Oak Leaves In Aquarium

[pooky]

Hello

Hope this is the right place to post this query....

I have a friend in Greece who is having problems with his aquarium and wonder if anyone can help?

He read somewhere that oak leaves are good to line the bottom of aquariums and so he put a thick layer of leaves under his gravel. Since he did these many fish have died, the water appears cloudy at times and his ammonia level is high and fish are at the top of the tank. If he digs around a bit in the gravel, the water turns brown and smells like human waste (sorry!) and eggs.

Does anyone know what is happening, is it the leaves that are causing this and what can he do to fix it?

Thanks

Pooky

 

[Saedcantas]

Oak leaves can be useful for softening water in some situations, but not buried under gravel!

Essentially there is some seriously nasty decomposition and likely areas of anoxia going on down there. The eggy smell is a telltale sign of sulpur compounds and gases which are poisonous to fish.

I think an overhaul may be the only answer to this severe pollution
Lotte***

 

[pooky]

Oak leaves can be useful for softening water in some situations, but not buried under gravel!

Essentially there is some seriously nasty decomposition and likely areas of anoxia going on down there. The eggy smell is a telltale sign of sulpur compounds and gases which are poisonous to fish.

I think an overhaul may be the only answer to this severe pollution
Lotte***

Ok, thanks for your help and I'll pass the information to my very stressed friend!

 

[CFC]

Oak leaves are meant to be used AS a substrate for leaf litter biotope tanks not as part of a substrate and certainly not buried under gravel!

As said by Saedcantas it sounds like the leaves have started to decompose and created anaerobic conditions because the low oxygen levels in the gravel bed, the tank needs to be stripped down and thoroughly cleaned.

 

[pooky]

Thanks for advice, I've passed on the information and he's busy cleaning as I type!
Unfortunately, my friend is one of these people who will try anything he reads/hears about and puts every chemical he can find in the pet shop in his aquarium! Just asking for trouble!....