Slight pong ??

[firefly]

My tank is a 10 gallon with 3 FBTs in 5inch of water, filter, gravel, a couple of live plants, mosses & Elodea. Its been running for almost 2 weeks, I did a 40% water change 2 days ago.

When I lean over it I can detect a slight 'whiff '. Is this normal, or shouldn't there be any smell at all?

[Kurt]

A whiff of what? Many (fresh water) aquariums I have smell kind of like a green house. Is this what your smelling?

[firefly]

Haha - I knew you'd ask me that - erm it's a bit hard to describe, It's not disgusting, just a sort of pondy/weedy smell & once away from the tank you can't smell anything, but I (for some reason) assumed it wouldn't smell at all with being filtered.

I'm hoping you'll say - put up with it, it's nothing to worry about ??

As you can see from my Avatar I have quite a few clumps of moss/grasses so maybe they're going rotten.

[SludgeMunkey]

I was mulling over what "pong" meant. I assumed you were not referring to electronic games from the 1980's... LOL

In any enclosure incorporating natural materials like plants and wood the odor you describe is perfectly normal. In fact it is a good thing if it smells that way. If it verily reeks of sour rot, sewage, or swamp you have a problem.

I myself no longer notice the smells of a multitude of amphibian enclosures. I force my kids to come down and take a sniff for me. (Yes, I finally found a use for kids!) If they sniff and reply EEWWW! I know I need to investigate the situation.

[firefly]

Haha thats so funny, it must be just a english expression of old ie:

1. pong - definition of pong by the Free Online Dictionary, Thesaurus ...
   
   pong [pɒŋ] Brit informal. n. a disagreeable or offensive smell; stink. vb. (intr) to give off an unpleasant smell;

Thats great to know that the smell is harmless. it's not offensive as in pong lol.

My 3 yr old grandaughter comes over tomorrow so maybe I'll put her to the test and see what she says.

Thanks alot

[Kurt]

So when you Brits hear of Americans playing beer pong, does it conjure up images of Yanks drinking stinky beer?

[Paul Rust]

1. pong - definition of pong by the Free Online Dictionary, Thesaurus ...
   
   pong [pɒŋ] Brit informal. n. a disagreeable or offensive smell; stink. vBulletin. (intr) to give off an unpleasant smell;

Too awesome, advice, people, frogs and.......language lessons?

[daziladi]

Too funny! Re: (Yes, I finally found a use for kids!)