Crisis with LS

[Scatcat]

Ok yet another crisis. My LS is forming bubbles that I can see against the glass. I know it's bubbles because when I stir the sand the air bubbles go to the surface. Is this normal. I'm think it's not but what do I know.

Rachel

 

[SALTYDAWGY]

When you stir the sand up does the tank smell bad. Stir the sand and smell around the water's surface. If it smells bad then you have aproblem because gases are being trapped by live sand and it is toxic to your animals.

 

[Scatcat]

No it doesn't smell bad. I did a water change yesterday and stirred the sand really good and cleaned the bottom really good. It has a slight fish smell to it but that's it. I hope that was the end of it. Usually my sand sifting star fish is on top the sand and now I have barley seen him since I cleaned and turned over the sand bed. Hope he's ok. Thanks you for responding I suspected that could be a possibility.

Rachel

 

[phases99]

Most bubbles are normal and healthy. It sound like the denitrification process is working right before your eyes. Anaerobic bacteria deep in the sand convert nitrate to nitrogen which work their way up through the sand to finally be released into the air as nitrogen. How deep of a sandbed are we talking about?

 

[Scatcat]

It's a about a inch deep as far as I can tell. Thank you I feel better now.

Rachel

 

[Scatcat]

Oh I have a quick question here. Should I leave the air bubbles alone then? I've been gently stirring the sand to release them. Should I just let them release on their own? I can't tell you how much better I feel. Thank you again.

Rachel

 

[phases99]

I prefer to leave the sandbed undisturbed and let the hermits, snails and other lifeforms do the stirring. I have around a 4" sandbase so the bubbles are a normal part of denitrification. I'm kinda curious now why you are seeing so much bubble activity if the bed is only 1". I'm sure its not a crisis but maybe someone with a SSB can chime in.