Smell?

[Charlie97L]

ok, with my newly installed 90, that's doing well... almost done (more rock and sand going in this weekend)

 

i get the musty humid smell like you get in some of the lfs... any suggestions? it's not bad, but it is a little offputting at first. hard to describe. it doesn't smell like dying things or anything... just strong.

 

i know a) running carbon will help, and b) i've heard putting a bag of carbon on top of the skimmer cup will help.

 

any validity to those ideas? also, any other suggestions?

[Jager]

maybe a dumb thing, but try putting an air freshener in the room iteself, as well as using the carbon on the skimmer.

 

the humid musty smell is probably stagnant air, putting a fan in there or a good CFM vent will help the most.

[Grav]

If the smell is coming from the skimmer cup, forget the carbon bag on top... here is what you need to do.

 

Add just a touch of Kalk to the cup after you clean it. This will raise the PH to a level that kills those bacteria that cause the smell. You will litterally pickle the poop.

 

If it is just a new tank in the cycle process... open a window for another week or 2.

[Charlie97L]

If the smell is coming from the skimmer cup, forget the carbon bag on top... here is what you need to do.

 

Add just a touch of Kalk to the cup after you clean it. This will raise the PH to a level that kills those bacteria that cause the smell. You will litterally pickle the poop.

 

If it is just a new tank in the cycle process... open a window for another week or 2.

 

it's not a new tank that's cycling... i'll try that. thanks!

[jason the filter freak]

Light a match

[Charlie97L]

Light a match

 

haha, i tried the kalk powder last night. i'll have to wait until i get home tonight to see how well it worked, as i get used to the smell pretty quickly once i'm upstairs.