[bodend123]

Hey I have kept freshwater for about 8 years and 1 saltwater tank that went downhill. I have started another one up and it is working good untill now. I have dark grey spots in the sand under my rock as well as the rock that is burried alittle under the sand. My tank is 30 gallon with 2 submersible power filters(maybe together 200 GPH for water movement on the top and 2 800 gallon per hour fan type power heads for the rest of the tank and a aqua clear 200 with carbon and floss or something. and some chemi-pure bag. The sand bed is about 2.5 inches deep. I do not have any base rock it is all live about 20 pounds. I have 3 damsels and a green star polyp, 10 astrea snails and about 8 blue legged hermits. If you could help me out with this it would be great I would love to complete this and have a succesful reef tank any help would be apreciated
I also just added 3 pounds of live sand from my LFS they create it themselves in there own tank.
another question i have is my nitrates rose to well past 160 ppm in one day!. I got it down to about 40 and now around 0 real Quick!! but why?
sorry i have so many questions I get so many different answer on research im going insane literally.

 

[Twitterbait]

Can you please tell us how long and how you cycled your tank.

 

[Fat Tony]

The darks spots are from sulphur dioxide... not a good thing. This is common with the use of undergravel filters or plenum based systems. Whatever you do, do not disturb the areas as the release of the gas can result in death of alot of your fish if the release is significant.

 

[Mock]

whats the cure to this?

 

[bodend123]

Hey this is toxic?. I asume it is because i did not use base rock and the live rock was under the sand. I cycled the tank for 2 months with live rock and sand and 2 damsels nor corals. My nitrates just went down about 2 weeks ago and my water is a little cloady now. Should I lift up the rocks and put them ontop rocks that aqre not alive or just leave it the way it is? I do not have a ugf or plenium. I just have a aqua clear 200 and 2 submersible power filter for water agitation on the top

 

[Mock]

I have this same thing in my tank that has been up for about a month and a half... As long as you dont disturb it like mix it up bad then it will be fine. .Eventually it will come down too.. Just make sure you have a good cleaning crew and a good sand sifting crew to turn it over and keep it clean

 

[bodend123]

Thank You tony and mock the information is great. I like getting just one answer rather then 100 different ones from the internet. I just sighned up yesterday. I like this forum very much. Can any one tell me what would be good for sand sifting crew. I only have ten astrea snails and well had 13 hermits only 6 or 7 now. I seen star fish but wouldent they nock down my rocks and corals. I glued my corals to the rock so i dont now. any suggestions would be great!

 

[Fat Tony]

Nassarius Snails are decent sandbed stirrers

 

[bodend123]

One more question

I have one more if anyone can help me out? I was having waste build up ect in corners of my tank and i thought i needed more water movement. I just got 2 800gph vibration,fan,propeller type power heads and i have one going up to the top of the water making in flow across the tank with like little waves rolling in to shore or something and the other a little bit facing down on the other end of the tank moving acroos the "reef". is this too much? are they in good spots? O yah i have 1 215 power speep in the corner. Any answers would be GREATLY APRECIATED.:thumbup::fish::thumbup:

 

[Fat Tony]

You have more than enough flow for the tank for sure.... as far as the detritus buildup in the corners... thats a good place for, it makes it easier to siphon it out.

 

[poppy]

Nassarius Snails are decent sandbed stirrers

:thumbup: I agree!

 

[Captmrbles]

my favorite are my mexican turbo snails.. those things go to town on everything, even diatom

 

[jamesbooth66]

had the same problem...wouldnt add anymore rock tho just to be safe that you dont get another cycle but like everyones else has said dont aggitate it, it could destroy a tank if released into the tank

 

[Geoff]

what was your source of water? sounds like you have a lot of iron in your water. i had the same problem when my water filter was full and i did not catch it in time it allowed a lot of iron into my system. the bacteria in the sand be binds it up then creates the black areas. something like this?

how do you get rid of the black areas? you have to remove the sand from that area. just stirring it will not remove the excess iron/hydrogen sulfide from the system, or at least not in a way that would be very healthy for the critters if it has truly become hydrogen sulfide.

some added reading from my experience with the black sand.

G~

 

[Captmrbles]

though they are not in the sand bed stirring department... they are more into sucking on glass and rock