Emergency: Aquarium Rescue!

[Mebbid]

H2S happens only in salt water tank and not in fresh water tank. The bubbles you see is nitrogen gas which is the byproduct of filtration.

Hydrogen sulfide is produced by anaerobic denitrification in both fresh and salt. The deep nature of my substrate along with the biologic matter contained in the dirt I use as a layer underneath my sand gives plenty of nitrogen to be consumed in the deep areas of my substrate. That, and it smells like rotten eggs which nitrogen gas definitely does not smell like.

 

[jeffaquarius]

Its trickle release may have no effect but a sudden release of a considerable amount is considered fatal to your tank. It's true that there is no scientific evidence of this happening to a tank with DSB but it is costly for a hobbyist to experiment with it. We know its characteristics so why gamble?

 

[mr_X]

We are talking about that little corner pile of sand, correct? I'd just leave it be. It's not going to hurt anything.
As for getting a "lot of gunk" out of your sand bed when vacuumed, a bit more flow to keep detritus suspended longer would be a good idea. I have never vacuumed a sand bed in a salt tank since I've been in this hobby and have never had an issue from not doing so.

 

[mrvincent]

I think just siphoning the sand is Ok. Never heard stories of tank crash due to gases into substrate.

 

[mr_X]

Siphoning sand on a regular basis is not what we are talking about. We are talking about disturbing an old sand bed. If you want to include siphoning your sand into your routine maintenance, then go right ahead. I prefer leaving that part of my reef more natural, and I believe siphoning out all of the little critters that make their home in the sand to be the opposite of what I'm trying to achieve.

 

[mrvincent]

I didn't siphoned the sandbed under the live rocks for a year... No long time ago, I had to remove all my LR to bleach them... So I siphoned all the sand bed... Lot of gunk came out of there... Everything is still healty, no corals or inverts lost... (Except those poor inverts into the rocks)

 

[mr_X]

Well, that's good that you didn't see any spike, or that stuff lived through it, but I wouldn't recommend it, nor would I agree that it's a perfectly safe thing to do.

 

[markodeniro]

How's international tank rescue going?


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[jeffaquarius]

I think just siphoning the sand is Ok. Never heard stories of tank crash due to gases into substrate.

If one knows exactly how the DSB works and what benefits it provides to the tank, the recommendation is avoid disturbing it. Otherwise, you disrupt it's filtering process. However, if you have thin substrate (just 2 inches or less) then that is a different story.

 

[CaptainMogly]

I found this conversation to be very interesting and informative!
I am for sure cleaning it tomorrow, doing a 50% water change, cleaning algae, cleaning filters, and lightly siphoning the top layer of sand to remove any immediate debris.

I will post pictures tomorrow!

I haven't seen the sea anemone since two days ago, so either my teacher took it out or it has free floated to a back corner of the tank.

~CaptainMogly

 

[CaptainMogly]

So, there was a tank nuke and he blames me. So I am giving up on this venture. Thanks for all of the advice though!

There were 2 clownfish
1 black and white fish
1 shrimp
1 starfish
1 sea anemone

The clownfish both had hole in head disease.

~CaptainMogly

 

[jeffaquarius]

Did you disturbed the sand bed and rocks?

 

[CaptainMogly]

I lightly cleaned the rocks and did not disturb the sand bed.

~CaptainMogly

 

[jeffaquarius]

I would not heavily disrupt this tank by removing rocks and sand. Just figure out your parameters and buy a bucket of reef grade salt for water changes. Do weekly water changes until everything bounces back. You need daylights on that tank for that anemone. This is why it's at the top- not nearly enough light.

I agreed with Mr X by just changing water. Cleaning the rocks added more ammonia due to die off, reduced bb and thus mini cycle occurs.

 

[lujp16]

Ok here is the thing. I was afraid you would nuke the tank when you do any things to it which is exactly why I was negative on doing anything to the tank.

BUT, now it has been done and things have happened. You and him need to realize that what you have done would never harm a healthy tank. It is only harmful because the tank was in a such bad condition.

Think about it, now the worst have happened, you can actually do everything to correct this tank and things can ONLY IMPROVE from now on!! You quit now you should and would be blamed. So WRONG time to quit!!!

Now is the time to clean the sand bed, clean the rocks, test everything, recycle and restock! Before restocking, this tank needs a protein skimmer for sure and debatable on a new light depends what you want to keep. I suggest to go simple. Stock only clown fish, mushroom, Zoa, Kenya trees for volume, Xenia for volume and any easy to care corals in the future. No anemones! No fish overstocking!


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[CaptainMogly]

I agree! However, he has not taken my advice regarding turtle care so I feel that he would most likely disregard my advice for the saltwater aquarium as well. He has completely reestablished the tank, so I am hopeful that he will get it right this time.

~CaptianMogly

 

[joshpwolf]

It's a tought time to quit I agree but as mentioned earlier in this post eventually they will no longer be students In This class or even school. So worst case the tank will get set up the right way and a few years down the road someone else will fill bad for the neglected tank and have to do this all again. Imo if the teacher can't maintain the tank it's time to let the saltwater go and focus on his other anamals.

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[jeffaquarius]

Regardless of the failure to save the tank, OP's concern and attempt to save it is commendable.

 

[Dotrskeeper]

Time to distance yourself from the situation and this teacher.


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[markodeniro]

Time to distance yourself from the situation and this teacher.


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Very true


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