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Thread: changing sand substrate

  1. #1
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    Default changing sand substrate

    Hi all,
    i have been having a problem of a bad odor coming from my 110 gallon tank. ( 1 year old, 7 adult discus, 1 bristlenose pleco, 2 corie cats, non planted) I had previously posted this on the forum. I tried everything from purigen to activated charcoal. The smell persists. So my solution is to change the sand substrate. my question is with the bacteria the resides there. I have 3 - 2217 eheims and an AC110, all with boi media. i have about an 1 1/2 of sand to replace. will i disrupt the environment enough to cause the tank to crash or do i have enough boi to hold me over? the fish will be in a 46 gallon tank temporarily until I am done. my parameters today are ph - 7.6, ammonia - 0, nitrites - 0, nitrates - 5. any suggestions will be helpful and appreciated.

    Thanks,
    jim

  2. #2
    Registered Member smsimcik's Avatar
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    Default Re: changing sand substrate

    I think you have plenty of biological filtration with your ehiems and ac110. I agree that the sand is the likely source of the odor. You should be able to tell as you scoop it out. What type of sand are you using? If you are using very fine play sand from Home Depot, it may be too dense and growing pockets of anaerobic bacteria causing the odor. Pool filter sand is the best to use. I would also completely drain the tank, wipe down the sides and rinse the filter media in the canisters. After replacing the sand and water, let it run for a day or so and then recheck your parameters. You should be good to go.

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    Registered Member bluelagoon's Avatar
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    Default Re: changing sand substrate

    Do you spray any aerosols in the room that the tank is in? Lysol being one of the worse. It gives off a foul odor in the water and odor stays in there quite some time. And how often do you vacuum/clean the substrate?

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    Default Re: changing sand substrate

    Quote Originally Posted by bluelagoon View Post
    Do you spray any aerosols in the room that the tank is in? Lysol being one of the worse. It gives off a foul odor in the water and odor stays in there quite some time. And how often do you vacuum/clean the substrate?
    i never spray anything in the room where the tank is. i vacuum the top of the sand every water change and do a deep vacuum of the sand every 3 w/cs.

    thanks...

  5. #5
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    Default Re: changing sand substrate

    Quote Originally Posted by smsimcik View Post
    I think you have plenty of biological filtration with your ehiems and ac110. I agree that the sand is the likely source of the odor. You should be able to tell as you scoop it out. What type of sand are you using? If you are using very fine play sand from Home Depot, it may be too dense and growing pockets of anaerobic bacteria causing the odor. Pool filter sand is the best to use. I would also completely drain the tank, wipe down the sides and rinse the filter media in the canisters. After replacing the sand and water, let it run for a day or so and then recheck your parameters. You should be good to go.
    i used pool filter sand which i will use again. my plan was to do exactly what you suggested. i would also rinse the tank out with my garden hose to play it safe.

    thanks for the reply.

  6. #6
    Registered Member smsimcik's Avatar
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    Default Re: changing sand substrate

    Also, if the sand is just for aesthetics and not for growing plants, you only need about 1/2". It's easier to keep it clean the thinner it is. I only have about 1/2" in my display tank and it looks fine. You only need enough to cover the glass.

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    Silver Member Willie's Avatar
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    Default Re: changing sand substrate

    I have a 110 gal tank and circulation is incomplete because it's 30" deep. I added a dual wavemaker to make sure the far corners get circulation, which is something I'd recommend. Of course, 30" tanks are impossible to clean without taking them down. Since you don't have plants, consider just painting the bottom black and go with a bare bottom tank.
    At my age, everything is irritating.

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    Default Re: changing sand substrate

    Jim is this the only tank you have up and running? I think you have more than enough bio in those filters.. but I am pretty skeptical that the odor is from your sand. I would think if that was the case your fish would be really stressed.. Anaerobic pockets of substrate would not be off gassing into your tank... these generally stay as pockets until disturbed.. so if you are cleaning the substrate they should not exist at all. ..also the smell would be akin to rotten eggs.. sulfur . Is that what you smell?

    Do you have driftwood?

    Al
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    Default Re: changing sand substrate

    Quote Originally Posted by Willie View Post
    I have a 110 gal tank and circulation is incomplete because it's 30" deep. I added a dual wavemaker to make sure the far corners get circulation, which is something I'd recommend. Of course, 30" tanks are impossible to clean without taking them down. Since you don't have plants, consider just painting the bottom black and go with a bare bottom tank.
    I'm looking at doing similar as i've got dead spots in the corners. Where are your Wavemaker placements if you don't mind me asking?

  10. #10
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    Default Re: changing sand substrate

    My wavemaker is positioned at one corner near the surface and points slightly up at a diagonal. Because it's a bare bottom tank, I can see by how crud is moved around whether it gets good circulation. In this case, the wavemaker is on the left side. All the crud actually gets pushed back to the left side of the tank, which also simplifies cleaning. Hope that's clear.
    At my age, everything is irritating.

  11. #11
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    Default Re: changing sand substrate

    Quote Originally Posted by brewmaster15 View Post
    Jim is this the only tank you have up and running? I think you have more than enough bio in those filters.. but I am pretty skeptical that the odor is from your sand. I would think if that was the case your fish would be really stressed.. Anaerobic pockets of substrate would not be off gassing into your tank... these generally stay as pockets until disturbed.. so if you are cleaning the substrate they should not exist at all. ..also the smell would be akin to rotten eggs.. sulfur . Is that what you smell?

    Do you have driftwood?

    Al
    Hi Al,
    I have 3 tanks, 110, 36 and a 10 planted tank. The order is not a rotten eggs smell. I am familiar with that smell from high school chemistry.. lol..... the reason i suspect the sand is as i do a water change, the smell gets worse as the tank empties. the closer to the sand i get, the stronger the odor. i assume that is where it is coming from. no driftwood or plants in the tank. the fish seem fine, eating and pooping like crazy. not hiding or showing any signs of stress.

    thanks

  12. #12
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    Default Re: changing sand substrate

    Quote Originally Posted by Willie View Post
    I have a 110 gal tank and circulation is incomplete because it's 30" deep. I added a dual wavemaker to make sure the far corners get circulation, which is something I'd recommend. Of course, 30" tanks are impossible to clean without taking them down. Since you don't have plants, consider just painting the bottom black and go with a bare bottom tank.
    I considered a bare bottom tank, but i don't like the look. it is a display tank and i enjoy watching the cats dig into the sand for food and the tracks they leave in it.

    thanks

  13. #13
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    Default Re: changing sand substrate

    Quote Originally Posted by smsimcik View Post
    Also, if the sand is just for aesthetics and not for growing plants, you only need about 1/2". It's easier to keep it clean the thinner it is. I only have about 1/2" in my display tank and it looks fine. You only need enough to cover the glass.
    i used enough sand to cover to the bottom rim of the tank...maybe an inch. just enough to give it a natural look.

    thanks

  14. #14
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    Default Re: changing sand substrate

    another question. since i going to be rinsing the tank before i put new sand in, can i put a small amount of bleach as a disinfectant, to kill any bacteria at the bottom? the tank can't be moved outside, but i could rinse the heck out if to be sure there is no residual bleach left. i use safe as a dechlorinater.

    thanks

  15. #15
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    Default Re: changing sand substrate

    Well I wouldn’t rinse the tank. I’d remove the sand as you water change. Just siphon it up and into 5g buckets. Do a third of the tank at a time. So after 3 water changes it sand free. Now see how bad the smell is and if it’s gone. If gone the sand was your problem if not clean 2 filter at a time during the next water changes. If the smell persists than it’s something else.

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