# [Wet Thumb Forum]-Gas bubbles from driftwood



## javalee (May 8, 2006)

I know Diana is a microbiologist and very familiar with respiratory processes so I'm posting this here. I have a great driftwood piece that we collected from a creek. It wasn't nice and weathered like ocean driftwood. We attatched a piece of slate to the bottom to hold it down. It's been in the tank for 10 mo. Large gas bubbles have started erupting periodically from one spot at the base. They may even be coming from a hole in the base of the wood. The slate or shale is under the gravel but I know it releases iron because it has a rusty layer. Any idea what the components of this gas are? CO2 or H2S? My long time residents (oto, cherry barbs, shrimp) are healthy, but my new betta got filmy eye when added to the tank and it got me wondering if this is a bad gas. Thanks for any educated guesses


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## DataGuru (Mar 11, 2005)

Does it smell?


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## javalee (May 8, 2006)

Good question! I should have noted that. There is definitely some organic odor like sweet alcohol. Not a bad smell; in fact reminds me of my days in organic chemistry lab. But I wasn't sure if that smell is related to that gas that I see erupting or the fact that I never do water changes







in this tank. I decided to slowly flush in some fresh water through small water changes.


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## dwalstad (Apr 14, 2006)

Organic matter in the wood is probably slowly decomposing. It is releasing CO2, hydrogen, methane, etc.

I would use your fish to monitor potential problems. In moderation, this gas release may benefit plants (and the ecosystem) by providing CO2 and nutrients. 

An airstone to provide oxygen might help-- especially if your fish and shrimp show breathing problems. I have airstones running in two of my tanks from midnight to 7:00 AM. They're on timers.


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## javalee (May 8, 2006)

Thanks Diana, always good advice. My old residents are in great health, but they have been surfacing and "nibbling" at the top of the water from time to time, which they didn't use to do. This filter is really subdued and doesn't aerate much, so an airstone is a great idea. I was hoping there was some CO2, and this might explain the sudden (in plant time anyway







) explosion of growth from my previously thin java ferns.


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## javalee (May 8, 2006)

I checked the driftwood out after removing it and EWWWWWW







! I forgot that a metal screw was used to attach the slate that weighted it down. I had thought it was stainless steel.

The head of the screw was rusted away and the area between the wood and slate was stained BLACK from some sort of reaction going on---not rotting. The slate was oxidizing too. That gas was coming from that area. My poor betta! That was some nasty metallic reaction emitting gas!

I guess it may have been breaking down too, hence the alcohol smell. (My java ferns will miss the wood; they were getting huge from feeding on the old wood perhaps, never saw java ferns so healthy!)

A reminder to watch what you put in your tank, although I don't think anyone here would do such a thing---just dummy me







. That's one mystery solved. Hope my betta recovers now.


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## flagg (Nov 29, 2004)

Hey, I'm sure we've all put in things to our tank that we later regretted... I wouldn't necessarily get rid of the drift wood just yet. Put it alone in a bucket for a couple of weeks to leach out any remaining stuff that wants to leach out. Then dry it and re-attach it to the slate by using a nice glob of aquarium sealant. Much safer for your tank, I'm sure!

-ricardo


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