New Fish Need Help

[Ben9524]

Good morning, we have recently added a Jack Dempsey to our tank and now there has been a weird smell coming from the tank. We have mainly cichlids in the tank and one Bristlenose. We have cleaned the tank and even paid a professional to clean it and the smell seems to leave but after a few days it returns. I just want to make sure this isn’t some sort of sign that the fish are having issues or the tank needs more frequent care. Any suggestion?

Thank you

 

[Colin_T]

Bad smells in aquariums are normally caused by a filter that isn't established, and uneaten food rotting in the tank. Dead fish can also cause it.

How long has the tank been set up for?
How long has the tank had fish in for?

Was the filter cycled before fish were added to the tank?
What sort of filter do you have?
How often do you clean the filter?
How do you clean the filter?

How often do you do water changes and how much do you change?
Do you gravel clean the substrate when you do a water change?
Is the new water dechlorinated before it's added to the tank?

 

[Ben9524]

-We've had the tank set up for 2 years
-We've had fish in the tank for both years

-We did not cycle the filter once we added the Jack Dempsey(probably the issue)
-We use carbon, polyfiber, and phosphate filters all by Pisces Pros
-We usually just replace the filter once every 4 weeks
-We haven't cleaned a filter I don't think just replaced them

-We water change 25% once a week
-We gravel clean every other water change
-Yes

 

[Colin_T]

If you don't have sponges in the filter then you should find some that fit in it. Replace one of the current filter pads/ media with a sponge. Wait a month and then replace another filter pad with a second sponge.

Sponges are better media and will last for years and don't get replaced. You simply wash the sponges in a bucket of tank water each month and re-use them.

If you replace the filter media/ materials every month, you are getting rid of the beneficial bacteria that keep ammonia and nitrite at 0ppm. Then you get an ammonia reading, which causes smelly water and sick fish.

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You should do a 75% water change and gravel clean the substrate every week.

You should monitor the ammonia and nitrite level for the next month or so and do a 75% water change any day there is a reading above 0ppm.

 

[Metalhead88]

Colin has you 100% covered.

What size tank? and what is the tank exactly stocked with?

Companies recommending to change the filter media out every few weeks is the biggest scam in the fish industry. They just want you to buy their products more often. As Colin mentioned, the media holds the bacteria. That's the good stuff you need to keep. When it gets dirty, rinse with tank water and reuse. It only needs to be replaced when it begins to fall apart.

 

[Lajos_Detari]

Do take note that whenever you replace your filter pad/media, you will have to restart the cycling of your filter again which is bad for your fish.

Do not replace your filter pads unless they break down.

Follow Colin suggestions to replace with sponge pads which will last you almost forever.

Carbon is not require unless you want to remove the medication after medicating your tank or if there is some chemical that you want to remove from the water.
But too much carbon is bad for your fish as it may absorb the minerals that are require by your fish.
And carbon has to be replaced every gew weeks, if not, it will leak the chemical back to the water.

I have seen the Phosphate filter before but I think you don't really need it.
As long as you change your water frequently and don't overfeed your fish, I believe your fish will be fine.
High Phosphate is caused by uneaten food, plant decay, fish feces, etc.
Water change will reduce your phosphate and all the ammonia, nitrite, nitrate.