Parts of Sand Bed Turning Black

[unknown]

Hi,

as per topic, are there any advice as to how to solve the problem of the sandbed turning black?? it's only on certain portion of the tank against the sides...

thanks

[Tanzy]

How deep is your sand bed?

[Terryz_]

If your sand bed is too deep, this will happen... The black patches/lines are Ammonia if i am not wrong..

[Tanzy]

Hydrogen sulphide, not ammonia.

[Terryz_]

Oh... I thought the same... But it is also toxic right...

[ReDDeviLs]

its toxic and smelly if im not wrong.

[don]

read somewhere,if one use the plenum system.this black patches so called hydrogen sulphide would not appear,anybody with plenum system care to comment

[Tanzy]

read somewhere,if one use the plenum system.this black patches so called hydrogen sulphide would not appear,anybody with plenum system care to comment

I use a plenum NNR, nitrates are undetectable and I don't have black patches in the sand.

[unknown]

I use a plenum NNR, nitrates are undetectable and I don't have black patches in the sand.

how do i go abt solving the problem??

tank is abt 1 month old. just completed cycling

my dsb is abt 4 inches deep... ammonia and nitrite is undetectable using salifert test kit with nitrate at 1ppm..

salinity is abt 1.026

thanks

[ervine]

Hm... mine recently started to form bubbles on the top most inch of the DSB... wonder why...

[Tanzy]

unknown,

Don't worry. It's not a big problem as long as you don't disturb it.

[typrobin]

wah....very dangerous leh....my DSB is 4-5inches deep and about 50% is black liao....

[Achilles Tang]

The black patches will come and go or expand or decrease in size.

Just don't disturb it as its part of the denitrification process.

The bubbles are also part of the nitrogen cycle... its the end result... nitrogen bubles. Congrats... your nitrates are being processed!

[unknown]

unknown,

Don't worry. It's not a big problem as long as you don't disturb it.

thanks tanzy and at,

heh heh, a bit too late as i have siphon out the affected areas this afternoon causing nitrite level to shoot up again.. sigh, guess have to wait a while more for this unintended cycle to complete..

notice when i came back that parts of it turning grey again.. will leave it alone this time round...

[ervine]

The black patches will come and go or expand or decrease in size.

Just don't disturb it as its part of the denitrification process.

The bubbles are also part of the nitrogen cycle... its the end result... nitrogen bubles. Congrats... your nitrates are being processed!

Hm... but where should the bubbles be forming at the top or bottom of the DSB?

[lightningstrike]

wah....very dangerous leh....my DSB is 4-5inches deep and about 50% is black liao....

me 2.... hv a 3.5" to 4" sandbed....... abt 30% turning black.......

[Achilles Tang]

Hm... but where should the bubbles be forming at the top or bottom of the DSB?

It will form at the bottom where the anaerobic layer is and where the anaerobic bacteria will process nitrates as its food source and produce nitrogen bubbles that will slowly make its way upwards and out of the sandbed.