Possible H2S Experience

[speakerguy]

Hi Randy,

I just read your article on H2S and I wanted to relate an experience I had that may have involved H2S. About a year ago I had a 20L nano-reef with a 1" crushed coral substrate. I was having some nitrate problems and thought that detritus might be building up in the substrate, so I decided to remove it. After doing so I re-aquascaped, and had to break a piece of live rock up to get everything to fit back into the tank right. I noticed quite a bit of black "stuff" on the interior of the rock (it was somewhat hollow). I thought it was bacteria or just generic 'sludge' and put it back in the tank. The next day EVERYTHING (and I do mean everything) was dead (I had a pile of dead bristleworms collected in a circulation dead spot). I was never able to figure out what caused the tank crash.

Anyway, I know this in no way means that it was H2S that did it, but I just wanted to relate this as I noticed in your article that the piece of LR you broke open was free of the black stuff.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

I agree that the black seems likely to be metal sulfides, and breaking the rock open may have exposed a lot of it to the water.

You don't recall any smell on breaking it open?

 

[speakerguy]

I can't say that I did, though the tank itself didn't exactly smell good (was in pretty sad shape due to neglect).

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Well, it might have been H2S. In any case, I'm sorry about the tank, and also somewhat surprised that such an event might happen from what you did.