Is Turning The Sand Really Needed?

[fishy55599]

i am wondering if it is really needed to turn the sand over, because i have too take the ornaments out every time to turn the sand over then put it back.
so is it needed to turn over the sand?

 

[walkers101]

yeas as gas pockets form under the sand turning it regulaly releases before the poison forms

 

[bodge99]

Hello,

I have an 80 litre tank that I use for molly fry. I originally had the typical artifical resin coated material as substrate.. the typical stuff that the LFS stock that is roughly cubic in shape. At this time, my fry death rate was about 5% or so. After a while I noticed that some of the fry were looking for food by exploring the voids in the artifical substrate. Some of them were getting trapped and were dying.

This was discovered on a Sunday afternoon and the only stuff that I could get in a hurry was play sand. The tank was fully stripped down and the substrate replaced with (cleaned) sand. All was well for about a year, with the mortality rate down to zero.

All of a sudden, I started to notice the occasional dead fry at the bottom of the tank. The death rate increased over the next two weeks approaching 10% or so a week. All water tests showed 0% ammonia, 0% nitrite and 5% nitrate. Massive water changes only seemed to slow the losses. In desperation, I fully stripped the tank down again and took a water sample from the lowest point possible in the tank.
The ammonia levels were off the scale! The stink when I disturbed the sand was unbelievable..

All change time.. I now use small natural gravel for all of my tanks. I learnt the hard way that a sand substrate has to be regularly turned so that the problems above don't occur.

I didn't do this as the tank is heavily planted, in conjunction with a large area of moss coverage. I can only conclude that the fry were being poisoned while looking for food at the bottom of the tank.

The mortality rate is now back to zero and all water parameters are stable.

Get stirring!

Bodge99

 

[moochy13]

am i right in thinking the only abjective is to disturb the sand, and therfor theres no need to use a gravel vaccum thingy? if i just got a stick and turned the sand over im assuming that would do the job ?

 

[8inary]

I used to have sand in the tank, but swapped it out for coral sand...looks much better and is easy to look after.

Its always good to have a clean up crew - corys, clown loaches etc etc this will help maintainance of the sand/coral sand

 

[ian]

there is no need to turn sand!!

the gas pockets you will hear about are not dangerous for fish, the gas will rise aqnd just gas out the top of the tank. I myself haven't turned my sand for nearly a year. I know of some that haven't turned sand for nearly 3 years, with not one casualty. This is one of those old wives tales in fishkeeping that keeps on coming up.

 

[razer121]

Agreed, alot of people mention this, but its like an air bubble, think about it! what does it do when released at the bottom of the tank?

 

[elisew]

I`ve had a sand substrate for ages now and have never had to turn the sand........it`s complete hogwash that you need to

 

[Inchworm]

All you have to do is reach down and run your fingers through the sand. It's not difficult to do.

 

[moochy13]

my sand is 'sculpted' to give some hiding places and crevices under bits of wood and stuff, and to add mroe interst. id rather not have to mess it up every week and it end up looking flat and boring.

 

[Twinklecaz]

Oh I'm glad to hear it's an old wives tale. I do mess the sand up but only the bits at the front I can easily get to, I don't move the bogwood or plants.

I don't move the bog wood to clean under either. I figured that some people have such carefully sculpted huge tanks that they surely don't remove everything to clean under it

 

[the biffster]

kuhli loaches if you need
the sand turning they love it
but its all a load of codswallop
about needing to turn sand

 

[fishy55599]

so it is not necessary to turn it, even if it is play sand?
and i have got 6 kuhils btw

 

[heatwave]

I was very interested in this topic as i have a wall aquarium, not to mention all the accessories that lie in it. Its such a relief to here that sand DOESNT have to be turned over as i was advised twice a week. So ... im not going to bother ... thanks guys!!!