hydrogen sulfide problem

[ghostrida3]

i just started a new 125 gallon project, i put in sand that had been formerly in my 72gallon but had been sitting for 9 mths dry. i soaked it for a day and threw it into the 125, i then added about 60lbs live sand on top of that. now ime noticing dark lines and pockets of what appear to be hydrogen sulfide. whats the best way to rid my sand of this also, what are some of the effects of this stuff in the water, can i skim it out?

[Rhodesholar]

As far as I am aware a certain amount of HSO3 (i think) is normal. It's part of the DSBs processes and and resides deep in the bed, and unless disturbed, is of no consequence. Dr. Ron Shimek said in one of his articles (link at bottom) that unless the smell actually takes your breath away, the level is not fatal.

http://www.ronshimek.com/Deep%20Sand%20Beds.htm

Excerpt>>>>>Problems:

More imagined than real problems bedevil keepers of sand beds. The imagined problems are proposed by people who are ignorant of the sand bed dynamics. Among these imaginary problems are accumulations of hydrogen sulfide and detritus, and the need for sifting. Hydrogen sulfide will indeed be formed in the lowermost layers of a deep sand bed. It will NOT migrate up through the sediments to poison a tank. Hydrogen sulfide is an amazingly toxic gas, but that toxicity is exceeded by its pungent rotten-egg odor. The gas will have an exceptionally strong odor, and will seem overwhelming at levels well BELOW toxic amounts. If you can smell this stuff without it literally taking your breath away, it won't be at a harmful concentration. There is no real evidence to indicate that it may reach toxic levels in a deep sand bed.

[seapug]

it's more often algae films and oxgen bubbles you see than HS03, especially in a new tank. It takes long term accumulation and oxidizing of organic substances to create the notorious deadly "gas pockets" we've all read about. Like Rhodes said, if it was HSO3 you were seeing, you'd know it by the overpowering smell.

[Rhodesholar]

Sorry. I always get them confused. Hydrogen sulfide is H2S

[ghostrida3]

phew!!!(sigh of relief) it would suck to have to take all of that up. thanks for the info.

[seapug]

yes, thank you for the correction Rhodes. It's "H2S" or better yet, "stinky rotten egg death cloud."

[ghostrida3]

after doing further reading i am convinced that is hydrogen sulfide. i used sand from a 4yr establishd tank that had been sitting for months, at the base level and then added fresh live sandon top, most of the dark patches are i between the two layers. i pulld some of it up, it smelled but the smell went away quick. should i just disturb the sand bed to bring it up into the water column and hope that the skimmer and some carbon will filter it out?