What is the Smelliest part of owning a SW tank?

[srad750c]

Uncured live rock, back in the day you bought your rock from LFS straight from wholesaler direct. I've had some Fiji and Atlantic live rock, it's a toss up. Smell gets worse after a few days of curing in your tank.

 

[Lovemyreef2015]

I know it's been said alot but I'm going to have to say the skimmer. We have a container that holds the nasty gunk from it and when we empty it oh boy does it stink up the whole house! I thought changing my 2 years old poopy diaper was bad.. It doesn't even come close to the skimmer;Vomit

 

[GoVols]

cycling. stinks to heavens.

(lol)
Old school cycling with the over night fly in Figi rock will do the job, about 3 weeks in

 

[Behnken]

So far the biopellet reactor has been the smelliest for me.

 

[Sealion]

Nothing worse than a dead snail. The reactor bio pellets would be a close second.

 

[nkyreef]

I had an emerald crab that died during the molting process. I plucked him out and had to take him outside. The smell was ugh...

 

[Todd A.]

1 - Emptying the skimmer cup in my kitchen sink fouls the entire house
2 - Reef Frenzy frozen food. Cutting it into feeding sized cubes reminds me of working in a Seafood Restaurant, hands that stick like dead fish
All of the other smells just make it seem like I live closer to the ocean, which isn't a bad thing.

 

[cracker]

Gotta be the skimmer juice! Ever taken a shot of that stuff? Yeeegh

 

[N suter]

Tied for 1st:
- Bucket full of used filter socks, before I have a full load to clean!
- Skimmate (although I always smell it, can tell a lot of what's going on in the tank)

Next in line:
-Reef Nutrition Mysis Feast food (especially when you take a good wiff of it!)

 

[TikiBird]

1 - Emptying the skimmer cup in my kitchen sink fouls the entire house
2 - Reef Frenzy frozen food. Cutting it into feeding sized cubes reminds me of working in a Seafood Restaurant, hands that stick like dead fish
All of the other smells just make it seem like I live closer to the ocean, which isn't a bad thing.

Oh my gosh, how could I have forgotten the Reef Frenzy?! That was worse than the dead live rock box. When I cut it up I literally wore goggles, a face mask, and gloves. And it was STILL too much for me to handle. [emoji23]

Edit to add: the food is great quality by the way, I just don't like the fresh smell. lol

 

[thewasho]

I dont mind skimmate, bit of a funky smell
Worst for me was a load of filter socks that i put in the washing machine and for some reason it failed to start the load and i was away for 4 days on a long weekend, washing machine was never the same after that!
Try explaining that one!

 

[reefluvrr]

The burnt smell of money burning a hole in my wallet....

 

[Flower man]

When it comes to Tank odors, everyone has their favorite and not so favorite smells.

Today (I am ashamed of it) I cleaned out a 1month old Biopellet reactor. Usually when I do my clean when I change out the pellets it smells but not much worse than the skimmer. Well, I took the Biopellets off line shortly after the last time I cleaned it. Due to a busy schedule I just now got around to cleaning it. Smelled worse than anything I have smelt out of my tank.

So what is your smelliest encounter with your tank?

Skimmer for sure but the pellets are close.

 

[savetheocean]

Reef Roids! Ewwwww

Corals love em though

 

[harryball69]

Skimmer cup no doubt.

 

[savetheocean]

My skimmer doesnt smell that bad? My tanks only 7 months old though, is that bad?

 

[N suter]

Savetheocean, that is normal if you don't have a big bio load. Once you start picking up uneaten food and detris, it will get a little "stinkier". It still has that sweet saltwater smell to it.

I want to add a new BAD smell to the list, I just got some Microbe-lift special blend to my tank. Just for maintenance to boost corolline algae growth! It does stink thou. And it lingers. Luckly it's only an every other week add in. I am going to start adding right before work so it has time to clear the air before I come home. If anyone else has used this' they will feel my pain. Well at least my nose's pain. Haha This one might top my personal list of stink!

 

[Bradw18]

When your on vacation and your tank crashes and you come home to it

 

[andyg1960]

Often me. Or the skimmer cup. Usually I'm worse...

 

[jd371]

When I empty the skimmer cup in the slop sink, the whole laundry room stinks. If I don't run the water in the sink for a minute to flush all of the skimmate out of the drain the room will stink for while, and that room is right next to the front entrance. Not a good smell to walk in on.