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It is pretty normal for an aquarium to have a mild smell. A strong sulfur or ammonia smell noticed outside of the aquarium indicates something is wrong with your fish tank. In this article, we will go through identifying why a fish tank may stink and how to fix it. A smelly fish tank is usually due to a bacteria imbalance, chemicals, a faulty water pump or filter. Common causes of bacterial imbalance are uneaten food rotting at the bottom of the tank, an overpopulated tank creating an overabundance of waste or dead plants or animals (fish, shrimp, snails, etc.) or dirty substrate. Smelly Fish Tank Quick Fixes Healthy bacteria are essential to breaking down waste, keeping the water clear and the odor low. Chemical over use and some chemical combinations resulting in a smelly tank can be resolved through timely partial water changes. Bacterial imbalances from a clogged water pump or overburdened filter that needs changing to keep up with the bio load are easily identified as causes of the problem and simple to fix. Dead animals and plants should be removed as a potential cause of foul odor. The causes of a smelly aquarium environment are stressful to life in the water and toxic water can lead to sickness and death of the aquarium inhabitance. The good news is that fixing your stinky fish tank is fairly simple and you can smell and see the difference in a couple of days to a few weeks at most. What to Do if You Have a Chemical smell from your Fish Tank Some brand new out of the box fish tanks will have a chemical smell due to the gassing off effects of new plastics from the hood, rim, sealant, lighting bulbs and filter housing. These smells will dissipate within 24-48 hours in a well-ventilated space. This should be done before adding water, substrate, etc. for your new tank. When starting up a fish tank for the first time the tendency for many new owners is to add too many chemicals to the water. It is always best to use clean water and keep the chemicals to a minimum unless they are to treat illness or for supplemental plant food. The overuse of chemical additives can create a smelly fish tank. If your fish tank smells like rotten eggs or ammonia then you may be suffering from a bio-chemical or bacterial imbalance. This is likely due to a tank being stocked before adequate bacteria has had a chance to form to handle the waste production of your fish. This can also be due to having too many fish in the tank or because of overfeeding or inadequate filtration. Carbon based filters are the best solution to absorb chemicals from the water. To reinforce the best water quality, once the smell is gone then discard the filter and replace with a new one. What to Do if Your Fish Tank Stinks Because of Overfeeding If you feed your fish too often or too much then your tank will eventually stink because of the uneaten rotting food. There is another reason this happens. If you feed your fish a pellet or flake size that is too large for them to eat then they will leave most of it to be sucked into the filter or sink to the bottom of the tank. Food pellets or flakes that are too large end up being blown out the gills during meal time which sinks to the bottom, decays and eventually will cause a stink. Look to see if there is food on the bottom of your tank. If there are then discard what you have and purchase smaller pellets and flakes, as they are easier take in and enjoy for even the largest fish. Generally smaller and more frequent feedings are better for the health of your fish population. If there is any food floating in the water after feeding then scoop it out and adjust the amount you are giving the fish at feeding time. To remove any uneaten rotting food and the excess fish poop from over feeding use an aquarium vacuum cleaner and perform a partial water change. What to Do if Your Fish Tank Stinks Because of Fish Poop Your fish tank water filter can help clean some of the fish poop but not all. Some of the waste will settle on the bottom of the tank and the good bacteria will help to break it down into healthy nutrients for the aquarium. In general fish over population leads to a greater production of poop than the filter and/or the bacteria have the ability to keep up with, the waste will accumulate until the tank begins to stink. To fix this problem make sure your tank is not overpopulated or overfed. If it is, then reduce the population or get a larger tank and adjust your feeding quantities so that there is little to no waste. Finally do a partial water change and clean your fish tank with an aquarium vacuum cleaner to remove excess waste. Keep in mind that there isn’t a “one size fits all” answer for the number of fish for a specific size of tank because different species of fish have different impacts on your tank. For example, goldfish produce more waste and consequently ammonia than many other fish. If you are not sure how many fish can safely live in your tank please see our article, What Is a Good Size Fish Tank for a Beginner to help you determine the best tank shape, pump flow, filter size and ratio of fish to aquarium size. Getting this right will set the foundation for a well-balanced and happy aquarium environment that keep your fish tank from ever becoming stinky to begin with. What to Do if Your Fish Tank Stinks Because of a Dirty Filter If the stinky smell seems to be coming from the surface of the fish tank then it may be coming from your aquarium filter. Your filters job is to remove the sources of tank stink and anything else that shouldn’t be in the water. For expert guidance on selecting the best filter for your aquarium setup please see our helpful article, Which Fish Tank Filter is the Best. When a filter becomes so saturated with its collections it may not be working to remove anything else and end up becoming the source of the foul smell. To be sure you can remove the filter and give it a good whiff to know for sure. You should be able to get rid of the smell by rinsing the filter in clean dechlorinated water. If your filters are not reusable, then simply replace it with a new one. Every time you rinse or replace your filter you should remove and clean the whole filtration system before restarting it with a clean filter. What to Do if Your Fish Tank Stinks Because of Dead Fish Whether there is a bad smell or not you should always remove dead fish from your fish tank. Dead fish create spikes in ammonia concentrations and other toxic water conditions that can lead to sickness in other fish and potential death. For more helpful information on the unseen fish killer in your aquarium please see our article, How to Reduce Ammonia in a Fish Tank. Dead fish do not always float to the top of your tank and can be hidden or stuck in the filter, plants, or under rocks in the tank. Remove the dead fish using a net if you can but if this is not possible then you may need to put your hands in the water to remove it. The safest option is to use aquarium gloves. They will keep your hands dry and better-quality gloves are BPA free. Before you ever put your hands in an aquarium you should wash your hands in clean water and use an unscented soap to remove dirt and any oils on your skin. Putting unclean hands, especially if there are any perfumes, lotions, or chemicals on your skin can be toxic and stressful to your aquarium and fish. Stress is often the reason for the death of fish. What to Do if Your Fish Tank Stinks Because of Dead Plants A diversity of living plants in an aquarium make for happy fish and a healthy and more balanced ecosystem. All living plants eventually die and when they do, they can stink. Sometimes only part of the plant will die and fall to the bottom. As plants decompose, they release smelly gases. Simply removing the plants or its parts with a net will stop the smelly odor. Water and Bacterial Balance is the Key to Fixing a Smelly Fish Tank No one likes a smelly tank, least of all your fish! Following these simple steps care will ensure you will fix your smelly fish tank problems and keep it from happening again and will restore the bacterial balance essential to a healthy aquarium. Starting up an aquarium can be pretty easy and fun, and the beauty of happy fish will bring you enjoyment for years to come.

Revealing Natures Secrets for the Perfect Home Aquarium

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