Malaysian Trumpet to aerate the gravel

[bubberls™]

Anyone here got any idea where i can find the above? need to aerate my gravel cause am seeing some bubbles forming in the substrate... or is it ok to leave it as is.

[torque6]

I would recommend leaving the soil, aerate gravel could sometimes lead to cloudy water. though this is an interested method.

Is there any reason to do this ?

[patricc]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red-rimmed_melania

Here's the wiki link to information on the MTS... might be careful about the parasites potential to cause more problems to you instead

[bubberls™]

I would recommend leaving the soil, aerate gravel could sometimes lead to cloudy water. though this is an interested method.

Is there any reason to do this ?

Read up that substrate might have methane buildup from organic waste in substrate. so a good way is to release these methane pockets. As my gravel behind has a small hill like feature, i was thinking there might be methane buildup asi see some air pockets in my substrate after about 3 weeks into my new tank.

So with this and some reseach, it might be good to have some workers around to do the job.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red-rimmed_melania

Here's the wiki link to information on the MTS... might be careful about the parasites potential to cause more problems to you instead

yes you are right... good link. These parasites are not good to have around and are harmful to us humans. Think will give these snails a pass as i have kids around at home... Thanks for your link... really helpful.

[torque6]

that being said, how do you want to aerate your soil when you have a hairgrass or glosso lawn ? IMO, any organic waste e.g methane buildup would have been absorb by the plants.

[bubberls™]

Do plants absorb methane??? If they do i have nothing to worry about then

[torque6]

Bub,
methane is waste products, plants should absorb this, might want to link your research resources so we can determine the degree of methane in the soil.

[patricc]

No problem bro... I got a suggestion.. get a bunch of coolie loaches... they should do the trick also...

[Shaihulud]

I think Lung flukes and such, are not a big worry in Singapore, they have a complex lifecycle and requires large mammals as part of the cycle. I think it is not endemic in Singapore. As long as you don't ingest the snails, there is little chance of getting any other parasite from it anyway. The half life for methane in the air is 7 years, Under anaerobic condition such as the condition where it formed, it can last for a very very long time as a natural gas and plants do not absorb it. I would be more worried about hydrogen sulfide actually.

[bubberls™]

Bub,
methane is waste products, plants should absorb this, might want to link your research resources so we can determine the degree of methane in the soil.

kinda just surfed the web blindly and happen to see that methane can ruin the substrate.. will see if i can find that page again... but thanks for looking into it.

No problem bro... I got a suggestion.. get a bunch of coolie loaches... they should do the trick also...

hmm can my cory do the same? got a bunch of them.

I think Lung flukes and such, are not a big worry in Singapore, they have a complex lifecycle and requires large mammals as part of the cycle. I think it is not endemic in Singapore. As long as you don't ingest the snails, there is little chance of getting any other parasite from it anyway. The half life for methane in the air is 7 years, Under anaerobic condition such as the condition where it formed, it can last for a very very long time as a natural gas and plants do not absorb it. I would be more worried about hydrogen sulfide actually.

haha don't think i will ingest them. But how does the hydrogen sulfide form? If it does the water will become a light sulfuric acid?? wow... chemistry.

[uklau]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red-rimmed_melania

Here's the wiki link to information on the MTS... might be careful about the parasites potential to cause more problems to you instead

Good point to take note so that I stop starting the siphon using my mouth . Had been "drinking" tank water (with MTS) for years.

Back to the topic. MTS is great in one of my tanks. I'm starting to put them into my other tanks. Population control is easily done by controlling the left over food in the tank. They are doing a great job in my tank .

Talking about parasite, they are everywhere....

[uklau]

These parasites are not good to have around and are harmful to us humans. Think will give these snails a pass as i have kids around at home... Thanks for your link... really helpful.

MTS is the best & natural way of aerating the substrate. If you are sceptical, why not getting some from fellow forumers, who has healthy family members .

You can always ask for FOC MTS from Mr. Chan @ NA.

[patricc]

Corys do not tunnel into the substrate at all.... coolie loaches do so much too an extent after you put them in, its so hard to spot them most of the times...

The few times will be feeding time or between the substrate and the glass of the tank

[Shaihulud]

Under anaerobic enviroment, bacteria uses sulfate to break down food producing hydrogen sulfide, if the hydrogen sulfide is allowed to accumulate and suddenly released... It can kill fishes. This is all based on hearsay, I have never had such a thing happening to me before. Methane is odorles and not very poisonous, but is produced in the anaerobic condition with hydrogen sulfide.