# OH MY GOD HORRIBLE rotten egg smell!!



## MaxGreenMDE (Jan 21, 2012)

So yeah..the sand is definitely going. I am doing a water change right now and the minute that i got the water low enough this HUGE HORRIBLE smell is coming from the sand.. 

What in the WORLD caused that?!


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## Bambi (Sep 11, 2011)

Rotting food maybe? Did you wash the sand before adding it to your tank?


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## Oldfishlady (Mar 1, 2010)

Sound like the substrate went anaerobic...how deep was the sand bed, any live plants, how long has the tank been setup, any filtration used, how much and how often on the water changes, stocking, tank size, water temp, additives used...if you have livestock in the tank I would remove them until you get this straighten out.....


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## Olympia (Aug 25, 2011)

You said before that you had a problem with it being cloudy- that and the smell is probably from not washing it well enough. You haven't had it long enough to be toxic gas build up. But rotten eggs is the smell of sulpher- probably was in your sand from not being washed well enough.


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## MaxGreenMDE (Jan 21, 2012)

I just did a THOROUGH tank wash. Took Dahvie out took the tank to the sink dumped out the water put the sand in a big bowl THOROUGHLY rinsed sand massaged sand stirred sand the whole nine yards..THOROUGHLY washed the tank with a rag (of course no soap) put everything back, water is clear and smell is gone. Even the water was rank it was just YUCK! He hasn't been in that for long because I played with him this morning and didn't smell anything so this had to have come up front within the hour.


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## Olympia (Aug 25, 2011)

Well, know that you got the smell out, it shouldn't come back.
What size tank is it again?
When you change the water, maybe drain it out with an aquarium vaccuum from now on, then stir the sand around each time to prevent more smelly stuff from accumulating in the sand.


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## MaxGreenMDE (Jan 21, 2012)

it's 2.5 gallon.


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## Olympia (Aug 25, 2011)

so 50% change once a week and 100% change once a week.
Yea, invest in an aquarium vaccuum if you don't have one, and stir the sand twice a week I'd say.


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## Dragonii (Aug 12, 2011)

I use sand all the time. I have 5 tanks, ranging from 3 to 150 gallons, all have sand in them. I have never had an issue with any smell from them.

But, I wash the sand very well before using it, I keep the sand bed shallow (except for the cichlids) and I stir it up every once in a while.


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## callistra (Jun 29, 2010)

yeah you really need to vacuum the gravel along with the change. agreed anaerobic bacteria build up. Even adding a little bubbler will help with this. In my hospital tank I have a small air diffuser set up in the corner and that alone will help cut down on bad bacteria.

I have no idea what brand it is but the air diffuses here are true MIST bubblers. They are not Lee's Discard a Stones despite looking identical. I got two with filters and thought I could replace them locally when they clogged.. not at all the same. 

http://www.americanaquariumproducts.com/SpongeFilter.html

Just grab and adapter out of another diffuser pack or break at tube off a stone and attach with airline and pump and the quietest gentlest anything I've ever seen. Wish I knew what brand they use.


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## MaxGreenMDE (Jan 21, 2012)

The smell is BACK! This happened literally overnight! I had gone to bed at 3am and the smell wasn't there..wake up and now it's there!! WORSE than before!!

I'm taking some water in to petsmart to have it tested.


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## Sena Hansler (Aug 24, 2011)

I've had the same problem, always in unfiltred tanks/bowls though, that have substrate like sand or gravel. It gets stuck inbetween the gravel or substrate (that bad smell), and does release the rotten egg smell. What I did to avoid it, was do optimal water changes for the uncycled, unfiltered tanks/bowls, and used a hot water/vinegar wash for the substrate, then rinsed very very well. I used to use a soft cloth for the sides of the tank, and rinse with water/vinegar, and then rinse with fresh clean water. This usually helped


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## MaxGreenMDE (Jan 21, 2012)

Thanks I am getting a filter today. I'm borrowing money from my mom because I just can't imagine what Dahvie is swimming in right now that would stink that bad. If it's bad for me imagine how he feels.

http://www.bettafish.com/showthread.php?t=91468


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## Sena Hansler (Aug 24, 2011)

I know it smells bad :3 That's why (sorry) Dally cannot have substrate because he chooses he like the stupid bowl more than an awesome 3 gallon. So he has a plant lol.


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## MaxGreenMDE (Jan 21, 2012)

wow that's definitely odd lol!


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## Sena Hansler (Aug 24, 2011)

:lol: yup lol. That's another reason I always upgraded to filtered tanks :3 to get rid of that smell!


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## Dragonii (Aug 12, 2011)

I posted a filter recommendation on your other thread.


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## bettafish15 (Oct 3, 2010)

I would ditch the sand, LOL.


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## wnppmy (Dec 26, 2011)

Unfiltered tank perhaps sand not the best to use, another selection of sand might take care of the issues if still determined to use. Could have harbored a Proteus or similar bacteria without proper rinse etc, even might have come from somewhere else. Eventually you will get it right. Replace any other suspect, last will be finally all ok.


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## MaxGreenMDE (Jan 21, 2012)

Even after doing ANOTHER thorough cleaning today and ditching the sand..the smell is now back...


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## Olympia (Aug 25, 2011)

Huh. That's weird. It sounds like hydrogen sulfide, which can suffocate regular fish, but since he's a betta he breathes air. It's still a problem though.
" -Change to the brightest lights possible. The lights drive higher oxygen concentrations and the oxygen will help neutralize hydrogen sulfide.
-In freshwater aquariums, plant roots have been shown to not only remove ammonia directly, but as well (and more importantly as to the subject of this article) prohibit the total anaerobic conditions that promote production of hydrogen sulfides."

http://www.aquarium-pond-answers.com/2008/11/hydrogen-sulfides.html

It's weird that you cleaned everything and it's still there. :s
Also do you have a filter yet? The filter will also increase your oxygen in the water, which is what you want to get rid of the smell.

Do you know if there's sulfer of any type in your tap water? My aunt used to live in the country and her well had sulfer in it.


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## Dragonii (Aug 12, 2011)

Wow, I swear I have that same sand in my Fluval Edge and I have never had an issue with any sort of odor. However, I do have a filter on it.
I have sand in all of my tanks and I have a filter on all of my tanks... no odors. 

Didn't you put a filter on it? How deep is the sand? It would be pretty shallow.


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## MaxGreenMDE (Jan 21, 2012)

I have nothing but a leaf hammock and a filter in my tank right now. As of right now the smell has gone away but I still wish I knew why it was even trying to come back with an empty tank


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## Olympia (Aug 25, 2011)

Like I said, hydrogen sulfide is caused by low oxygen in the water. Your filter will oxygenize your tank so it shouldn't return.
If it does it could be something totally different, however.


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## Dragonii (Aug 12, 2011)

so the sand is out? you have a bare bottom now?

How are his fins looking?

I had a problem with one of my guys and his fins a while back. He is doing better now and they have grown back.

What I did was 50% water changes every other day and Melafix. They grew back in no time.

I've been trying to follow the progress on your little guy but you have everything spread out across several threads now, that makes it kind of hard to keep up.


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## MaxGreenMDE (Jan 21, 2012)

Dragonii said:


> so the sand is out? you have a bare bottom now?
> 
> How are his fins looking?
> 
> ...


yeah I'm sorry for that I get in a panic sometimes and just start up a new thread. He seems to be doing better all together now. I think he was stressed and fin biting. Could have even been from trying to lay on top of the fake grass i had in there which is why i got the leaf hammock. I caught him attempting that.

Here is his tank: http://www.bettafish.com/showthread.php?t=91520


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## Pitluvs (Jun 22, 2011)

I'd go with what OFL says and toss that sand out, it's gone bad.


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## SnowySurface (Apr 25, 2011)

Pitluvs said:


> I'd go with what OFL says and toss that sand out, it's gone bad.


Sand can go bad?


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## MaxGreenMDE (Jan 21, 2012)

how in the world could it have gone bad after 2 days?


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## Pitluvs (Jun 22, 2011)

Honestly, I have had sand in my 29g tank for months now, and I have never had this problem. I do have snails that keep the sand moving, but since this tank is new I don't really see that being of help. I'm just saying, my sand is fine. Only time my sand went bad was when I tried to do a naturally planted tank, and that rotten egg smell was there because the substrate went anaerobic. I tossed mine out. I really don't have any suggestions but... don't dismiss OFL. She's the go to lady when it comes to this stuff.


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## MaxGreenMDE (Jan 21, 2012)

I had already thrown away the sand and the smell was still there. And I was stirring up the sand myself.

As of right now the smell has departed..but I have a feeling this is not the last of it.


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## copperarabian (Apr 27, 2011)

you could try trumpet snails, they do a pretty decent job at stirring the sand up for you if you don't mind having more... and more.... and more... O.O


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## Oldfishlady (Mar 1, 2010)

I think it was the bacteria supplement compounded by limited dissolved oxygen.....the sand shouldn't have went anaerobic that fast without help...


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## Dragonii (Aug 12, 2011)

Oldfishlady said:


> I think it was the bacteria supplement compounded by limited dissolved oxygen.....the sand shouldn't have went anaerobic that fast without help...


 
I must have overlooked the part about the bacteria supplement... that would probably do it.

That bacteria needs oxygen, without it it will go bad fast.


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## MaxGreenMDE (Jan 21, 2012)

I just got a 10 gallon tank he's still in the 2.5 gallon for now. I set it up at about 4:00 or so today (central time) and was wondering when i could stick him in. I used the bacteria supplement and water conditioner.


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## Jodah (Nov 15, 2011)

not for a few weeks. a 10g needs to cycle properly. Keep testing for ammonia, then test for nitrites, then finally test for nitrates. When ammonia and nitrites read 0ppm, with nitrates being close to 0ppm, the tank is considered cycled and he can be safely added. But, as I said, a 10g cycle takes 3-4 weeks.


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## LittleBettaFish (Oct 2, 2010)

I wouldn't bother with the bacterial supplement TBH. Most contain the wrong type of bacteria and do nothing but slow down your cycle. 

99% of these aren't worth the plastic it took to make the bottle and the jury's still out on how well the other 1% actually work.


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## Jodah (Nov 15, 2011)

The other part I forgot to mention, is in order to do a fishless cycle, you need a source of ammonia to add. Either pure ammonia, or a small piece of raw shrimp, or fish food that you let decay in the tank.


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## Dragonii (Aug 12, 2011)

Yeah, that bacteria in a bottle stuff just feels like snake oil to me.
First off, even if it is the right bacteria, chances are it's dead from either heat or cold exposure during transport or from sitting on the shelf for too long. 

Just set up the tank, throw in a small bit of fish food every other day or so and keep an eye on the test levels like Jodah said.


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## MaxGreenMDE (Jan 21, 2012)

Water clouded..should I worry or will it go away? My water seems to always cloud no matter what..can I use clear water or is that dangerous to Dahvie?


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## MaxGreenMDE (Jan 21, 2012)

my google search says it's probably a bacterial blossom so maybe i should just leave it alone and let it resolve itself? Idk what do you guys usually do?


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## Jodah (Nov 15, 2011)

i was also told that, it's generally considered to be part of "new tank syndrome" and most times it is harmless, and you just follow the regular routine. I had one instance where it wasn't just a normal bacteria bloom, I literally had liquid snot clogging my filter and that was clouding my water. So, just keep an eye on it.


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## MaxGreenMDE (Jan 21, 2012)

yeah i checked the filter it's running like normal and i did more investigation and it seems that my tap water (which is city water) here is just cloudy in general. So was wondering if clear water is safe to put in the tank. Dahvie is not in the 10 gallon tank yet I want to cycle that completely before throwing him in there. but pretty much the only way my water will clear is with clear water because even water sitting in a dog bowl for a week is constantly cloudy :/. I even conditioned the water so it is safe.


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## Jodah (Nov 15, 2011)

could be just really aerated. I know my water from the tap comes out super aerated, usually takes a few minutes for it to clear out.


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