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natural gas smell in my vivarium

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E

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#5 ·
If you are smelling an odor like natural gas then what you are smelling is an additive to allow you to detect that gas. What you are smelling is probably a hydride from anaerobic decomposition, this means that one or more of the following are occuring, 1) the substrate is too saturated resulting in anaerobic decomposition, 2) the water in the false bottom is not circulating enough and has become stagnent/anerobic.... Something in the tank is oversaturated and is not functioning as it should.

Ed
 
EntoCraig

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Discussion Starter · #6 ·
Should I be concerned for the health of my frogs? The water feature overflows slightly onto part of the soil, where some of my aquatic plants are thriving.

I just want to know if it is a problem?
 
DendroRachel

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#8 ·
i think Ed might actually be my herpetology/evolution prof from college... except that his name was doug lol but they have the same type of intelligence and even in the same field! although my prof was more of a snake/lizard guy
 
WendySHall

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#12 ·
EntoCraig said:
Anyone know if I should be concerned for the health of my frogs?

My stock is coming in today so this is kind of a pressing matter do me!
Click to expand...
I don't have a clue, but I would be worried too...doesn't sound like a good thing. Until you hear back from someone who knows what they're talking about (i.e. Ed :)) I would take the safest route...just in case. Place them in a sterilite or something similar with some damp sphagnum moss. Better to be safe than sorry.
 
DendroRachel

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#14 ·
I would trust Ed on this one...

do you have a pump installed for any water circulation? does the ground feel soggy instead of moist?

If i were you I would try to fix it by installing a water pump if you don't already have one, or drain some of your water. since there are no inhabitants yet leave the lid open for a few hours to help air it out. maybe reseed with springtails (if you don't have these yet, you should get them when you get a chance

good luck!
 
E

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#15 · (Edited)
Ed said:
If you are smelling an odor like natural gas then what you are smelling is an additive to allow you to detect that gas. What you are smelling is probably a hydride from anaerobic decomposition, this means that one or more of the following are occuring, 1) the substrate is too saturated resulting in anaerobic decomposition, 2) the water in the false bottom is not circulating enough and has become stagnent/anerobic.... Something in the tank is oversaturated and is not functioning as it should.

Ed
Click to expand...
My eyes and brain did not connect the dots properly last night. It should have read that you are smelling a sulphide, and not a hydride.

H2S production is the result of anerobic decomposition because the oxygen is not getting down into the substrate. A number of plants can subsist in this sort of substrate because they pump oxygen into the root zones so the health of the plants cannot be used as an indicator.

H2S is heavier than air and will collect in the lower portions of an unventilated enclosure. Toxicity is within the same ballpark as hydrogen cyanide. It is something that should be avoided in enclosure as along with the toxicity it is signaling that there is a serious disruption on how well the substrate is working. Anaerobic substrates lose much of thier capability to process nitrogenous wastes properly, prevent good conditions for the microfauna, and there are anecdotal reports of severe foot infections of frogs kept on undrained surfaces.

Some comments

Ed
 
EntoCraig

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Discussion Starter · #17 ·
Ed, thanks! The water is saturating a small portion of the soil. The water itself is circulating fine. I am going to remove the saturated part and add some rock barriers and additional drainage in the area. This area has deep soil, but it is covers with moss. I will also add some ventilation.

I'm not familiar with the toxicity of gasses. Should I be worried for the health of my frogs?

The rest of the tank is not overly saturated at all... Just this particular spot.
 
WendySHall

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#20 · (Edited)
Ed said:
My eyes and brain did not connect the dots properly last night. It should have read that you are smelling a sulphide, and not a hydride.

H2S production is the result of anerobic decomposition because the oxygen is not getting down into the substrate. A number of plants can subsist in this sort of substrate because they pump oxygen into the root zones so the health of the plants cannot be used as an indicator.

H2S is heavier than air and will collect in the lower portions of an unventilated enclosure. Toxicity is within the same ballpark as hydrogen cyanide. It is something that should be avoided in enclosure as along with the toxicity it is signaling that there is a serious disruption on how well the substrate is working. Anaerobic substrates lose much of thier capability to process nitrogenous wastes properly, prevent good conditions for the microfauna, and there are anecdotal reports of severe foot infections of frogs kept on undrained surfaces.

Some comments

Ed
Click to expand...
:eek: My guess is YES!

Cyanide = Extremely Poisonous / Deadly
 
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