Hydrogen Sulfide and Deep Sand Beds

Hydrogen Sulfide

In a saltwater tank when a diamond goby digs up the deep sand bed (DSB).

A customer recently lost all things alive in his aquarium after adding a diamond goby with a 4” DSB. The goby went to work cleaning the surface aragonite (sand) with no affect. The problem started when he began to dig burrows under the rocks below the 1” aerobic layer. Hydrogen Sulfide (H2S) began using oxygen faster than it could be replaced. He didn’t have a protein skimmer but because H2S removes oxygen faster than a skimmer can put it back in, the same result happens.

The percentage of each of these species that is formed depends on the salinity, the pH and the temperature, but the predominant product is typically sulfate [SO4--].

H2S + O2à [SO4--; SO3--; -SSO3-]

The use of a plenum ( Aquarium Setup ) prevents H2S formation and no harm should a goby uncovered it.