Air bubbles in my sand?

[treg]

I have a 4" DSB and the top 1 1/2" is FULL of air bubbles.
Can anyone explain WHY I have this, if it will continue and should I do anything about it?
Tonight I mixed the sand up a little bit to let them out then I thought maybe I shouldnt have done that? Im sure they are there for a reason...

 

[tangman99]

That is the end result of your sandbed breaking down the nitrates. The air bubbles are Nitrogen gas and will eventually escape out into the air. It means all is good and you do not need to stir up the sand.
HTH

 

[treg]

I have 5 sand sifting snails and about 10 Hermitts that dig in the sand sometimes. So the bubbles will stop? Its kind of an eye sore.

 

[treg]

OK
So I dont want them to stop and should not help in removing them?
The sand bed water and LR was all put in on 4-24-03. The bubbles just started about a week ago and were growing bigger daily. Is the N gas that comes up harmfull to anything? Coral or live animals?

 

[tangman99]

Nitrogen is harmless. Consider it makes up 78% of the air we breathe. Nothing to worry about.

 

[beaslbob]

Originally posted by Treg
OK
So I dont want them to stop and should not help in removing them?
The sand bed water and LR was all put in on 4-24-03. The bubbles just started about a week ago and were growing bigger daily. Is the N gas that comes up harmfull to anything? Coral or live animals?
In my tanks a few bubbles occasionally escape from the sand but no where near the amounts you mention. If they are the result of anarobic action on the nitrates, one way to reduce them is to reduce the nitrates in the water. Algae (macro looks better than micro) is the best way. Nitrates are simply plant food for algae.

 

[ty_05_f]

Just wait and more and more bubbles form. It might be an eyesore but it sure is good not having to worry about nitrates as much.

 

[elan]

if you really want, take a thin piece of plexi glass and scrape the front of your tank... this should get rid of the bubbles you are looking at... but, try and disturbe your sand bed as little as possible... by going down to the bottom layer, you are introducing O2 to the aneorbic layer wich is counter productive.
I have the same in my tank, and about once every few months, will scrape just the front 1/4 inch of the sand bed... taking great care not to disturbe the majority of the sand bed.