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Tropical Fish

Goldfish

 

The Nitrogen Cycle is the different bacterial actions to remove organic wastes from water.

This is the process whereby invisible toxins (Ammonia and Nitrite) are transformed into a relatively harmless substance (Nitrate), by bacterial action.

Ammonia is a very toxic substance produced primary by decaying leftover food and organic substances, overcrowding and inadequate filtration. Fish themselves create ammonia as they breathe.

Beneficial bacteria known as Nitrosomonas and Nitrobacter exist in the aquarium. These bacteria are commonly referred to as "nitrifying" bacteria. These aerobic bacteria attach to hard surfaces such as gravel, glass, rocks, filter panels and filter media. They need oxygen to live and use the harmful Ammonia and Nitrite as an energy source.

In the Nitrogen Cycle, Nitrosomonas absorb Ammonia as an energy source, and transform it into Energy plus Nitrite. This process takes approximately ten days for most aquariums and as a result produces Nitrite. Although slightly less toxic than Ammonia, high concentrations of Nitrite can also prove fatal to aquarium inhabitants.

When Ammonia concentrations are low, the other beneficial bacteria, Nitrobacter, can go after the newly created energy source i.e. Nitrite. Over a period of approximately twenty-one days, Nitrobacter absorb Nitrite and transform it into Energy plus Nitrate. This final by-product of the Nitrogen Cycle is a mild toxin that, in high concentrations, is believed to inhibit the growth of Nitrosomonas and Nitrobacter. Standard water changes of plus minus 25% once a week are highly recommended to reduce these Nitrate concentrations.

Without strong biological breakdown of toxins, fish will literally poison themselves. The contact time (the time the water is in contact with the filter media) of the water plays a major role with the speed the toxins are broken down. How longer the contact time, the more efficiently the bacteria can break down toxins.

Many beginners are unsuccessful simply because they do not realize the importance of this invisible bacterial filter and that it requires time to develop naturally.

By adding a living bacterial supplement to your aquarium the waiting period can be reduced dramatically. It immediately inoculates the bacteria required to establish an effective biological filter.