Play Sand causing anerobic bacteria?

[Jordan_Deus]

I read a bit online and have come across people saying that Play Sand my cause anaerobic bacteria that will release deadly gasses into the water. Is this true and if so how do I avoid it? I want to keep corydoras in a natural looking sand not white pool sand or expensive black aquarium sand.

 

[eaglesaquarium]

It can happen, but there are easy ways to minimize it.

1 - keep the sand depth thin. 1-1.5 inches.
2 - Plants - plant roots will help oxygenate the area.
3 - Fish that stir it up a bit (cories are good at mixing the top layer)
4 - stir it up yourself on occasion, just a poke with a stick every now and then can help.
5 - MTS - Malaysian Trumpet Snails.

 

[SnailPocalypse]

just swish the sand around every water change with your hand,kinda like a rake.

 

[Byron]

I agree with others. I have now had play sand in one tank for six years, and in the others since then as I changed them over from fine gravel. Any substrate will develop anaerobic pockets, and in fact this is essential to a healthy aquarium. The substrate under chunks of rock and wood for example will be anaerobic. What you don't want with any substrate is for the entire area to become compacted and anaerobic. The other members have set out the ways to avoid this.

I have some tanks where I never dig into the sand, others I skim over the surface stirring up no more than an inch, in open areas. I happened to tear down my 33 gallon longest-running sand tank last summer, as I wanted to set it up as an authentic Sri Lanka stream for my Black Ruby Barbs. I pulled out all the wood and plants (what a mess, naturally), and then cleaned the 1.5 inch deep sand substrate simply by poking into it with the Python. I was quite surprised that I didn't find much in the way of anaerobic pockets after so long with no disturbance.

Byron.

 

[Jordan_Deus]

Thanks for the help everyone!