Gas in Sand of African Tank?

[davidtcb1]

Ok, so every time I do a water change and clean the top of the sand for debris, I've been churning the sand with my hand. I've been told several places that this is good to do to release the pent up gases that form below the surface of the sand. However, the next morning, the tank is milky and cloudy like a bacterial bloom (which I assume is what's happening).

So, do I continue to stir up the sand? Or not? Do I have to endure two or three days of a terrible looking tank every week? Am I doing it too often/not often enough? Is it a damned if you do, damned if you don't situation?

The tank is 125g and I'm running two XP-3 filters and two Rena heaters at about 81 degrees. Sand is pool filter sand.

ph is 7.5 No2 is <0.3 Ammonia is 0

When it gets back to normal, the water is very clear.

Thanks for any help.

 

[DeFeKt]

Three initial words.

Malaysian Trumpet Snails.

Then I only stir it up when I removed the rocks to catch holding females. So around.... monthly.

 

[Zagz]

I have a 125 and I stir my PFS every week and don't suffer cloudy water at all. How long has the tank been set up?

 

[davidtcb1]

The tank has been set up since July. Some people have told me I possibly have too much sand (in most places have about 1-1.5" above the egg crate. I rinsed the sand quite well before I put it in so I don't think it's that (though I'm not 100%).

 

[Zagz]

I don't think that is it either. My cichlids will dig the sand into hills and some of those hills are 5"! They constantly rearrange. How often are you doing your water changes? Do you have any live plants? It is certainly strange that your water does that. I don't have the Rena filters, what is their output? Mine are fluvals and the tank has about 1300 gals/hour turnover. Are your outputs facing the sand at all? You've got me baffled, now I have to help you figure this out, LOL.

 

[davidtcb1]

Yeah, it's baffling. I've been doing about 30% every week. The output of the filter is a supposed 350 gph, so that would make for 700 gph total. The returns are facing pretty much straight out at the top of the tank. Even at 700 gph is seems like that would be enough turn over, and if it wasn't, there's no reason the water should be milky...just "less filtered."

 

[Voodoo Chilli]

I think you've still got sediment dust on your sand; it can sometimes take a REALLY long time for it to completely go away- especially if you've got a lot of sand in the tank. "Since July" really isn't that long ago, and the fact you only see it when you stir it, and then it goes away leads me to believe that's all it is.

Tracking down some MTS would help keep the sand aerated and then you wouldn't have to worry about disurbing the dust yourself.

 

[davidtcb1]

It's possible, Voodoo. But I can do a water change and barely touch the sand at all and it does it. How would it be clear right after the change and then 12 hours later, look terrible?

 

[Sicklid]

I had quartz sand and I never had a problem, but it was not as fine as pool filter sand at all... What are you putting in chemical-wise when you change the water. I have seen some additives like metafix react with other chemicals, make it cloudy for a day or two. You're positive it isn't micro bubbles from your faucet or the filter? I don't think thats it, just trying to break out of the box of the "bacterial bloom" theory.

 

[davidtcb1]

I don't add any chemicals to the water, never have with any of the tanks. I've fairly positive that it's not bubbles, you can actually see the milky white haze floating around the tank and from the filter when it's at is worse. It's almost as though the existing water is "reacting" to the new water I put in.

Could it be a difference in tap pH and tank ph.... tap is 7.0 tank is 7.5

 

[Sicklid]

Yeah, that sure sounds to me like the sand still has some sediment in it. Can you use a micron cartridge in one or both filters? Add a HOT magnum with a micron? How about stirring the sand prior to the water change, so you are removing the sediment with the old water, rather than stir it up after you vaccuum?

 

[davidtcb1]

Yes, I will do some experimentation and keep you posted.

 

[Zagz]

Do you add dechlorinator when doing water changes? At this point I would guess the sand still has some sediment. Try taking some sand out and put it in a bucket and rinse it and see if you get any discoloration.

 

[davidtcb1]

I do add Stress Coat, and I will try the sand extraction thing and keep you posted.

 

[Sicklid]

Yes, stresscoat is what I meant by "chemicals" above, but that by itself won't make water cloudy/milky. But the one time I used metafix (I never use that anymore) and I added my dechlorinator, which I think was the one by Tetra in the yellow bottle which I also don't use anymore, I did get a strange cloudyness when I dumped the new water containing the chems into the tank after a change.

 

[24Tropheus]

I hope this works for you

http://video.mpegnation.com/a001347270040091006140906107.html
_________________
try it you might like it
www.mandawilderness.org
http://www.despair.com/viewall.html

 

[davidtcb1]

Thanks 24, I've seen that before, and is step for step the way I clean my tank....did another cleaning tonight, we'll see what happens in the morning. I'm crossing my fingers.