Small tank smells like dirt

ldymcbeth6

ldymcbeth6

AC Members
Jan 21, 2008
61
0
0
Illinois
I have had a 2 gal tank with a small, air driven filter and a heater for several months. It houses one beautiful betta and an ADF, who are quite happy together. The tank smells like dirt. I assumed it was algae, but it never materializes. Because of the small size of the tank, the water never really cycles. I change 50% of the water every day. Once in a while I can't do that so I change 75% on the second day. I use prime to condition the water, which is tap unless the tap tests for ammonia and then I use gallon drinking water and still prime it. The gravel layer is only about 1/2 inch and I vacuum it as I change the water. I do not have live plants and there is no visible algae in the tank. I have tried algaefix, but it makes no difference in the smell.

The filter has a black sponge in it and some floss. It had a carbon filter in it when I got it and I used to replace it, but it smelled anyway and I ran out of cartridges once so I cut a piece of sponge thin enough and smooshed in some floss and it actually collected the floaties better, so it stayed. Sometimes it gets swished and the filter gets a rinse because it collects floaties in the bottom.

I have another similar, but larger tank housing mollies and it does NOT smell like dirt ever, but it is cycled and stable for months now and does occasionally have a bit of algae, which is taken care of by a couple very cool snails and less feeding.

Here's the thing: what makes that musty, dirty smell?? Is it algae? How can I get rid of it? I checked some other posts, but none were really helpful.

Thanks all!
 
I'm not sure what causes the smell, but it's perfectly normal in my experience. My tanks smell like dirt themselves regardless of what I'm doing. I'd go smell them now, but my allergies are acting up and my fish would look at me strange. The dirt smell is not unusual at all. I'd be interested in knowing what causes it myself.
 
A clearly cycled tank should smell like fresh dirt like the kind in the garden. Is it that smell or is it a nasty dirt smell? Why are you doing so many large water changes if the tank has a filter and a heater? Have you ever tested the water? Chances are if this tank has been up and running for months now, your tank is cycled in spite of all of the water changes that if done so many and so large can slow the cycle down in your case.

That must be one happy betta and ADF to have that many water changes and such clean water.

Marinemom
 
No, its a fresh, garden dirt smell. I keep changing the water because the ammonia registers on my api liquid test strip everyday....I also have nitrates, but they never go anywhere close to 20 because I change so often and the nitrites are 0.

And my betta is a happy camper! :) He's building a bubble nest as I write. Who can tell if a frog is happy? He swims, eats and sheds his skin...I guess that's frog happy.
 
that's strange that your ammonia registers every day but you have nitrates. how much ammonia?
:) lucky lil betta and frog
 
If you test your AMMO. right after a PWC it may show a false positive, mine does, {city water}.. I ushally wait about 8 hours, then test, .. And our tanks have a slight smell of dirt...:idea:
 
The dirt smell is created by Mycobacterium sp. of bacteria. These are found almost everywhere in the soil and water. They are a major contributor to breaking down organic waste. I've actually grown this species in a test tube. When you pop the cap off it smells like you've just stuck you head in some dirt.

They are part of the normal flora of your tank and usually means that it is healthy. Carbon is the only thing I've found that can remove the odors produced by it from the water column.
 
Maybe your test strips are bad.
 
THE V said:
The dirt smell is created by Mycobacterium sp. of bacteria. These are found almost everywhere in the soil and water. They are a major contributor to breaking down organic waste. I've actually grown this species in a test tube. When you pop the cap off it smells like you've just stuck you head in some dirt.
Click to expand...

That's the info I was wanting to know. I'm gonna file that under "Totally useless information that I was dieing to know".
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
AquariaCentral.com
Top Bottom