Nitrogen cycle
In youre pond and aquarium things can go wrong
when there are to much waste products produced
by youre fishes.
For this reason its important to have a basic
understanding of the nitrogen cycle.
That cycle starts with the production of ammonia by youre fishes.
Ammonia
Ammonia is produced by all animals by there urine,
also: dead animals or plants and food waste.
Ammonia is very toxic so if there is no
removal of ammonia, poisioning of youre
animals will soon occur.
Nitrosomonas bacteria remove the ammonia
by transforming ammonia into nitrite. Nitrosomas
bacteria are very slowly growing, and
they need a lot of oxygen.
Problems with ammonia are most fequent seen
at the startup of a pond or aquarium,
as there are no nitrosomas bacteria.
Dead fish and waste food are the other
causes of ammonia poisioning.
Nitrite
Nitrite is produced by nitrosomas bacteria and
removed by nitrobacter bacteria. One sees only
problems in nitrite levels if the filter is cleaned
and thus the Nitrosomas bacteria are removed.
Nitrate
Nitrate is produced by nitrobacter bacteria and
removed by plants. If there are to little plants,
nitrate will be a danger for youre fishes.
Nitrate is not a poison but a fertilizer
and algae will become a problem if nitrate
levels are to high.
Nitrate problems arise with to little waterplants or
to much fish.
Duckweed
Duckweed is a floating waterplant that has the unique
quality to use Ammonia and nitrite and nitrate directly,
so without the help of bacteria. More about this here
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