Lots of bubbles in the gravel?

grannylvsfish

grannylvsfish

have you been bad this year ??
Dec 6, 2006
3,124
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Montana
I did a cleaning job on my 10 gallon ( do it 2 times a week) but today there were lots of bubbles from under the gravel... are these gas pocket? my tank water actually smelled like methane so Im assuming yes its gas pockets. its weird, I never have these, but also noticed them in my 29 last week. I always go thru the gravel to clean, whats up with these air bubbles?
 
They may be the normal result of bacterial life. The bacteria are helpful in reducing contaminents but the waste from them can produce hydrogen sulfide (rotten egg smell). To control this, I use a sand bed rather than gravel. Gravel lets excess food and fish waste settle into voids. There the bacteria work on it.

In excess this gas can be harmful. To deal with it you should be doing large partial water changes on a regular basis, avoiding excessive feeding, regular gravel stirring to free small bubbles, regular gravel vacuuming to remove waste and food that does get into the gravel. The option, which only reduces the number/frequency of the efforts is a sand bed.
 
I sometimes get this on one of my tanks that still has gravel. As charlie mentioned above, sand is much better. The best way to deal with the bubbles is to really clean your gravel well when you siphon water out. Don't just stir up the gravel. Plunge the siphon tube in to the gravel allowing it to pull out the debris. Stirring can sometimes turn debris under the gravel and create the gas that you speak of. And again, as Charlie said, this gas is likely toxic to your livestock.
 
How often do you vacuum?
 
um guys read my post again !
I clean my tank 2 times a week, do gravel vacs every time ( to the bottom thru the gravel to the glass.
I do 50% 2 times a week. that's what was so freaky. but I did add more gravel 2 weeks ago, to make the bed deeper for plants.
 
I think you may still have a bit of waste stuck in the layers of your gravel. It's either that or you have burrowing life in your gravel that are creating gas pockets. Like I mentioned in my post, I too get these pockets of air. I can;t say that I notice any foul smells though. It just seems to be air. I have loaches, snails and clams in my substrate that may be part of that but not sure. Why do you change your water twice a week? Do you have a heavy stocking? Not that it's a bad thing, just curious.
 
I do two changes week as I have babies in this tank with mommys and snails. its heavy load so there for a clean tank is a must.
 
I have a similar problem. I haven't noticed a smell though. I read a post somewhere (Aquaria Central maybe?) that said that if you use a bucket to refill the tank or something that creates a similar rush of air/water mix that will cause air to be forced into the gravel and under decor, which will make air pockets/bubbles.
 
Lol, I was thinking that I was on The Puffer Forum, ha. That's why I had Aquaria Central in parentheses instead of just saying 'here maybe'. Lol. Brainless moment.
 
It is possible it is gas other than atmospheric air. I would doubt it is methane may just be the smell of decomposing waste. Mostly likely lots of air got mixed in while refilling and some got trapped in the gravel.
 
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