Severe New Tank Syndrome?

[fish_fetish65]

hi there, everyone. my name is ashley, and i work at petsmart. that said, one of my coworkers has recently set up a fish tank. she feels she has followed all of the proper steps in setting her tank up. however, her water has turned brown, and it smells horrible. she has tried everything, from water changes to chemicals to completely restarting the tank. unfortunately, she is still having the same problems and cannot figure out what is going on with her tank or why it is not cycling properly. i figured i would post on her behalf and see if i could get some good advice for her.

her tank is 29 gallons
it has been up for about 3 weeks
the fish in it include small tropical community fish (mollies, platties, guppies, etc)

thanks in advance!
-ashley

 

[Tolak]

Please post the results of any water tests, as well as any chemicals used in the tank including brand of dechlorinator. Many times driftwood will tint the water, though the addition of chemicals may have had the same effect. Sounds as if she may have started with too many fish, for a traditional cycle with fish, 1" of slim bodied fish under 3" in length for every 5 gallons is suggested.

Look into fishless cycling on this site, many people including myself have done it with good results.