Why is my sand bed is hardening

[Ironman]

I noticed my sand bed in my display tank is hardening and I had to break most of it up. The sand bed is 2" thick.

What would cause the aragonite to harden like stone.
my parameters are as follows:
Ca 450
Alk 9
Ph 8.3

I heard to not disturd the sand bed so as not to kill any beneficial organisms and raise nitrates. I would hate to stir the sand bed once a week to prevent it from hardening.

Thanks

 

[240-Reefer]

same problem here its Algae

 

[Ironman]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6512999#post6512999 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by 240-Reefer
same problem here its Algae

My sand bed is white not covered with algae. I have no algea anywhere in my tank.

What colour is your sand bed and do you know what type of algae?

Thanks

 

[DerekW]

Too much calcium? What additions do you use?

 

[Whaledriver]

It is organic not a chemistry issue. Do you have any snails or critters liveing in the sand?

 

[Ironman]

I slow drip Kalk 24/7, that's it....oh yeah and 25% water change every two weeks.

Thanks

 

[Ironman]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6513072#post6513072 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Whaledriver
It is organic not a chemistry issue. Do you have any snails or critters liveing in the sand?

Just my usual clean up crew assortment of hermits and snails, and a black cucumber.


Thanks

 

[Azurel]

Is it the whole sand base or just areas?

When calcium precipitates out of the water it forms small minute crystals that bond to the substrate and fuse it like stone. I had this problem a few years back and had to remove all of my sand and coral gravel. This can also cause complete lack of water and oxygen from getting into the first few layers of the substrate and creating a anaerobic area. I was told to be careful removing or breaking it up because of the possibility of trapped gas's being released into the water....there is a specific name for it but cannot think of it at the moment...

 

[outta names]

Why do you drip kalk? Do you have big swings in your ph? I THINK I recall hearing that your ph can have something to do with this.

 

[Ironman]

Azurel,
It's about 1/3 of the sand bed and all to the front but not the back for some reason. I'll try decreasing the amount of Kalk I add to my make up water to see if this solves the problem.

outta names,
I add Kalk to increae my Calcium.

Thanks all

 

[tbrill]

a sand sifting star could help, it is beneficial to have someone down there moving things around

 

[tsquad]

Do you have pH swings?

I say this because CaCO3 (aragonite) will dissolve in acidic solution...that's why you do the fizz test. If it dissolves in vinegar (acid), it is aragonite, you know the test..

Anyways. If your pH has swings daily, it could be dissolving/resolidifying your sandbed. In the morning when the pH is lowest, some of the particles will dissolve. Over the course of the day, as the pH rises, these particles will solidify again. If this happens daily, over time the bed can turn into a solid block of CaCO3, not the nice spherical grains we want.

Similar to a snowbank. Nice, fluffy snow. During the day, the sun melts it a bit. At night, the temperature drops again, and it refreezes. Over time, you're left with a solid block of ice.

 

[Ironman]

tsquad,

I'll try another pH test when the ligths are off to see if there is a swing.

I'm not familiar with that test.

Thanks

Oh by the way, before you get a chance at Lord Stanley, you'll have to get through the Sens lol.

 

[Swanwillow]

if the sand bed is only 2 inches, there is no reason to NOT stir the sand bed, as its just traping detrius, and is not adding much to the nitrification cycles.

just go and start stirring, one bit at a time, for a few weeks, then add it to your bi-weekly maintenence.

DSB need to be at least 4 inches to be DSB

 

[Ironman]

Swanwillow,

Wouldn't that kill any microfauna living in the sand bed if i'm constantly stirring it around, kinda like a catch 22.

Thanks

 

[Swanwillow]

not really-since there isn't a deep enough layer for anaerobic (sp?-the ones that don't like oxegen) bacteria to form, its not going to kill it. the microfauna living in a 2 inch sand bed needs and likes circulation to stay alive. since you haven't stirred it for a long time, it did start getting an anerobic layer (still can't spell.,... ugh) because of the hardening. you breaking that up already destroyed that layer...

at least, thats how I understand it.

or, get a jawfish-they'll do the job for ya!!!

 

[Ironman]

Thanks Swanwillow, I'll also add a couple strawberry conchs to help stir things around.

 

[tsquad]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6513843#post6513843 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Ironman
Oh by the way, before you get a chance at Lord Stanley, you'll have to get through the Sens lol.

Hey, we've beat you guys twice! Remember???????

 

[Zoos]

gotta love those BB tanks

 

[Ironman]

tsquad,

lol once, and that's cause we had crappy goaltending, now we have the Dominator.

Strange how this thread switched from reefkeeping to hockey...hum...wonder who started it lol.