Substrate Problem?

[Beemeeup]

Not a subject that may create great interest but anyone with similar experience - please comment.

My first tank - created last august - had a substrate of seachem flourite . I then put an inch or so of pea gravel.
When i clean the gravel now, hundreds of small black particles are sucked up - i can only think this is the flourite coming to the surface?

would it be best to lay down a further inch or so of pea gravel or will this create pockets of uneaten food etc which may cause a problem?

 

[Castellop123]

k

 

[Sysiphus]

I have a setup that is similar - with pea gravel over a laterate base - there are two times I have some material I don't expect come up the cleaner tube:

1. I have pushed the cleaner tube into the gravel too deeply and pulled up some loose laterate;

2. I have an algae patch holding some material together.

Be cautious about being too enthuastic in pushing the cleaner tube deeply into the gravel, you want to do more of a surface swirl and not disturb deeper layers.

If the above does not seem right for your situation - you should be able to get a good look at what this is by pouring the removed water out through your fish net. You will sure be able to tell quickly if it is snails or algae. There are other possibilities especially depending on the fish you have and if the tank is live planted.

Let us know what the mystery stuff is...

 

[Beemeeup]

I have a setup that is similar - with pea gravel over a laterate base - there are two times I have some material I don't expect come up the cleaner tube:

1. I have pushed the cleaner tube into the gravel too deeply and pulled up some loose laterate;

2. I have an algae patch holding some material together.

Be cautious about being too enthuastic in pushing the cleaner tube deeply into the gravel, you want to do more of a surface swirl and not disturb deeper layers.

If the above does not seem right for your situation - you should be able to get a good look at what this is by pouring the removed water out through your fish net. You will sure be able to tell quickly if it is snails or algae. There are other possibilities especially depending on the fish you have and if the tank is live planted.

Let us know what the mystery stuff is...

Thanks for advice - the net suggestion is good - i think i have been stirring the pea gravel too deeply - i still do not know if it is a problem covering surface with more pea gravel?

 

[Sysiphus]

I have added well washed pea gravel (not sand or light material) to a tank a cup at a time without removing fish. Done without haste it is not much of a problem..

 

[rdd1952]

I'm not familiar with the size of the flourite but the coarser material will always come to the top as the finer substrate filters down through it.

 

[Beemeeup]

Thanks for all replies - will investigate nature of substrate and try to analyse the reasons for the thousands of dark specs which come up the gravel cleaner - will let you know!