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Gravel Fused / Stuck Together

John S

Member
Joined
13 Dec 2008
Messages
849
Location
Welwyn Garden City
One of my tanks has been running for about 4 years now with a mixture of eco complete and inert gravel. I use CO2 and EI and syphon the top of the gravel weekly. At the weekend I decided to move large piece of wood and was going to add some plants but the substrate under the wood has gone rock hard and clumped together. You struggle to break it up with your hands. Other areas of the tank seem fine.

Does anybody know what causes it?
 
Most of the media sold as "aquatic soil" consist of baked clay, in some sort. When (naturally) breaking down, clay will likely pack, in more or less compact way, around your gravel.
Your regular siphoning have probaply removed a lot of the "decaying" clay..........but this have not happened where you couldn't reach.
- that/s my best guess, anyhow :crazy:
 
Thanks for your thoughts Mick. Here is another 2 inch piece I found this morning. You'd need a hammer to break this:

IMG_07611_zps9dc062e3.jpg
 
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