# Need soil poking advice



## Poochie (Nov 3, 2004)

My 7 gal has been set up since 10/06. The top soil I used is still leaching tannins so we all know it highly organic. The plants are all doing great and one of them even flowered. Looked like a peace lily sort of flower. The crown betta is thriving along with the common plant snails and I think cyclops that the betta hunts. 
My problem is that I poked the soil and lots of bubbles came out and I smelled the rotten stench.
Should I take the betta out and keep poking to release the gas? Do I have to poke on a regular basis to keep it from building up? After the poking when would it be safe to put the betta back in?
I know the gas is released to the air but would a water change be needed?

If I got MTS would that stop the anerobic pockets?


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## 01krisp10 (Feb 18, 2007)

The bubbles are from a gas called Hydrogen Sulfide (H2S) and yes it "can" be bad, as it is created by anaerobic soil, but if you continue to poke it most people have been successful in not having to remove fish or plants. Good luck! Keep us posted on the results.


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## Muirner (Jan 9, 2007)

You should look into MTS, they will for sure help you to keep the anerobic pockets from building up. Let me ask, how'd you find out you had pockets before you poked them? Could you see the build up or?


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## rohape (Feb 7, 2005)

Don't poke too much at a time, just to keep the levels safe.

I have some MTS that I'm selling right now, look on the sale or trade forums, I have a post with some pictures if your interested. It's mainly paying for shipping, not really a "charge" for the snails.


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## Poochie (Nov 3, 2004)

Muirner.......I was doing a little planting. I have that grass type plant that spreads from runners.
I was putting some on the other side of the tank and poked an area and bubbles came up.
I poked around a bit to release more and realized that I could harm my betta. Plants I can replace.
You can not see anything that would alert you to these anerobic areas being there. 
I guess I can poke a few holes every day and look into getting those snails.


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## aquabillpers (Apr 13, 2006)

After reading these posts on "soil poking" I became curious, so for the first time I did that to two tanks with soil substrates, one almost three years old and the other, about three months. Both produced big bubbles.

In each the plants and fish are doing well.

So I did some research. In her book Ms. Walstad mentions several gases that are present in healthy substrates, including CO2, H2, N2, N20, CH4, and H2s. She also comments that substrate bubbling is helpful, because it allows oxygenated water to enter the substrate and also indicates that the substrate is alive. (Edition 1, page 69.)

I think that if the aquarium is doing well one shouldn't be too concerned about substrate gases. And, if it is not doing well, the substrate is probably one of the last places to look to for the cause of the problem.

BTW, IMHO the best soil substrates are the cheap, non-enriched topsoils with low organic content. Even those are best soaked for a week or two, with partial water changes, to oxidize some of the organics.

Bill


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## rohape (Feb 7, 2005)

I agree about the bubbles. I too have lots of bubbles, but not concerned as long as it dosen't smell like H2S, as I don't believe you should be. As Ms. Walstad's book also says, don't worry as long as everything is going well.....ok, so pretty much ditto aquabillpers.


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## Poochie (Nov 3, 2004)

Then I guess that everyone of us with a soil tank will experience the same if the soil is poked.
I will stop the poking.


Rohape.......I am interested in the snails however since they burrow into the soil will they not be digging into these aerobic spots and releasing the H2S just like my poking? I don't want them to dropping dead when they hit a patch of it.


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## rohape (Feb 7, 2005)

I don't know if they will dig in to those pockets. I know if you watch my tank for at least 5min. you'll see a few bubbles release. You will have so many you wouldn't notice if they did die from a patch of gas. 

Link to FS thread for MTS. Has a picture too! 
http://www.aquaticplantcentral.com/forumapc/sale-trade/40993-fs-malaysian-trumpet-snails.html


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## Red_Rose (Mar 18, 2007)

Sorry for the really stupid question but what exactly does H2S smell like?


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## cs_gardener (Apr 28, 2006)

H2S gas smells like rotten eggs. Once smelled, never forgotten.


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## rohape (Feb 7, 2005)

Rotten Eggs

Sorry, didn't see the post cs gardener


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## Red_Rose (Mar 18, 2007)

Ah! Thanks for letting me know. Unfortunately, I know what that smells like.


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## caldrane (Jun 3, 2015)

Excuse me for reviving an old thread.

I have a planted soil 10g tank that has been up since Jan of 2014. The soil develops airpockets. And occasionally I "burp" them because I'm afraid they will prevent water from moving through the soil and ultimately suffocating roots.

Is there a better way to go about this than just poking it? Are there burrowing critters that will turn over the soil and allow gases to escape? What about worms? Or some kind of freshwater crustacean? I recently got a hold of a couple snails my LFS says burrow, but I feel like I have a lot of soil for a handful of tiny worms. 

Any ideas?

Thank you.


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## aquabillpers (Apr 13, 2006)

Hi,

I never worry about "air pockets" in soil. They are probably due to CO2 from the decomposition of the soil. Poke them if you want, but they won't hurt anything.

Bill


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## Michael (Jul 20, 2010)

Malayan trumpet snails (MTS) burrow and help with this.


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