Good Bacteria In Our Tanks

[Mikaila31]

First off I've always read most of the bacteria is in the filter. Now I've always assumed that this is because of the flow, but is there any other reason why the majority of it stays in the filter?

Also as far as I am aware nitrates build up in the water, hence the water change. Yet, I've recently been told that they can evaporate from the tank. To me this sounds impossible, but is there any truth to it?

 

[backtotropical]

You have hit the nail on the head with the reason for the bacteria being in the filter. The bacteria are aerobic (oxygen dependant) and so naturally prefer to live where oxygen dominates the environment. With the filter having constantly flowing water (which is always going to be oxygen rich), that is the natural place for the bacteria to set up camp.

Also, in the filter they get a constant flow of ammonia and nitrite over them which they eat at their leisure. The food comes to them rather than the other way round. The filter is a win-win situation for the bacteria.

On to your second point, it is correct that nitrate builds up in the water and is then removed by water changes. I've never heard of nitrate evaporating, and would be surprised if that were true. If it is true, why is the world performing water changes on their fish tanks to remove nitrate?

I'm no scientist so can't confirm for definite, but I suspect that nitrate doesn't evaporate from our tanks. It'll be interesting to see if anyone can confirm (maybe a topic for the scientific section?).

Cheers

BTT

 

[Mikaila31]

Kay thanks. I made some random comment on youtube which has lead to a week long discussion w/ some guy trying to tell me I am keeping fish the wrong way. I've been told the weirdest stuff, which I know is wrong. But either way I'm done with it, I just wanted to confirm a few things.

I am still interested in the nitrate thing, can someone explain why nirtate builds up in the water. Instead of magically evaporating into the air.

 

[backtotropical]

Give us a laugh then, Mikaila? What other wonderful advice have they given you?

 

[Colin_T]

Water naturally holds a certain level of oxygen (O), carbon dioxide (CO2) and nitrogen (N) gas. If you increase one of these gasses the excess will naturally come out of the water. Likewise if you decrease the amount of gas from the water, then more will enter the water from the atmosphere.

Nitrates build up in the water as a result of the biological filtration cycle. This occurs in aerobic (oxygen) conditions. If the tank becomes anaerobic (lacking oxygen) then de-nitrating bacteria start to grow and convert nitrate into nitrogen gas (and other things) and the gas can then come out of the water. Unfortunately if the tank becomes anaerobic everything dies.

Beneficial bacteria will colonise every part of the tank that has oxygen rich water. This can include the plants, gravel, ornaments, and filter media. The filter media holds the most amount of bacteria because there is a constant oxygen rich water source and plenty of habitat for the bacteria to live on (filter sponge for example). Most filter cases are also dark in colour and this reduces the light getting into them. The bacteria do better in dark conditions. Therefore most beneficial bacteria grows best in the filter because it is dark, has lots of housing and good water.

 

[drobbyb]

When water evaporates, it takes nothing with it. All of the dissolved compounds get left behind. This is how desalinization plants work. They evaporate the water leaving behind the salts and minerals and get pure water in the form of steam (from which they condense and add minerals and other good stuff to make it potable (safe to drink.))

 

[Mikaila31]

*All copy and paste. I know this info is just plain false. The discussion was going no where fast, so its over. I'm done trying to prove my points, since all the info I linked, according to him was written by idiots. Either way I don't really care. I just wanted to make sure I understood things right. He can believe what ever he wants as far as I care.

*bettas will die in moving water

*also there's no need to refrain from keeping fish in a new tank. you just buy cycle and it keeps the water harmless to fish but fine for the ecosystem (or so it claims).

*if someone tells you it's ok to have a bare tank but NOT ok to have an unfiltered tank they're retarded.

*Trust me bettas should be in bowls w/ lots of gravel or ponds. NOT IN FILTERED TANKS. You can keep him alive and justify your torture with "he's happy" and "it happens in nature" but fact of the matter is bettas are stillwater fish and the less movement in the water the more happy they are. Their poop falls IN the gravel where the tiny ammounts of toxins are immediately consumed. My point has already been proven. Yours is just a theory.

*Nitrates evaporate from the water.

*BETTAS NEED PLANTS OR CAVES. A small home would be ok if it weren't clear perhaps.

*How is it that you didn't figure out on your own (if nobody told you) that water changes are to simulate evaporation/rain.

*nobody will tell you that only 1% of the bacteria lives in the gravel. the whole point of having gravel in a tank aside from decoration is for bacteria. like usually your forum people will tell you about a natural ecosystem to give you an idea of how important gravel is because that's the ONLY filter in nature.

*Saying a betta doesn't need decorations is truly the MOST RETARDED THING I'VE HEARD. Ok people know that Oscars don't NEED decorations that bad. People know that neon tetras don't NEED decorations that bad. But if it's one common fw tropical fish that needs decorations it's a betta. EVERYBODY will agree with me on this that knows about bettas.

-And apparently my fish are living in *****


Thanks Colin for that info.

 

[Corleone]

Basically sounds like somebody who kept fish in the 60's or so, or has been taught by somebody who did, and resists everything understood since. For that matter, most of it was understood before then, but a good chunk of the hobby was stuck (and some still are) in ramshackle play-science built on incorrect assumptions.

About the only thing he got right was a couple points about bettas. They DO do better with less current, but it's pretty easy to set up a filter that produces little current in the water. I love that he passes off the extended lifespan of a betta in good condition as simply, "justification."

They also do like plants. I've never known a betta to normally spend time in a cave, but they do like to have something over their head. Plenty of plants does them worlds of good.

So plus two for the specifics but minus several hundred for the basics.

 

[Mikaila31]

Yes I will agree w/ you that any fish would do better in a planted tank. But they can still be happy are live a full life in a bare bottom tank, which was one of the points I was trying to prove to the guy.

 

[OldMan47]

Sorry Mikaila, the best you can do is show that the fish live long healthy lives. Who knows what makes a fish happy?

 

[eggy]

the thing that evaporates is ammonium nitrate particles, don't ask what tis means cuase to me it's java script:add_smilie("","smid_64")java script:add_smilie("","smid_58")
band.gif
cool1.gifjava script:add_smilie("","smid_57")
fish.gifjava script:add_smilie("","smid_58")
band.gifjava script:add_smilie(":stupid:","smid_62")
stupid.gif

 

[waterdrop]

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