mounds in sand bed ??

peasly1

Member
in my 30 gal that has been up for 2yrs..but replaced cc to caribi sand 2 months ago..looking at the sand last week I saw 1 or 2 little mounds about the size of a quarter and half inch high coming out of the sand,kinda like there was air underneath, now today there is 6-8 of them..there all about the exact size as each other..in the tank is a 3 in. porq 1.5 in watchman goby..1 cleaner 1 fire shrimp, 2 anenomes, 15-20 lbs. lr and 2-3 in sand bed..any idea why this is happening...amo o ph 8.2 nitrite o trate 40 ( I know a little high) thanx for any info
 

twoods71

Active Member
Another possibility.
Watchman gobies like to burrow in the substrate. In nature they are found in a symbiotic relationship with pistol shrimp.
The pistol shrimp is usually the one who digs the burrow for the both of them but in your case without a pistol shrimp maybe he is digging burrows himself.
I dont know, just a thought.
If it is bubbles trapped under the sand you may need to get some critters to stir the sand up a little for you.
 

peasly1

Member
thanks for the input..I think it is a gas build up but wasnt sure if I should interupt it or let it take its toll..I dont think its the goby because it does not look like tunnels just an air pocket although he does burrow under the lr which looks different... thanks again
 

broomer5

Active Member
Could be pockets of trapped gas - but I doubt it.
Gas has a way of rising up through most sandbeds, and will either bubble out in the form of a true gas, or the gas may just be in solution and a bubble will not form. Loose particals of sand normally by themselves do not adhear together enough to form a barrier to a rising gas bubble.
You could have some burrowing critters that hitchhiked on your live rock - especially if you've had the rock for a month or two.
Try a search on Callichirus islagrande and Lepidophthalmus louisianensis, both are small burrowing shrimp - and do indeed form small mounds in natural sandbeds.
 

fshhub

Active Member
first, watch it clsely, if there is any movment at all, it could be a worm of some type or burrowing animal
and
mounds tha size, could be gas, but it sounds a bit big fro gas bubbles, to me, but could be, but here are a couple of other possibilities too, 1st carib sea is very fine, and if you alyered it very smooth, it will not remain the same your water movemnt will more than likely create a wavey affect over time, adn some places where the powerheads are affecting the current will ctreate small mound and or dig a hole, also things moving around like your anemone will also shift your sand a bit as well, the goby you have, is also a sifter, and will move the sand around, also any snails or worms you have, may do some, for rearranging the sand, as they do burrow(some snails do, yes), any stars, and you could have gotten anything on the lr;
but as far as exactly what, or what combo is doing it, it is hard to say, the only wone, that i would be concerned with, is the powerheads, i would watch the sand real close for a couple of minutes to see if i see any sand grains moving, at all, if this is the case, i would rearrange tehm, a bit, because if they are doing it, they will eventually digup a hole, which you want your sand to remain pretty stable, and undisturbed, any others, unless they get real bad, are not a problem, but actually natural and maybe even good for your system
i had not answered sooner, because i was trying to kick around a bit what would be the best answer, and there are so many possibilities for your answer
HTH
 

peasly1

Member
thanks again..broomer I was waiting to hear from you too..I doubt it is the power headI have none..I have fuval 404 w / return on top for surface movement and a sponge filter sending the bubbles upward
 

broomer5

Active Member
peasly1
If you are uncomfortable doing this, then by all means don't.
If I noticed these mounds in my tank - I would take a small plastic cup and scoop one of them up. Get as much underlying sand as you can, then explore it. Pour this sand and water into a clear glass pie plate or something similar, and lay the glass plate first on a black background ( to see lighter colored things ).... then do the same using a white background. Look for darker critters. See if there is any unusal critters in that mound - and solve your mystery.
Again, if you feel strange doing this, please don't. But man ... now you got my curiosity up bad :p
 

twoods71

Active Member
Hey broomer5 that is a good idea.
I am always poking around in the sand when I see something unusual.
I like the idea of scooping with a cup and doing a little exploring.
 

broomer5

Active Member
works for me :p twoods71
I read that technique on some documents I got from a detritoir kit I ordered.
Gotta give credit where credit is due ;)
Also peasly1, been thinking about this, and after reading your post a 3rd time LOL
I see where you just added dry caribsea sand.
No live sand ?
Sort of blows my critter idea - being it's a 2 year old tank - and you are just now noticing these mounds. But who knows ???
Could be small pockets of cyno or algae growing under the sandbed as well.
Okay - enough amateur long distance detective work going here.
What ya got there with them mounds ??? :D
 

peasly1

Member
broomer.. havent scooped any out yet will do that tommorrow,but yes I added the sand about 2 months ago but also put alot of the old cc in nylons for a good month and half, and there was 30 lbs of lr until 2 weeks ago.. I think you were helping me w/ a ph ? then...there is some critters in there but could always use more..more tommorrow thanx again..
 

broomer5

Active Member
peasly1
Have you been able to figure out what these mounds were yet ???
I talked to a buddy of mine today - pretty sharp guy with reef tanks - and he has no clue either.
 
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