# Sweet smelling tanks?



## Tree (Sep 29, 2013)

Anyone have this? like it smells good, not bad. But at times sweet smells can be a bad thing in houses like types of mold and junk. I looked it up online and people say its a good thing to have a sweet smelling natural plant tank? Is this true? 

thanks,
Tree


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## jasmine8 (Jul 29, 2014)

My planted tank kind of smells like a greenhouse, I suppose you could say it smells "sweet". A nice smelling tank is probably more healthy than a tank that reeks!


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## Tony2632 (Aug 30, 2013)

I don't know about sweet, but mine smells like seaweed up close.


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## Ehmdee (Jun 29, 2013)

What I've noticed is that when water quality deteriorates and/or a parameter goes out of whack, whether in my tanks or others, the smell goes off and then (if left) becomes unpleasant. Has been a good way to tell when something needs attention.


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## MameJenny (Jun 11, 2012)

My tanks always have a faint fishy smell. Sometimes, especially if a plant is growing out of the water, they'll have a faint sweet, mossy smell.


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## Oishii03 (Jun 12, 2014)

Well, my tank smells like fresh soil. Are your tanks cycled or not? Because maybe uncycled tanks smell different because there's no bacteria in them. 

I don't know, everyone seems to have different smelling tanks. If everything looks right, the parameters are fine, and your fish seem healthy, I don't see how it's a bad thing to have a tank that smells pleasant.


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## Tree (Sep 29, 2013)

Ehmdee said:


> What I've noticed is that when water quality deteriorates and/or a parameter goes out of whack, whether in my tanks or others, the smell goes off and then (if left) becomes unpleasant. Has been a good way to tell when something needs attention.


oooh I might have to look into that. 

thanks everyone
Phew, at least I am not the only one that is smelling things. XD


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## Tree (Sep 29, 2013)

Oishii03 said:


> Are your tanks cycled or not? .



Oh and yeah all of them are cycled.


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## Oishii03 (Jun 12, 2014)

Well, that throws that theory out the window then. 

I'd imagine all sorts of factors can impact the smell. Number of fish, type of fish, types of bacteria and algae growing inside, plants, if there's carbon in the filter, CO2 running, super oxygenated water, driftwood, type of conditioner used, etc. This is kind of interesting to think about :greenyay:


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## Tree (Sep 29, 2013)

Buahahaha man well I have all of that. =P one fish per tank with each a snail. Drift wood, IALs, dirt with gravel cap, three of my tanks have a sponge filter and the other is a Spec 5.5 gallon with carbon and whatnot. 

I have two 5 gallons (one is a split) and two 2.6 gallons that are all Natural planted tanks. But it smells like only one might be giving off that smell. =I I kinda wanna redo that one anyway.


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## Shesha (Oct 13, 2011)

Well, I _*didn't*_ just try plunging my face down to water level and got my nose wet...

Smells lightly fishy and a tad sweet, but mostly nondescript. That's one fish in a 3g with no carbon HOB filter, sand substrate, heavily planted dosed daily with excel. Water change once a month.

I also have a vase with a lucky bamboo, about a pint, where I dump the dirty water out of the 3g whenever I daily spot clean. So, fish poop water. Nutritious natural fertilizer! Smells heavily of algae and sour (but not quite rancid).


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## Tree (Sep 29, 2013)

Shesha said:


> Well, I _*didn't*_ just try plunging my face down to water level and got my nose wet...
> 
> Smells lightly fishy and a tad sweet, but mostly nondescript. That's one fish in a 3g with no carbon HOB filter, sand substrate, heavily planted dosed daily with excel. Water change once a month.
> 
> I also have a vase with a lucky bamboo, about a pint, where I dump the dirty water out of the 3g whenever I daily spot clean. So, fish poop water. Nutritious natural fertilizer! Smells heavily of algae and sour (but not quite rancid).



Hahaha when I stick my nose in the water, my fish are like What the?! XD

Oh yeah I forgot to mention I do use root tabs at times and prime and stress coat and "Natural Gold" plant Iron treatment to help the plants out. Maybe that is what is making the smell? I bought it at my LFS. and it said daily dosage but I only does once every three days. =/


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## myexplodingcat (Apr 9, 2014)

Tanks with rooibos tea in them definitely smell sweet! I've never had fish water smell so good as with rooibos in the tank. Maybe certain kinds of driftwood would do the same thing?


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