Air Pockets In Sand - Good Or Bad Thing?

[pammy172]

I've started this thread to avoid hijacking someone elses. but it stems from this where I suggested the OP on that thread removed the airpockets from their new sand substrate.

You need to give it a good stir with your hands or something to get rid of all those air pockets too.

air pockets are fine theyre actually a good thing

Other threads have said that they're not
eg: [URL="http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?showto...ir+pockets+sand"]http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?showto...ir+pockets+sand[/URL]

Be grateful for views on this please. But I don't want to hijack this thread so I'll start another one

Ta

So I am confused, are they good, bad or benign?

 

[Truck]

i still stand to my point, as soon as the Hydrogen Sulfide hits our oxygenous water it is harmless.

this is one of many myths on fish keeping and if you look at the myths thread then you will see this one on there

 

[Nick16]

it cant be good anyway, if there is gas there it must be doing something, eventually it will leave a bad smell.

the key there is 'sulfide' basically sulphur so eventually it will smell like bad eggs. i just poke around with the gravel cleaner and its all gone. if there are bubbles it means you basically arent cleaning that area as if you did the bubbles would disperse and go.

 

[Truck]

it creates anaerobic pockets which convert nitrates into nitrogen. but its totally harmless when it comes into contact with oxygen

 

[backtotropical]

This was discussed in the scientific section a while back where Bignose clarified the matter for us.

<a href="http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?showtopic=212113" target="_blank">http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?showtopic=212113</a>

In short, theres no real risk because, as Truck says, the gas is detoxified immediately upon contact with water, but I certainly can't think of any benefits of having gas pockets either.

I voted 'benign' as theres no real danger or benefit that I can see.

BTT

edited to say:

Truck, for the anaerobic bacteria to convert nitrates into nitrogen gas, it first has to convert to nitrite and then ammonia, which can't be a good thing.

 

[Miss Wiggle]

agree with BTT