tubamanandy
Member
What's the best way of stopping sand substrates from going Anaerobic ?
I was think something burrowing would help but not sure what species ?
I was think something burrowing would help but not sure what species ?
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Sand Substrates - anaerobic
- Thread starter tubamanandy
- Start date
tubamanandy
Member
Any other thoughts ?
There will be limited planting in the sand (mostly Anubias/Java fern on wood - see my other thread).
Apart from Malysian Trumpet snails, which I am aware of, anything else that would keep the substrate from going bad ?
There will be limited planting in the sand (mostly Anubias/Java fern on wood - see my other thread).
Apart from Malysian Trumpet snails, which I am aware of, anything else that would keep the substrate from going bad ?
sciencefiction
Member
- Joined
- 26 Feb 2013
- Messages
- 3,412
Just make sure that in general the tank is well oxygenated via good surface agitation and adequate flow because in a non-planted tank this is the only source of oxygen preventing the entire system from crashing. Any substrate would go anaerobic if in general the oxygen levels all around are not adequate to the levels of organic matter.
I've kept two very barely planted tanks with sand and none went anaerobic. One of them was setup for many years. The tank cracked and I had to take everything out. When I was scooping the sand I was curious if there would be anaerobic spots but I detected absolutely no smell of hydrogen sulphate anywhere, even under the wood. Normally the toxic level of hydrogen sulphate is the one humans can smell. If you can't smell, then the amount of hydrogen sulphate is at healthy levels for fauna. I almost never siphoned the tank. But I kept mostly bottom dwellers such as clown loaches, corydoras and a pleco. I had no snails because the clown loaches ate them all. I'd assume the fish did some digging preventing the sand from going anaerobic but one would think that they could not reach the bottom layer of the sand. They only sift the surface of the sand. Regardless, I was pleasantly surprised that the very old, never siphoned or moved sand had a pleasant healthy smell all over and it was quite clean as well considering how many years it was in the tank.
Also, if you are not going to plant, there is no need for too much substrate. One inch would be plenty.
I've kept two very barely planted tanks with sand and none went anaerobic. One of them was setup for many years. The tank cracked and I had to take everything out. When I was scooping the sand I was curious if there would be anaerobic spots but I detected absolutely no smell of hydrogen sulphate anywhere, even under the wood. Normally the toxic level of hydrogen sulphate is the one humans can smell. If you can't smell, then the amount of hydrogen sulphate is at healthy levels for fauna. I almost never siphoned the tank. But I kept mostly bottom dwellers such as clown loaches, corydoras and a pleco. I had no snails because the clown loaches ate them all. I'd assume the fish did some digging preventing the sand from going anaerobic but one would think that they could not reach the bottom layer of the sand. They only sift the surface of the sand. Regardless, I was pleasantly surprised that the very old, never siphoned or moved sand had a pleasant healthy smell all over and it was quite clean as well considering how many years it was in the tank.
Also, if you are not going to plant, there is no need for too much substrate. One inch would be plenty.
MrAqua
Seedling
You cant go wrong with trumpetsnails.