Sand going grey

[Fins]

<H1>Sand going grey!!</H1><DIV id=Qtextbox><P><STRONG>Author: hungsta</STRONG><BR><BR>Hi,

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I have noticed that the sand in my occies tank is going grey.

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I saw the occies digging it out of a shell and just wondering if this is harmful to my fish.

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And mainly

WHY?

</DIV><H2>Replies »</H2><DIV id=Atextbox><P><STRONG>Author: fiona ls</STRONG><BR><BR>Was the sand in the shell grey? Is any other sand grey? That colour *can* indicate the presence of sulphur producing bacteria. Try smelling the grey sand.

</DIV><DIV id=Atextbox><P><STRONG>Author: Auscanuckafishy</STRONG><BR><BR>G'day,

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I have only twice come across sulphur dioxide in my tanks. I have come across it when I have left plants in a combination of sand and gravel to rot away, and the entire sand bed was full of aneorobic activity, (I?) was not a pretty site when i cleaned it out (completely).

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The other time was when I put large shells in for my bristlenose in a tank with a large amount of just pure sand. There was a 6 inch layer in an 8*2 and the only place in that entire tank where there was any aneorobic activity was within one particular shell, and ONLY after it slowly sunk underneath the sand. I'm thinking there was a water or air pocket in this shell, and upon using up the oxygen the aneorobic bacteria set itself up. Interesting enough neither tank showed any detrimental effects from the SO2, the first was a 30".

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So I would say, yes it's probably SO2, give it a wiff, you'll know pretty quickly

. If it's not, then you've got me stumped. If the other sand is grey like fiona mentions, then we're probably looking at something different, and I can't really shed any light

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Mark

</DIV><DIV id=Atextbox><P><STRONG>Author: hungsta</STRONG><BR><BR>Yes the sand in the shells are grey and they

STINK

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so it looks like i have to put up with it then!!!!!!!!

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BTW if the occies dug it out and it mixes with the normal sand, would all the normal sand eventually turn grey???

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damn anaerobes!!

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Thanx fiona and mark for your info!!

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</DIV><DIV id=Atextbox><P><STRONG>Author: fiona ls</STRONG><BR><BR>No hung, it won't all go grey, not if it is oxygenated. It's only the areas that oxygen can't get to that will get those bacteria. I had some under a couple of rocks while a plenum was establishing (I found it when pulling out rocks to catch holding females), now that the plenum is established I don't have it any more. Didn't adversely affect the fish.

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