DSB in a Bucket Smells Bad

[bvoss]

The title pretty much says it.

I have a 30 gallon trash can mostly filled with southdown sand and fed by a MJ1200. It has been running for about 2 months and it is really starting to stink.

Any ideas about what could be wrong, or does denitification smell bad?

Thanks,

Bill

 

[Sm0kin]

does it smell like rotten eggs, fish, or what. How is the flow through it is there any stuff settling in it. Top on or Off. How bout the rest of the setup. Does it smell the same

 

[bvoss]

It smells like a sewer. Not much on top of the sand. It has about 300 gph flow through it. The smell is mostly concentrated in the bucket, but now the whole back rooms smells.

 

[Sm0kin]

was the trash can clean(new). wierd, it should smell just like the rest of the setup. how are your water params?

 

[eshook]

How is the RDSB plumbed? Is the input from your skimmer or from your overflow? If it is getting dirty water it can quickly become a nutrient sink. Your flow isn't high enough to keep everything suspended so if you are feeding the RDSB dirty water that could be your problem.

If not, is it covered? Light could be causing some unwanted growth, but I wouldn't see why that would make it smell bad. I would suggest posting this on RDSB in a Bucket in the sticky above. You will get some better answers as everyone in there is pretty dedicated to the topic.

 

[Fred_J]

How high is the water over the sand.

 

[bvoss]

I have about 6" of water over the sand with about 300 gph moving across it. I couldn't plumb it from the skimmer. I had to use a Maxijet sitting near the overflow so I am putting raw water into the bucket.

I may have to take another shot at plumbing from the skimmer. I have an ASM G6 which is a monster. The water coming out of this skimmer is like a fire hose.

 

[eshook]

I would suggest adding a T from the ASM and then divert some of the skimmer water to your bucket. I'm afraid with a Maxijet near the overflow that you are getting bad water turning your sand into a nutrient sink.

 

[bvoss]

I'll give that a shot. It is tricky plumbing problem.

I wish it was easier to find southdown. I'd just start over.

 

[eshook]

For a RDSB you can use silicate based sand. You lose buffering capability but going to HD makes life easier. Thats what I would suggest