would lights cause sand to release bubbles?

[kogle]

Last Wednesday night I upgraded the lighting on my tank from 2 65 watt PC's and 1 250 watt MH to 2 65 watt PC's, 2 250 watt MH's and one 400 watt MH.
The very next day I noticed the sandbed was realeasing bubbles. It was still doing this Sunday night but it wasn't as constant as is was last Thursday and Friday.
What could cause this?

 

[reefreak29]

most likely nitrates converting to gas and releasing

 

[kogle]

Reefreak any idea on why this would all of the sudden happen with the addition of the new lights?
If you look at the sandbed through the glass (into the side of the sandbed) it's covered with bubbles.
Could this be from an algea bloom in the sand?

 

[thud]

Originally Posted by KOgle
Reefreak any idea on why this would all of the sudden happen with the addition of the new lights?
If you look at the sandbed through the glass (into the side of the sandbed) it's covered with bubbles.
Could this be from an algea bloom in the sand?

Are they clear bubbles? If they are red/purple/green it could be algae or cyano bacteria.

 

[kogle]

They are clear bubbles. I did notice last Friday the sandbed (from the side) had a red look to it and by Saturday it was darker almost like a brown color.

 

[reefreak29]

i suppose it could be cyano ,do u have a pic?

 

[kogle]

No pictures. Sorry. I thought maybe cyno as well but none of it was on the surface of the sand, it was all under the sand. it was also more of a bright red and all of the cyno I've seen has been almost a maroon color...
I guess I'll just keep the fingers crossed and see what happens. Nothing in the tank seems to mind it so far...

 

[reefreak29]

Originally Posted by KOgle
No pictures. Sorry. I thought maybe cyno as well but none of it was on the surface of the sand, it was all under the sand. it was also more of a bright red and all of the cyno I've seen has been almost a maroon color...
I guess I'll just keep the fingers crossed and see what happens. Nothing in the tank seems to mind it so far...
yeh it just sounds like gas from the ammonia cycle ,is it a lot of bubbles or a few here and there, sometimes u can get a biuldup of sulfer dioxid as well witch will cause lots os bubbles and a drop in ph . u dont here about it to often but its something to consider

 

[jhuggins]

When I went from pc to mh I had that same thing happen. Once my heater got under some sand and it bubbled for a while. Maybe it is a heat issue?

 

[fishgeek01]

have you been monitoring your PH at all, the sulfur dioxide was what I was trying to think of at the meeting yesterday. If you are having fluctations in your ph then that may be what it is, and from what I understand it is highly toxic to fish... But I may be wrong on that...

 

[kogle]

I've been monitoring the temperature like a hawk since I added the new lights and haven't had any temp issues. Temperature is a steady 78/79 degrees... it's in between.
As for pH I haven't tested in a week but I think the weekly test wouldn't show fluctuations. Maybe I can try to test a few times in one day and see if it's holding at 8.2...
The only other thing I could think of that may have triggered this would be having that stingray in the tank for a week stirring up the sand...
Maybe this aggitated something in the sand???

 

[reefkprz]

your PH is going to fluctuate through out the day testing several times in one day is just going to make you panic. Ph changes through out the day as corals photosynthesize (thats one reason running sump lights opposite DT lights is reccomended to stabilize ph at night) test at the same time every day to actually see if its changing from day to day.

 

[reefkprz]

Originally Posted by KOgle
The only other thing I could think of that may have triggered this would be having that stingray in the tank for a week stirring up the sand...
Maybe this aggitated something in the sand???

Yes, if he's disturbing far enough down to make the anaerobic section of the sand be aerobic your going to have a die off of anaerobic bacteria, and release a lot of stuff that should remain trapped below untill it breaks down. eventually your sand bed is going to reacclimate to its presence and adjust the depth of the anaerobic layer.

 

[tx reef]

Originally Posted by reefkprZ
Yes, if he's disturbing far enough down to make the anaerobic section of the sand be aerobic your going to have a die off of anaerobic bacteria, and release a lot of stuff that should remain trapped below untill it breaks down. eventually your sand bed is going to reacclimate to its presence and adjust the depth of the anaerobic layer.

Depends on how long the tank has been set up....

 

[reefkprz]

Originally Posted by TX Reef
Depends on how long the tank has been set up....
true but I was just answereing weather or not it could be possible....... I didnt say it was the cause.

 

[kogle]

Tank has been up since late november. I used base sand on the bottom and live sand on top so I doubt the sandbed has had time to build up that much gunk considering I only have 3 fish in a 180.
Man I hope the cause isn't the ray and the stirring of the sand. If so I'd say I'm going to have more problems in the next few weeks...

 

[aztec reef]

Actually this happends in any age tank.(young or old)
I wouldn't worry about it unless there's bubble pooping every second.
I even get those bubbles to release in my 5yr old sandbed:Like when one of my big hermits walk across the bed, But it's not so much that i'm seeing bubbles all over. You only see one or a few bubbles once in a while right?
Althoug that sting ray is not a good idea for an enclosed Sandbed as it will burrow and eat the beneficial critters that keep it clean, And so yeah you will have sandbed problems down the road.