Why do you need to stir up sand

[Dubs1281]

Like the title, I do this in my african tank to pick up poop and extra food once a month when I take out all the rocks to redo the aquascape. But my community is ecocomplete capped with pfs. So I don't want the two to mix. Why do you have to stir it anyway, I heard its because of gasses, but what kind and how harmfull are they?

 

[20cc]

sometimes when the substrate compacts you get dead spots that oxygen doesnt get to . when you stir the substrate it releases a rotten egg smell. you can just poke the substrate with like a shiskabob stick . problem with leaving it like that is that if you have fish that dig, they can get hit head first with an ammonia bomb.

 

[wildroseofky]

I think most of the hype is just fear. I have never actually read a post or anything on the internet about fish dying from the gas released from the sand. It is caused by decaying plant matter and anaerobic bacteria so I am assuming it is methane gas but would have to do more research to be sure. I must admit that I have gotten lazy about stirring my sand. I have went weeks without doing it and have seen gas bubble out of the sand and none of my tank inhabitants have died. When we poke the sand and release it the fish do not die so why would they die if it comes out naturally? I did add some Malaysian trumpet snails a few weeks ago so they can stir the substrate for me. I still find a few pockets when I decide to add or remove plants. Now I am curious if anyone has had a problem with sand and gas pockets so off to do an internet search. LOL

 

[bshenanagins]

I think most of the hype is just fear. I have never actually read a post or anything on the internet about fish dying from the gas released from the sand. It is caused by decaying plant matter and anaerobic bacteria so I am assuming it is methane gas but would have to do more research to be sure. I must admit that I have gotten lazy about stirring my sand. I have went weeks without doing it and have seen gas bubble out of the sand and none of my tank inhabitants have died. When we poke the sand and release it the fish do not die so why would they die if it comes out naturally? I did add some Malaysian trumpet snails a few weeks ago so they can stir the substrate for me. I still find a few pockets when I decide to add or remove plants. Now I am curious if anyone has had a problem with sand and gas pockets so off to do an internet search. LOL

I think most of the pockets are from when the sand is originally placed. It will clump and form pockets. Unless you really swish the sand around all at once I can't see it being a huge concern. A few pockets here and there opening is not life threatening. The BB is there for a reason, a small ammonia spike should not last very long if your tank is "seasoned"