# aneirobic substrate :(



## aaronnorth (18 Aug 2008)

My playsand substrate has gone aneirobic  is there anthing i can do? I have ordered some MTS to ty and help.

Thanks, aaron (it is my 60l)


----------



## Mark Evans (18 Aug 2008)

aaronnorth said:
			
		

> has gone aneirobic :



whats that mean?


----------



## aaronnorth (18 Aug 2008)

It is when not enough oxygen is in the substrate (aeirobic = oxygen) it creates hydrogen suphide (i think - know it has sulphur it as that is what causes the egg smell)


----------



## JamesM (18 Aug 2008)

Anaerobic?


I had the same problem with playsand only. Mix some gravel into it, or more coarse sand.


----------



## aaronnorth (18 Aug 2008)

JAmesM said:
			
		

> Anaerobic?
> 
> 
> I had the same problem with playsand only. Mix some gravel into it, or more coarse sand.



yes thats the one lol, i only have it where there is no plants/ gravel. I keep stirring it weekly to try and make sure it doesnt build up to much. Is that the only way?


----------



## JamesM (18 Aug 2008)

Its so fine it tends to compact way too much ime. Putting some gravel under it will help. Yes the sand will fall through to the base, but the stones stop it from compacting.


----------



## Mark Evans (18 Aug 2008)

ahh, ok. not good then  :?


----------



## aaronnorth (18 Aug 2008)

not the best option, i have JBL aquabasis underneath, it will create a big mess. I suppose it can be a good reason to rescape   

Is aquasoil like gravel?


----------



## JamesM (18 Aug 2008)

The wife loves the look of sand so we've also done it in the 4ft tank. I kept most of the gravel in at the back and just covered it. No problems there, but the front started to become a problem, so having a mad moment I mixed everything up and added JBL AB. It created a hell of a mess, but it did settle. And no problems since, and it actually looks a lot better. I'm still desperate to change it though 

AS is like clay pellets I think. Azoo make a knock off version which I got cheap from AE.


----------



## Mark Evans (18 Aug 2008)

yes a little like gravel.lighter in weight. great to use. planting etc. 

arghh go on...get some   you know you want to


----------



## aaronnorth (18 Aug 2008)

The reason i ask is because i have never had anerobic pockets in gravel.


----------



## Mark Evans (18 Aug 2008)

i dont think ive seen your 4 ft'er james  you got an image i can see?

mark


----------



## JamesM (18 Aug 2008)

Sorry Mark, the 4ft is a mess. A real mess  Its only ever had swords and densa in it until recently - Clive sent me half a kilo of crypts and other plants  I'm getting rid of it in the new year and starting fresh with a 3x2x2' opti-white.

I did look for some pics to try and show the substrate...














The topping there is mostly JBL Aquabasis.


----------



## Mark Evans (18 Aug 2008)

cool, look forward to a journal on your opti white. have you seen an opti whit tank in the flesh? 
if no, prepare yourself   

mark


----------



## JamesM (18 Aug 2008)

Yeah, I went to a glass cutters place the other day and saw a sample. I felt like knocking one out right there tbh


----------



## Mark Evans (18 Aug 2008)




----------



## Wolfenrook (19 Aug 2008)

Are you sure that it has definitely gone anaerobic?  As in smell of rotten eggs/pH swings for no other apparent reason?  I ask as you sometimes get gas bubble forming even in a healthy substrate, sometimes they are nitrogen/CO2 bubbles given off during *aerobic* bacterial activity and are nothing to worry about, you just see them more in finer substrates as they trap them more.

Ade


----------



## aaronnorth (19 Aug 2008)

It does smell like eggs, no pH swings and it is only where there are no plants.


----------



## Ed Seeley (19 Aug 2008)

I've got sand in all my tanks and have never had any problem at all.  I don't stir up the sand but simply vacuum any debris off the surface.  I've have never seen any gas bubbles coming out of the substrate at all and not all my tanks are planted so it can't be roots keeping the substrate oxygenated.  I think that unless the sand caps with high levels of organics (or carbonates perhaps?) and seals up the lower levels then surely there would be some water movement throughout the substrate.  I do use thinner sand amounts on unplanted tanks, but still an inch or so usually.


----------



## aaronnorth (19 Aug 2008)

this is quite deep, 3" (2" sand and 1" of JBL AB) It is also turning black


----------



## Ed Seeley (19 Aug 2008)

aaronnorth said:
			
		

> this is quite deep, 3" (2" sand and 1" of JBL AB) It is also turning black



My planted tanks are that deep, two with just some laterite at the base, the rest sand.  I'd try and syphon some of the sand off and reduce the depth where you're having problems.  Either that or give the sand layer a good stir every day and syphon off the debris for a few days and see how that goes.


----------



## aaronnorth (20 Aug 2008)

I might take some sand out, I have just got some MTS from Wayne to try and help.


----------



## GreenNeedle (25 Aug 2008)

I think you may have a different problem but as you know from my many rants I am in 'constant disagreement' with the many "You can't use a fine substrate as it will become anaerobic" statements as per my posts on TFF.

I have used plsy/silver/dry sand for a long time and a part from the small amount of cyno that grows along the front (as it also did with pea gravel) I have no problems.  Large bubbles occasionally come from the substrate but there is no smell.  This is on top of the Tropica substrate which has visible amounts of organic matter within it.

I'm also a very lazy water changer to the point that sometimes I can't be bothered for a few weeks in which time no detritus gets removed and still no probs.

The front of my 'scapes' is always plain sand.  I do have MTS but they only burrow through the top of the sand and at the front it is 2" deep on top of the Tropica.  At the back it is 3-4 ".

AC


----------



## aaronnorth (25 Aug 2008)

i removed some of the sand, i baulked and ran to the toilet  :? i think it was aneirobic! The sand WAS black too


----------

