Should I keep sandbed Flat/level?

[Tdanza]

My sand bed is getting wavy from the flow. Should I try to keep it flat? I just saw a bubble come up out of nowhere, I wonder if it was toxic? How do you avoid these bubbles?

30 gal
2-3 in white sandbed
No hermits, just snails and a blenny

 

[Noremac]

The surface of my sand bed constantly gets moved by crabs and snails, but for the most part it is wavy due to flow.

Every few weeks, I run my fingers through it and have yet to see bubbles.. I may be wrong, but i think I read, most bubbles that form in the sand are goign to be poisonous.

 

[Tdanza]

Yeah, thats what I'm scared of. I was reading how one guy runs a credit card through the sand to keep it flat. I have just been lazy I guess and like the look of the wavy sand.

I was just looking at the sand and all of a sudden a huge bubble rose to to the top and the water jet dispersed it.

Just read, Bubbles from the sand can also be caused by hydrogen sulfide. This is deadly to your tank.

I still would like some advise from pros though

 

[Rattooth]

In my opinion , wavy sand or smooth , makes no difference. Bubbles could be oxygen . Probably not hydrogen sulfide . That forms , I think in deeper areas of sand , you can't see. Usually under a rock. So bubbles you see , not a problem .
Just what I think

 

[Tdanza]

In my opinion , wavy sand or smooth , makes no difference. Bubbles could be oxygen . Probably not hydrogen sulfide . That forms , I think in deeper areas of sand , you can't see. Usually under a rock. So bubbles you see , not a problem .
Just what I think

Interesting, this bubble looked like it came from under the rock. Prob right, it was just air. I was running a air stone for a week or two with a high current.

 

[Rattooth]

I don't think you have anything to worry about bubbles that you see.
Hydrogen sulfide is not a few bubbles that form here in there.
It is in areas that can not exchange oxygen with tank water . If it can find it's way out without you moving rock work , then the respiration is not anerobic .
The problem is when you uncover a large pocket of gas that has trapped without oxygen for a long time. Normal exchange of gases is harmless.

 

[Tdanza]

I don't think you have anything to worry about bubbles that you see.
Hydrogen sulfide is not a few bubbles that form here in there.
It is in areas that can not exchange oxygen with tank water . If it can find it's way out without you moving rock work , then the respiration is not anerobic .
The problem is when you uncover a large pocket of gas that has trapped without oxygen for a long time. Normal exchange of gases is harmless.

Ok, yea, that makes sense.

 

[tigerdragon]

If you run any kind of sand sifters youll not be able to keep sand bed flat