Changing to sand this weekend.

[Texasreef]

Tank looks really good convict, I'm glad you decided to convert! Thanks again for the help you gave with my conversion, looking forward to the utube vid you mentioned..

 

[Convict2161]

Tank looks really good convict, I'm glad you decided to convert! Thanks again for the help you gave with my conversion, looking forward to the utube vid you mentioned..

Thanks! And no problem, glad I was of some help. And video to come real soon!

 

[Wy Renegade]

Gases can build up in sand but it's honestly not the end of the world. The biggest fear is if a gas bubble (and it would need to be a fairly large one) to get trapped underneath something and slowly have a constant flow of water across it causing it to leach out nitrItes. I've never once in my experiences seen it but you also need to think cichlids are constantly moving sand especially when digging holes. If you know of a specific spot that gets no attention from them every couple months just run an object through the sand to release any possible pockets.

Think about it this way. If a pocket builds up and eventually breaks through the surface of the substrate it forms a bubble. That bubble then floats to the top of the tank and pop, all gases are released outside the tank. Not really a big deal.

I know someone is going to say I'm wrong but I've done quite the bit of research on this and have never actually read of someone losing fish to it.


Tank looks the best I think it ever has btw. The black background and black sand plus darker colored rocks really make the colors of the fish pop. Consider me jealous.

Where in the world did you run across stories about nitrite bubbles being trapped in substrate?

Anaerobic gas pockets are present but they are harmless, as the bacteria start transforming due to the lack of oxygen they start reducing iron and sulfur. One of the by-products of this is hydrogen sulfide which is truly dangerous but when exposed to oxygenated water it's utterly harmless...just another perpetuated myth reguritated on aquarium forums.

I don't know that I would say that its harmless; hydrogen sulfide itself is a toxic gas, which interfers with the respiratory process by binding with the iron in blood, so if you released a very large quantity of it into the tank, it could cause respiratory distress or even death in organisms with iron based red blood cells. It is also a weak acid, and in the presence of oxygen will oxidize to form sulfate, which is also acidic, so it could also change the pH of your tank. Although once again, it would take a very large quantity. So I would agree that in small quantities its effects are most likely pretty minimal, in large quantitites, it could be an issue.

 

[HUKIT]

One of the by-products of this is hydrogen sulfide which is truly dangerous.

I don't know that I would say that it's harmless.

Hence the statement it's truly dangerous, I'm fully aware of the potential health issues but it's harmless under those specific conditions when being exposed to high quanities of oxygenated water.

 

[Wy Renegade]

Agreed, provided as we said, its being produced in small quantities. I just thought we needed some clarification, so others (who maybe don't know it qualities) would be aware of the effects it could cause if it were to be produced in significant quantities.

 

[Convict2161]

Whew! Ok now that we got that settled I hope. I have a question. Could you see a mini cycle or drop in pH? My pH has always been 8.2 it's 7.8 as of 8am. I'm going to slowly add buffer. Also will this have an effect on my crew? I don't wanna stress them out anymore after being netted and but in a bucket and then dealing with all the change, I just feel bad and like I posted before one has cloudy eye or a damaged eye not sure. One eye is a bit puffy and cloudy although looks better today.

Also my nitrAtes were rather high 60+ so I'm gonna do a water change. We cleaned the tank pretty well. Got right down to the glass when changing over added water then siphoned it all out then added buffer and prime to a new batch of water. I cleaned the filter from the AC110 last night in tank water and changed out the polishing pads as they were dirty from the sand.

So is this all normal reactions or did I mess up somewhere?

Thanks,
Dino

 

[Wy Renegade]

Frankly after disturbing all that bottom gunk, I'd be surprized if you didn't have a minicycle. As far as the reduction in pH, unless you were buffering or had something in the substrate that was buffering, you shouldn't see a reduction in pH. If you've been buffering all along, then it might just be a matter of reestablishing that buffered pH. As far as the eye, I would guess its most likely an injury rather than a result of chemical changes, and it should clear up, especially if it is already starting to clear up.

 

[Convict2161]

Frankly after disturbing all that bottom gunk, I'd be surprized if you didn't have a minicycle. As far as the reduction in pH, unless you were buffering or had something in the substrate that was buffering, you shouldn't see a reduction in pH. If you've been buffering all along, then it might just be a matter of reestablishing that buffered pH. As far as the eye, I would guess its most likely an injury rather than a result of chemical changes, and it should clear up, especially if it is already starting to clear up.

Cool, thanks Renegade! Yeah I had as a base Cichlid Sand then gravel on top. About 40 pounds of that Cichlid Sand. So maybe that threw it off? I keep crushed coral in a media bag in the AC110.

 

[Wy Renegade]

Cool, thanks Renegade! Yeah I had as a base Cichlid Sand then gravel on top. About 40 pounds of that Cichlid Sand. So maybe that threw it off? I keep crushed coral in a media bag in the AC110.

Yep a quick google search reveals that cichlid sand is composed of aragonite. Aragonite breaks down in lower pH water releasing calcium carbonate into the water. In other words, it acts as a buffer and raises pH, the same as crushed coral. Depending on the volume of crushed coral that you are using, you may find that the crushed coral will be a little less effective at buffering the water. Remember that a stable pH is much more important than an ideal pH, so if you consistently are trying to raise it from 7.8, I would eventually just let it move to that new level.

 

[Convict2161]

Yep a quick google search reveals that cichlid sand is composed of aragonite. Aragonite breaks down in lower pH water releasing calcium carbonate into the water. In other words, it acts as a buffer and raises pH, the same as crushed coral. Depending on the volume of crushed coral that you are using, you may find that the crushed coral will be a little less effective at buffering the water. Remember that a stable pH is much more important than an ideal pH, so if you consistently are trying to raise it from 7.8, I would eventually just let it move to that new level.

Gotcha! Thank again.

 

[Labenator65000]

Convict, don't forget your video.

 

[Convict2161]

Convict, don't forget your video.

Haha I won't! I'm gonna do it tonight.

Also... Love the Avi!!

 

[Labenator65000]

Haha I won't! I'm gonna do it tonight.

Also... Love the Avi!!

Thanks! GO TEAM USA!!!

 

[Convict2161]

No video yet fell asleep early last night. I also got the iPhone to adjust the colors in the tank so here are some better pics.

 

[bigbanker]

Seeing your tank makes me want to have cichlids again

 

[Malawi Freak]

I don't know what it is but I just love loaches. Yours look great.

 

[Convict2161]

I don't know what it is but I just love loaches. Yours look great.

Thanks Malawi... I like them too! Waiting for my guy to get more in.

 

[Crawdaddy]

Hey Convict, do you leave your PH on all the time, or do you have it on a timer?

 

[Convict2161]

Hey Convict, do you leave your PH on all the time, or do you have it on a timer?

It's on 24/7. Some of my guys actually swim into the current it's funny. Others dip in an out. But yes... I leave it on. I was toying with the idea of doing a timer with say 10pm off and back in at say 9am. But then I figured what would the point be.

The reason go it is to keep debris off the sand and so far it's doing an awesome job.

 

[Crawdaddy]

It does do an awesome job at that. I had heard different thoughts on putting it on a timer, but that might be mainly for SW. I was just curious, thanks for he reply.