grey sand under the top layers
Ive just taken out 90% off the sand, whilst doing this every now and again, i would get a little smell off rotten eggs, so i think the sand was letting off gases might have been why my nitrates kept creeping up all the time?
I just hoped i didnt stress the fish out too much whilst removing the sand.
Why does the sand go grey and smelly? is it because it is too compact and cant breath?
I just hoped i didnt stress the fish out too much whilst removing the sand.
Why does the sand go grey and smelly? is it because it is too compact and cant breath?
Hi Dan,
The smell is from the gas build up in the sand. If I was you I would do some large water changes as this gas can kill your fish. This could be the reason why you lost one of your zebras a while back.
The pics you posted look like malaysian sand snails. Watch out for these guys as they are very prolific. All you need is one and soon you'll have loads as they are live bearing hermaphrodites and can have up to 19 offspring a week. The manager at my local LFS laughed at me when I asked for some a few months back. He said that he has spent 17 years trying to kill the little buggers.
The smell is from the gas build up in the sand. If I was you I would do some large water changes as this gas can kill your fish. This could be the reason why you lost one of your zebras a while back.
The pics you posted look like malaysian sand snails. Watch out for these guys as they are very prolific. All you need is one and soon you'll have loads as they are live bearing hermaphrodites and can have up to 19 offspring a week. The manager at my local LFS laughed at me when I asked for some a few months back. He said that he has spent 17 years trying to kill the little buggers.
those looks like Malaysian sand snails. I find it strange you get these pockets with those snails in the sand, as i find they do a great job in my tanks....... You do find them in the sand right?
I'm not sure i the gasses would show in any readings, as they tend to stay where they are until released. Like Adam says, they're really not good for the fish, and could kill them.
The one thing that will affect your readings of Nitrite is if the snails die in the sand, so it's a double edged sword in that way. Normally they don't die, they're hard to get rid of! But medicating the tank for instance, that could kill them, and then suddenly you have 100 + dead snails in the sand. Not good....
I keep them, and like having them for the three reasons mentioned earlier, but you have to consider the pros and cons and then decide wether you want them or not.
I'm not sure i the gasses would show in any readings, as they tend to stay where they are until released. Like Adam says, they're really not good for the fish, and could kill them.
The one thing that will affect your readings of Nitrite is if the snails die in the sand, so it's a double edged sword in that way. Normally they don't die, they're hard to get rid of! But medicating the tank for instance, that could kill them, and then suddenly you have 100 + dead snails in the sand. Not good....
I keep them, and like having them for the three reasons mentioned earlier, but you have to consider the pros and cons and then decide wether you want them or not.
You get the black sand in any place that goes anaerobic, meaning a complete lack of oxygen, and that has even tiny amounts of detritus or fish waste. I definitely think you made the right choice removing a good portion of it. If the fish aren't stressed and gaspy, you don't NEED to do another change, but 25% surely won't hurt a thing either if it gives you more peace of mind!
Barbie
Barbie
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Dan,
As McEve said the amount of gas released when the sand is disturbed will not register on any test kits. The gas is likely to be Sulphurous in origin and acidic so in theory you would register a drop in PH more than anything else. However the volume of gas that would have to be released in order to register a dip in PH would have to be large. The smell is more of an indication than anything else.
As for the snails I wouldn't go so far as saying don't get them. It really is a personal choice. If you plan on keeping a thick layer of sand then it would be best to have them so that they can turn over the sand. As you have now removed 90% of your sand I would say that they are not necessary, the movement of the zebras should be sufficient to regularly disturb the sand.
As McEve said the amount of gas released when the sand is disturbed will not register on any test kits. The gas is likely to be Sulphurous in origin and acidic so in theory you would register a drop in PH more than anything else. However the volume of gas that would have to be released in order to register a dip in PH would have to be large. The smell is more of an indication than anything else.
As for the snails I wouldn't go so far as saying don't get them. It really is a personal choice. If you plan on keeping a thick layer of sand then it would be best to have them so that they can turn over the sand. As you have now removed 90% of your sand I would say that they are not necessary, the movement of the zebras should be sufficient to regularly disturb the sand.
