Hydrogen Sulfide concerns!

Discussion in 'Sand' started by dowtish, Feb 28, 2011.

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  1. dowtish

    dowtish Horrid Stonefish

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    So I was just reading a thread about a guy who had an 8 inch sandbed(which seems like alot to me), and he was scooping up some sand to seed a friends tank, and noticed the bottom of his LR was completely black. The next day he lost about 90% of his livestock. It was the organic matter breaking down and dying in his tank, which smelled and was essentially a release of hydrogen sulfide. He had no ammonia or nitrite spike at all, and his hardy fish, some inverts made it.

    My concern: I have about a 2" sandbed, and I DID put the sand in first, then added my base rock aquascape. There are pieces of dead base rock buried in the sand, some places deeper than others. My question is, is this something I need to be concerned about? Am I understanding that over time the rock could start breaking down in the sand? Or am I safe, considering the base rock did not have any life on it?:confused:
     
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  3. Corailline

    Corailline Super Moderator

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    It is a dry heat, yeah right !
    Two inches is really not going to build up a lot of hydrogen sulfide IMO. But development and release of hydrogen sulfide is a huge issue when disturbing a deeper sand bed. I have seen horror stores of complete tank crashes and there was absolutely nothing that could be done, water changes and carbon were not effective treatments, the corals just perished regardless. I am always wary of when an individual posts such dire stories identifying one root cause, but I saw a large increase in report of such issues when plenums were very popular and again when DSB became popular again, so there must be some truth to it IMO.
    Myself I try not to disturb too much of any sand bed at once, instead doing any maintenance in steps.
     
  4. steve wright

    steve wright Super Moderator

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  5. dowtish

    dowtish Horrid Stonefish

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    Thanks guys! I was beginning to think of horrible scenarios in my head.
     
  6. SkyFire

    SkyFire Clown Trigger

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    So then what would be considered a DSB, 4" or more or???
    My next tank I'm planning on 3" sandbed and hoping I won't have problems with that.
     
  7. Corailline

    Corailline Super Moderator

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    It is a dry heat, yeah right !
    This thread got me to thinking. As I posted earlier in the thread I am always wary of claims that suggested drastic results from just one event. My tank crashed because I disturbed the DSB releasing hydrogen sulfide. Well it sounds reasonable, but what happens when people transfere sand beds of any depth from one tank to another? Also I had not considered the significant role that the size or type of subtrate plays in the development of hydrogen sulfide. Seems to me a larger grain size would allow some slow escape of the hydrogen sulfide and a fine grain would trap more and allow it to build up. Hopefully someone that has experience with plenum systems will chime in.



    DeepSandBeds
    The Deep Sand Bed – One Of The Most Effective Filtration Methods. | Aquarists Online | Aquarium Fish Resources And Information
     
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  9. WhiskyTango

    WhiskyTango Eyelash Blennie

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    To have your cake and eat it too is to have a remote DSB.

    Two to three inches in your DT for wrasses, jawfish, clams or other critters that need sand to live in. And a remote DSB that can be isolated in the event of trouble.
     
  10. inwall75

    inwall75 Giant Squid

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    You can have Hydrogen Sulfide in a 19 gallon nano that has a 1 1/2 inch sandbed. Trust me, I know. LOL David knew all of the rules. The number 1 rule was "Don't touch any of my aquariums". He broke that rule. He decided to "Help" me by making my sandbed look cleaner. He came to get me after he smelled the smell.

    There were about 50 baby chitons that I didn't know I had. There were limpets out the whazoo that I didn't know I had. There fewer bristleworms than I suspected. It was horrible watching these things crawl out of the rocks, sand, etc and just stop moving and there was nothing I could do for them.