some household ammonia, as well as some fish food, and I let it cycle... then once it cycles I do a water change, let sit for a day, then add fish.

 

[Deep Blue Sea]

When I cycle my tanks, I put the water in, throw in some household ammonia, as well as some fish food, and I let it cycle... then once it cycles I do a water change, let sit for a day, then add fish.

Besides adding the fish thats basically what I did, I waited about a week to add the fish

 

[mshill90]

Besides adding the fish thats basically what I did, I waited about a week to add the fish

I should state that I wait about a month... not a week.

 

[fishbum]

the 3 pet stores Ive talked to said not to change the water until it was cycled because it prolongs the problem

It may make the cycling process take longer,but it will also keep your fish alive. I bet you have really shortened their life by cycling with them,and not keeping up with the DAILY water changes.