# My 3-year old substrate



## Costa (11 Nov 2018)

Hi all, this is how my substrate looks like, 3 years after putting it in. Is this normal or am I about to run into trouble?

It's a mix of sand and Cal Aqua Black Earth Premium. The sand was placed around the sides of the tank, and the planting substrate was in the middle.


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## tam (11 Nov 2018)

Looks fine, that's just where the edge is exposed to the light. If you don't like how it looks you might be able to clean it up with a old credit card (careful not to trap substrate between card and glass and scratch it). Or if you cover it over for a week with some strips of cardboard it will kill off the algae.


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## Oldguy (11 Nov 2018)

tam said:


> edge is exposed to the light


I always mask of the substrate. A simple way is masking tape and then paint to suit. There are of cause more elegant ways.


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## Costa (11 Nov 2018)

Ok thank you guys. I'm not so much worried about the looks but mainly about the build up of any poisonous gases or the dreaded anaerobic bacteria.


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## Filip Krupa (1 Jan 2019)

Costa said:


> Ok thank you guys. I'm not so much worried about the looks but mainly about the build up of any poisonous gases or the dreaded anaerobic bacteria.



Hi Costa,

I wouldn't worry about it.
"deadly gas pockets" are the boogymen of the substrate world IMHO.

Fil


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## alto (1 Jan 2019)

Filip Krupa said:


> Hi Costa,
> 
> I wouldn't worry about it.
> "deadly gas pockets" are the boogymen of the substrate world IMHO.
> ...


I wish
All livestock spiralling within 60s
Managed to remove some still alive but they were all dead 10min later

No noticeable smell or visible bubble release 
I was just removing the usual Vallisneria shoots - only difference I could think of was that it had been a few months so deeper, more extensive roots - & obviously more Vallisneria plants coming up 

Since then I always remove livestock before changing much about in my tanks, and add additional Prime doses if I’m adjusting any plants


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## Filip Krupa (1 Jan 2019)

alto said:


> All livestock spiralling within 60s
> Managed to remove some still alive but they were all dead 10min later



Wow... sorry to hear.
No possible ammonia spike due to disturbed substrate?

Fil


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## alto (1 Jan 2019)

Nothing measurable

That was fairly early on in my fish/plant keeping and I still had every kit available (as I’d run tests in the lab to sort out if any of them were at all decent)

Note that even surprisingly high levels of ammonia doesn’t kill anywhere near this fast
And removal to clean water will usually see fish recover


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## Oldguy (2 Jan 2019)

Costa said:


> dreaded anaerobic bacteria.


Sorry about your loss. Many years ago I had a tank substrate go 'bad'. Since then always run undergravel filters. Plants don't mind and root feeders like Cryptocorynes do very well with water column fertilization. Even small natural aquatic environments are massive compared with the largest of home aquaria which can be tipped out of balance.


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