Symtoms are accurate but I think the reasons may not be correct
nanoreefer22 said:
If you stir your sand severely, you'll end up with a tank crash. Reason from what I understand is that after a while anaerobic bacteria builds up on the lower region on the sand bed, beucase these lower layers lack oxygen. The top layers build up with aerobic bacteria and when you mix the two layers you basically end up with hydrogen sulfate-Kris
The symtoms you mentioned are mostly accurate but the reasons may be wrong.
When you mentioned layers of sand, it means the sand bed is more than 2 inches inorder to have "layers" of sand. There are benificial bacteria on the top layer where it starts to grow down to somewhat 1-3/4 to 2 inches the most unless you somewhat provide high oxygen level to the bottom. In general tank environment, the first 2 inch of sand bed can support those bacteria. Unfortunately, in general there aren't much anaerobic bacteria below 2 inches. If there are, we will not have the H2S issue(rotten egg smell). I'll fill in the chemistry stuff later.
Recertifiying the science book with simple experiments from my own stuff:
In my ecoystem 60, there are more than 3 inches of sand and the sand looks VERY dirty. I take cup of sand from top 2 inches and another one with the bottom sand. Stirr them badly in seperate container. Let them sit in the following environments.
1)Top sand in wide container so that the sand is now 1/2 inch deep
Results: No smell all thru the night
2)Top sand in tall container so that the sand is now 5 inch deep
Results: Smell developes somehwhat in two hours when the bottom sand was lifted up.
3)Top and bottom sand in wide container so that the sand is now 1/2 inch deep
Results: No smell all thru the night
4)Top and bottom sand in tall container so that the sand is now 5 inch deep
Results: Smell developes somehwhat in two hours when the bottom sand was lifted up..
Conclusions can be drawn from the results:
Results of 1 and 3 indicate that the smelling issue has no connection between how deep the sand was when it first started while results of the 2,4 indicate that it is related to the depth of the destination.
Explanation: When both types of sand are laid flat on a wide container, the bacteria have sufficient Oxygen to survive and continue it's job, so no smell is released. However, when the top sand which contains benificial bacteria die off below 2 inches of sand bed, H2S starts to form and causing the bad smell. I 'll fill in the chemistry reactions later.
Hypothesis: Stirring a a DSB is going to cause problem while stirring a SSB or Very SSB should not be a problem. HA I do not have multiple tanks to verify these hypothesis.:grumpy: Well, if you guys are breaking down your tanks, let me know if you can carry out the experiment of the above in a full tank environment. Take special note about how deep you sand are resettling at. I will include your findings in the summary at the first post of this thread.
