# mts problem



## Window7 (Feb 23, 2012)

Did my first mts, ran a test inside a 1g jar and this is what it turn out too.
Cap with with pfs, look at the sand the top layer turn black.
What did I did wrong?


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## Diana K (Dec 20, 2007)

When you first use abreviations, please spell out what you are asking about. That way people who are new to all this can figure out things, and those of us who would like to think we know them all will know that you are talking about Mineralized Top Soil, or Malaysian Trumpet Snails, or Multiple Tank Syndrome, or Mega Tank Syndrome. 

OK, on to the issue:
I have only seen sand turn dark when anaerobic bacteria are growing in it. Does this smell foul or bad? 
I have usually seen this in a tank with poor water circulation, and it even happens on the top of the sand, not just deep in.


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## DogFish2.0 (Oct 7, 2011)

You're seeing a little wicking action. I see that in my MTS tanks, Eventually, in a tank there will be levels. Finest dirt on the bottom, a very thin layer of the finest sand, then the courser grains on top.


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## mudboots (Jun 24, 2009)

I've had similar issues as mentioned by Diana K where there was anaerobic unhappiness in a soil layer.

As far as abbreviations go, there should be a sticky somewhere to my memory that gets into detail about what they stand for, and I second the idea of spelling some of them out on the opening post of a thread, especially those where the same abbreviation is commonly used for many different ideas.


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