LYNDYLOO Posted March 19, 2012 Report Share Posted March 19, 2012 Hi Guys, Decided this afternoon I would re-arrange my Malawai Tank, upon removing the Rocks etc I noticed a disgusting smell, said to my son " Can you smell that foul smell" He replied "Yup, it smells like a dead puffer fish from out the beach" Have only had the sand in the tank for about a month, I do regular Water changes, usually twice a week, but don't probe into the sand just suck the crap off the top of it. Not sure what is causing this revolting smell, have checked for dead fish, have found nothing, have done a good waterchange, not sure what I should be doing next if anything. Could there be a build up of bad bacteria in the sand, giving it this shocking smell?? Beginning to think going from gravel to sand was not such a good idea. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
#!CrunchBang Posted March 19, 2012 Report Share Posted March 19, 2012 Does it have a sulfur smell? if it does it could be anoxic bacteria Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LYNDYLOO Posted March 19, 2012 Author Report Share Posted March 19, 2012 Hmmmm, no has a sort of rotten fish smell :facepalm: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fishy-fish Posted March 19, 2012 Report Share Posted March 19, 2012 Not sure on the source of the smell but a good habit when cleaning sand substrate is to siphon out the visable poo then aerate the sand with your hand to remove any gas build ups from trapped waste. It could be coming from the waste trapped under rocks but it shouldn't smell like a dead fish! I tend to do turn about with my water changes - one week I'll clean around rocks and what I can see and get too then the next week I'll take the rocks out and give it a good clean then rearrange the tank. Seems to help spark breeding which is a plus! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alanmin4304 Posted March 19, 2012 Report Share Posted March 19, 2012 How deep is the sand? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
karina Posted March 19, 2012 Report Share Posted March 19, 2012 I just did a rearrange in my JD and GT tank and yeah I got the sulphur smell. Pretty gross. I took out half the sand as I can't grow any plants in with them anyway. Perhaps the sand is too deep? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alanmin4304 Posted March 19, 2012 Report Share Posted March 19, 2012 If the sand is too deep it can culture anaerobic bacteria which can produce some foul smelling gasses such as sulphur dioxide (rotten eggs) and methyl mercaptan which is one of the compounds tested for when guaging the offensiveness of large commercial composting operations and is so strong that about a cup full is added to a tanker of LPG (which has no odour) so leaks can be detected. It smells like rotten cabbage. Rotten fish produces a lot of ammonia amongst other things. I use sand in my aquariums for growing plants and do not stir it up but it is only about 25-40mm deep. It causes no problems. I have had it a lot deeper in the past without a problem also. It may be that any excess food is being stirred up in the sand and the subsequent decomposition is anaerobic then. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LYNDYLOO Posted March 19, 2012 Author Report Share Posted March 19, 2012 Sand is probably about 40-50mm at the back and 20ish at the front. I wouldn't have thought I would need to stir it up, as the fish continuously move it around. So what should I be doing now?? To be honest I'm finding the sand a right pain in the butt :an!gry At least with the gravel I could have a good poke around with the gravel vac to get all the crap out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alanmin4304 Posted March 19, 2012 Report Share Posted March 19, 2012 I have never kept afrikans so cannot advise. Others with more experience may be able to help. I suspect you may have a excess of food which they are getting into the sand by churning it over. See what the experts come up with. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zuri08 Posted March 19, 2012 Report Share Posted March 19, 2012 i think its most likely trapped food etc that they dont get too.are you using silica?if i stir mine up heaps it smells a tiny bit but nothing major Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snookie Posted March 19, 2012 Report Share Posted March 19, 2012 trumpet snails are good for doing the job Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LYNDYLOO Posted March 19, 2012 Author Report Share Posted March 19, 2012 Tried the Trumpet Snails, unfortunately my Malawai's thought they were very yummy :an!gry Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nudge Posted March 20, 2012 Report Share Posted March 20, 2012 Vaccing the top of the sand and not giving it a good stir around will not get rid of all the detritus. You need to stir the sand around as suggested, this will stir up any detritus that may have moved to the bottom of the substrate, dont rely on your fish to stir it up as they will only really sift the top layers of sand and waste will slowly make it way to the bottom layers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snookie Posted March 20, 2012 Report Share Posted March 20, 2012 silly question but are you over feeding ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LYNDYLOO Posted March 20, 2012 Author Report Share Posted March 20, 2012 Thinking about changing my substrate now :dunno: Maybe going to black smaller sized gravel, at least I should be able to gravel vac it then, the white silica sand looked fab to begin with but now it's not looking so hot :evil: All a learning curve Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phoenix44 Posted March 20, 2012 Report Share Posted March 20, 2012 Get sand from Himitangi beach! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LYNDYLOO Posted March 20, 2012 Author Report Share Posted March 20, 2012 Don't think so, I watch the fish after I feed them and usually there's nothing left :dunno: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LYNDYLOO Posted March 20, 2012 Author Report Share Posted March 20, 2012 Going of the idea of sand now phoenix :roll: Think maybe I'm better to go to a finer gravel that I can at least gravel vac I can always head out to Waitarere Beach to get sand instead of going all the way out to Himatangi. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phoenix44 Posted March 20, 2012 Report Share Posted March 20, 2012 I have sand, and tanks don't smell. Must be the beach sand eh? :slfg: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LYNDYLOO Posted March 20, 2012 Author Report Share Posted March 20, 2012 Not sure Phoenix :dunno: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Squirt Posted March 20, 2012 Report Share Posted March 20, 2012 My guess is that there is waste beneath the sand, you can clean the sand with a syphon (well I can with my sand from mitre 10) very carefully and a whole lot of crud comes out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
karina Posted March 20, 2012 Report Share Posted March 20, 2012 Thinking about changing my substrate now :dunno: Maybe going to black smaller sized gravel, at least I should be able to gravel vac it then, the white silica sand looked fab to begin with but now it's not looking so hot :evil: All a learning curve First try dropping the sand level to half the amount you have maybe even more at the rear. I found it was the fact I would not have been getting right into the bottom with the siphon. Of course you suck some up but I just put it back. What tank is it in? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fishy-fish Posted March 20, 2012 Report Share Posted March 20, 2012 Thinking about changing my substrate now :dunno: Maybe going to black smaller sized gravel, at least I should be able to gravel vac it then, the white silica sand looked fab to begin with but now it's not looking so hot :evil: All a learning curve You can gravel vac fine grade argonite and it gives you the added benefit of a bit of PH buffering. A 25kg bag should set you back about $50. Coral sand is another option. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LYNDYLOO Posted March 20, 2012 Author Report Share Posted March 20, 2012 Any ideas where I can get this from Fishy fish?? Karina: Sands in a AR 980 tank Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LYNDYLOO Posted March 20, 2012 Author Report Share Posted March 20, 2012 Usually get my substrate from petstuff101 or Hollywood F F Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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