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when i stirr the sand in my planted tank ... 2-4 mm bubbles rise up to the surface... is this caused by the algae that keeps on growing on the sand ?

Sand substrate requires a bit more care than gravel. If the sand isn't stirred on a regular basis, gases get trapped and cause all kinds of problems.

The sand needs to be stirred 2 ways:

1) [link=Malaysian Trumpet Snails]http://badmanstropicalfish.com/gallery/misc/tuberculata.html" style="COLOR: #FF82AB[/link] -and NOT any other kind- will root around in the sand for you, as well as eat algae To get these snails, go to an LFS and ask them if you can pick some out from their plant tanks. They may look at you a little funny, but they will most likely say you can have all the snails you want. Most stores periodically go through their plant tanks and remove and destroy as many snails as they can. Just make sure you only take the cone shaped MTS.

2) You need to stir the sand yourself once every 2-3 weeks. A fish net works well for doing this.

HTH

><>Dani<><

[hr width='40%']I don't want another pretty face
I don't want just anyone to hold
I don't want my love to go to waste
I want you and your beautiful soul

but wont the snails devour my plants ?

Last edited by voodoo_Doll at 06-Mar-2005 04:27

Malaysian trumpet snails are one fo the few that do not eat plants.

The bubbles are pockets of anerobic gas and is poisonous to both fish and the snails. Once they start to form the snails will avoid the pockets. Even with the snails I'd suggest turning the sand regularly by hand.

^_^


[hr width='40%'] "Ah, yes," said the toad. "You've got Nac Mac Feegles!"

Sorry to steal the thread,
but, mostly for my curiosity, what do these bubbles look like? Are they larger? I just want to know what to look for if this happens in my tank. When I stir the sand, lots of little bitty bubbles rise to the surface.
Jen

Looks like a little teeny bubble More than likely if you don't rake your gravel once a week or so, those bubbles are what you're seeing

Hi,
In your post you mention that you have algae that "keeps
growing on your sand." Without seeing a picture of the
problem, I would say that you "hit the nail on the head"
with that comment. In really bad cases of algae,
particularly if it is the BGA stuff, it creates its own
gas as part of growing and the gas gets trapped between
the carpet of algae and the gravel. Or, the algae becomes
so thick that it traps the normal exchange of gasses that
goes on with a healthy substrate. In either case, if
left alone, eventually the bubbles get larger and
larger and then start to pull the algae up from the
gravel.

If I were to guess, it sounds like your tank gets alot
of light, from either a tank light left on for hours
and hours, and also some incidential sunlight, perhaps
a brightly lit room? Your tank may, or may not be over
stocked, and you probably have very few, if any plants.

You should checkout this link to a site that deals with
algae, determine what type(s) you have, and then take
the appropriate steps to eliminate it.
http://www.otocinclus.com/articles/algae.html

MTS snails will keep the gravel or sand, loose, and several
species of catfish (cories esp.) will also stir the sand
as they forrage for food. However, I suspect that your
water chemistries are off. Probably your nitrates are high.

I'd suggest limiting the tank to 10 hours of light, and
regular water changes of 10-20%, and the addition of some
of the floating plants, anacharis, hornwart, etc. to bring
the water and nitrates back under control.

Frank


Last edited by FRANK at 06-Mar-2005 11:08

-->>> The Confidence of Amateurs, is the Envy of Professionals <<<--

well its more likely to be brown algae that BGA...
could that algae growing on my tank sides be cyanobacteria ? cuz thats where the bubbles are mostly formed.


P.S : i DO have some of that BLUE-GREEN-kill stuff.