Do I have to change the water after stirring up sand?

[Legacy]

My wife and I just lost our figure-eight puffer because toxic gases built up under the sand.

I want to stir up the sand in my archer tank right away but I wasn't sure if it was safe to do it without doing a water change at the same time. Can anyone answer this question for me so I can do this right away?

Thanks,
David

 

[Lepomis]

How do you know it was toxic gases? Shouldn't have much problems if every so often during water changes you agitate the substrate. Add some Malaysian Trumpet snails if you would like.

 

[Zagz]

You can stir up the sand without doing water changes. I find it easier to get into a schedule of doing it when I do pwc's.

 

[Legacy]

We were told that his symptoms matched those of a fish dying from those toxins. We were unaware that this needed to be done and when we stirred up the sand after he had passed there were tons of bubbles underneath that let out a horrible smell.

So if I were to stir up the sand without doing a pwc, the toxins wont poison the fish?

Thanks for your help!

 

[Simpte]

It may not have been toxic gasses but simple NH4 (NH3). I normally stir up the sand when doing pwc also. I turn off the filter and go at it.

 

[Zagz]

If you stir up the sand regularily. the gasses won't build up and you won't have to worry. I use pool filter sand which is rather heavy and don't have to worry about my canister filters sucking up sand.

 

[Fishyfanatic]

Same here Zagz. I use Pool Filter sand and the filter doesn't pick it up. You can stir it whenever you like. It sounds like it could be from a pocket of gas that was ruptured. You could toss in some MTS to do it for you. But even then I still stir the sand on a monthly basis, just to be sure its getting stirred.