strange smell from carbon sponge

Beautiful, complex and discussed here. The marine fish and reef section.
hammer
Dwarf Puffer
Posts: 62
Joined: Fri Jan 13, 2012 2:27 pm
Gender: Male
My Puffers: stars and stripes puffer
Location (country): England

strange smell from carbon sponge

Post by hammer »

I added a new carbon sponge to my filter of my juwel rio 180 and it made the tank completely reak, and when i left it it still stank, any ideas what this could be?
User avatar
bertie 83
Moderator
Posts: 5298
Joined: Tue Apr 12, 2011 4:28 pm
Gender: Male
My Puffers: lineatus R.I.P, South American puffer. Valentini puffer, porcupine puffer.
Non puffer
Danios, Tetras, Redtail Rasporas,
Harlequins, CAE's, Yoyo
Loaches, Clown loaches ,Eels, various shrimp, tangs,wrasses, damsels, chromis
Location (country): Brighton, England
Location: brighton , england

Re: strange smell from carbon sponge

Post by bertie 83 »

This is a strange one. Maybe bad carbon? You don't need to use carbon, just keep up with water changes
It's amazing how easy maintenance is. If done regularly and thoroughly
User avatar
Pufferpunk
Queen Admin
Posts: 32764
Joined: Tue May 31, 2005 11:06 am
Gender: Female
My Puffers: Filbert, the 12" T lineatus
Punkster, the 4" red T miurus
Mongo, the 4" A modestus
2 T biocellatus
C valentini
C coranata
C papuan
Also kept:
lorteti
DPs
suvattii
burrfish
T niphobles
Location (country): USA, Greenville, SC
Location: Chicago
Contact:

Re: strange smell from carbon sponge

Post by Pufferpunk »

I agree--with all the WC you'll be doing to keep up with ammonia/nitrite, you aren't going to need any carbon.
You are getting sleepy... you only hear the sound of my voice... you must do water changes... water changes... water changes... water changes...

"The solution to pollution is dilution!"
hammer
Dwarf Puffer
Posts: 62
Joined: Fri Jan 13, 2012 2:27 pm
Gender: Male
My Puffers: stars and stripes puffer
Location (country): England

Re: strange smell from carbon sponge

Post by hammer »

ok I've removed it. done a 50% water change yesterday (in uk time) and I also added an ammonia remover, but I am planning to only add it in small doses and keep up water changes, after first water change and adding of ammonia remover the strange smell started to go so maybe it could have been the ammonia reacting with the carbon sponge or something. will do another 50% water change today. should I continue to add the treatment because the test results show ammonia is slightly lower or should I just do water changes? I fear that I may eventual run out of salt, have about 1/5 of tub left will that do?
User avatar
bertie 83
Moderator
Posts: 5298
Joined: Tue Apr 12, 2011 4:28 pm
Gender: Male
My Puffers: lineatus R.I.P, South American puffer. Valentini puffer, porcupine puffer.
Non puffer
Danios, Tetras, Redtail Rasporas,
Harlequins, CAE's, Yoyo
Loaches, Clown loaches ,Eels, various shrimp, tangs,wrasses, damsels, chromis
Location (country): Brighton, England
Location: brighton , england

Re: strange smell from carbon sponge

Post by bertie 83 »

Do not use ammonia remover. It is the devil. Just waterchanges
It's amazing how easy maintenance is. If done regularly and thoroughly
hammer
Dwarf Puffer
Posts: 62
Joined: Fri Jan 13, 2012 2:27 pm
Gender: Male
My Puffers: stars and stripes puffer
Location (country): England

Re: strange smell from carbon sponge

Post by hammer »

how is it 'the devil'? how bad is it?
User avatar
bertie 83
Moderator
Posts: 5298
Joined: Tue Apr 12, 2011 4:28 pm
Gender: Male
My Puffers: lineatus R.I.P, South American puffer. Valentini puffer, porcupine puffer.
Non puffer
Danios, Tetras, Redtail Rasporas,
Harlequins, CAE's, Yoyo
Loaches, Clown loaches ,Eels, various shrimp, tangs,wrasses, damsels, chromis
Location (country): Brighton, England
Location: brighton , england

Re: strange smell from carbon sponge

Post by bertie 83 »

Additives like that can hinder your biological filtration. It is never good to add these additives to your aquarium.
It's amazing how easy maintenance is. If done regularly and thoroughly
RTR
Mentor
Posts: 6155
Joined: Tue May 31, 2005 4:39 pm
Gender: Male
Location (country): East Coast, USA

Re: strange smell from carbon sponge

Post by RTR »

It all depends on how the "ammonia remover" works. If the ammonia remover locks ammonia into the ammonium ion form, it may be OK. The ammonium ion form is the one used by the ammonia-oxidizing bacteria. and that is their energy source. Without that ammonium ion being present and available to your bacteria, your biofilter will die off or never establish.

HTH
Where's the fish? - Neptune
hammer
Dwarf Puffer
Posts: 62
Joined: Fri Jan 13, 2012 2:27 pm
Gender: Male
My Puffers: stars and stripes puffer
Location (country): England

Re: strange smell from carbon sponge

Post by hammer »

I am not sure it does not say, but it is called 'interpet ammonia remover' and it says it 'removes ammonia and chloramine'
User avatar
Pufferpunk
Queen Admin
Posts: 32764
Joined: Tue May 31, 2005 11:06 am
Gender: Female
My Puffers: Filbert, the 12" T lineatus
Punkster, the 4" red T miurus
Mongo, the 4" A modestus
2 T biocellatus
C valentini
C coranata
C papuan
Also kept:
lorteti
DPs
suvattii
burrfish
T niphobles
Location (country): USA, Greenville, SC
Location: Chicago
Contact:

Re: strange smell from carbon sponge

Post by Pufferpunk »

Ammonia removers will prevent your tank from cycling. Use Prime to detoxify the ammonia.
You are getting sleepy... you only hear the sound of my voice... you must do water changes... water changes... water changes... water changes...

"The solution to pollution is dilution!"
hammer
Dwarf Puffer
Posts: 62
Joined: Fri Jan 13, 2012 2:27 pm
Gender: Male
My Puffers: stars and stripes puffer
Location (country): England

Re: strange smell from carbon sponge

Post by hammer »

do you know a website that I can get it from? I can't find it, also I noticed my puffer breathing quite heavily, do I have to do a water change now? 21:00 or can it wait till tommorow will the little guys life depend on it?
matt612
Dwarf Puffer
Posts: 80
Joined: Fri Mar 26, 2010 4:00 pm
Gender: Male
My Puffers: Mbu
Location (country): lancashire uk

Re: strange smell from carbon sponge

Post by matt612 »

What are water readings
User avatar
bertie 83
Moderator
Posts: 5298
Joined: Tue Apr 12, 2011 4:28 pm
Gender: Male
My Puffers: lineatus R.I.P, South American puffer. Valentini puffer, porcupine puffer.
Non puffer
Danios, Tetras, Redtail Rasporas,
Harlequins, CAE's, Yoyo
Loaches, Clown loaches ,Eels, various shrimp, tangs,wrasses, damsels, chromis
Location (country): Brighton, England
Location: brighton , england

Re: strange smell from carbon sponge

Post by bertie 83 »

I would do it now to be safe. Prime can be purchased from most privately owned stores or ebay.
It's amazing how easy maintenance is. If done regularly and thoroughly
User avatar
JRC3
Fahaka Puffer
Posts: 904
Joined: Wed Jul 07, 2010 4:10 pm
Gender: Male
My Puffers: F8(55g)
F8 (46g)
4-DP(29g)
Location (country): U.S.
Location: S.W. OH

Re: strange smell from carbon sponge

Post by JRC3 »

bertie 83 wrote:Prime can be purchased from most privately owned stores or ebay.
Doesn't Amquel do the same thing in case Prime is unavailable to him?
There are many knowledgeable fish keepers on this forum willing to help and give great advice...The advice is free; What you choose to do with it gives it value.
User avatar
bertie 83
Moderator
Posts: 5298
Joined: Tue Apr 12, 2011 4:28 pm
Gender: Male
My Puffers: lineatus R.I.P, South American puffer. Valentini puffer, porcupine puffer.
Non puffer
Danios, Tetras, Redtail Rasporas,
Harlequins, CAE's, Yoyo
Loaches, Clown loaches ,Eels, various shrimp, tangs,wrasses, damsels, chromis
Location (country): Brighton, England
Location: brighton , england

Re: strange smell from carbon sponge

Post by bertie 83 »

I have no experience with amquel so cant say either way im afraid
It's amazing how easy maintenance is. If done regularly and thoroughly
Post Reply