'cycling' The Sea

[Declan]

Well,

Whilst watching ocean on BBC, it got me thinking, in every single aquaria, the most common piece of advice is to cycle it. It got me thinking, how did the sea cycle?

And on the topic of cycling the sea, how are Nitrates removed? Because, no one comes along and does 25% water changes, now do they?

D.

 

[Colin_T]

the sea bought a push bike and went cycling. But before it took up cycling it used to ride seahorses to get from A to B.

Asking how the sea cycled is a bit like asking how life started, who knows.

Nitrates would be removed from the ocean and large rivers by anaerobic bacteria living in the substrate and inside big rocks. This bacteria lives in areas without oxygen and breaks down the nitrates into nitrogen gas and other things that can then come out of the water and into the air. However, the ocean has huge amounts of algae, (free floating and stuck to rocks) and this alga uses all the ammonia that is produced by the fish. Any ammonia that doesn't get absorbed by the algae simply gets diluted into the ocean until it does get used. A small amount of it might be used by aerobic bacteria living on the outside of rocks but the majority would be used by algae.

 

[Declan]

the sea bought a push bike and went cycling. But before it took up cycling it used to ride seahorses to get from A to B.

Actually had me in stitches..

But yeah, had never thought of it like that..

D.

 

[reportingsjr]

If there are nutrients, something will evolve to take those nutrients up! Once you have the right bacteria and literally an ocean of nutrients, let the reproduction begin!

 

[webber555]

In terms of water changes, it's happening all the time, through evaporation and adding fresh iver water, runoff etc

 

[5teve-0]

has nobody ever seen me on southend pier with my gravel vac? i feel like i have been wasting my time now.

 

[bagu]

has nobody ever seen me on southend pier with my gravel vac? i feel like i have been wasting my time now.

ROFL!

 

[Jonathangerous]

"If there are nutrients, something will evolve to take those nutrients up! "

nothing could be more true.

 

[Xenon Junkie]

has nobody ever seen me on southend pier with my gravel vac? i feel like i have been wasting my time now.

LOL!!!
Maybe if more people get to work we'll make the sea a cleaner place