The Nitrogen cycle breaks down bacteria and fish waste into harmless compounds. It is crucial for your aquarium fish to survive.
Fish eat and release ammonia into the water. The ammonia in the water is poisonous to fish. In a tank that is cycling, beneficial bacteria (nitrifying bacteria) consume this ammonia, and convert it to the nitrite.
Process
Ammonia is a byproduct of aquariums as fish waste and decaying foods breakdown. Ammonia can be toxic to fish and could burn their gills, so it has to be converted into something less damaging through beneficial bacteria. The nitrogen cycle is the name given to this process. The process is natural in nature when fish and other organisms produce waste. However, because aquariums keep the water in a single location, the nitrogen cycle must be artificially established.
The first step is to add ammonia into the tank. Ammonia is broken down by a chemical reaction bacteria called Nitrosomonas which release nitrites. A different type of bacterium called Nitrifying Bacteria, then converts the nitrites to Nitrates. In the end, algae or plant life consumes the nitrates and produces oxygen.
It is very important that an aquarium is properly “cycled” prior to adding fish to it. If the tank is not cycled, ammonia and nitrite levels will rise to dangerously high concentrations which could kill or poison the fish. The best way to cycle the be ca rong aquarium you just bought is to use the method of stocking it slowly with smaller fish, and then adding bacteria starters such as Fritz Zyme or Stability.
Be careful not to rinse the filter with tap water as chlorine could kill beneficial bacteria that are essential for the nitrogen cycle. Also, wait until the Nitrogen Cycle has completed before adjusting the pH in the aquarium.
Beneficial Bacteria
Beneficial bacteria are crucial to a healthy aquarium. They take organic wastes like dead plants, fish waste and other organic matter. These bacteria transform toxic ammonia, nitrite, and other organic waste into non-toxic nitrogen. They also help remove heavy dissolved organic loads from the water, and reduce the phosphate levels. These heterotrophic, obligately aerobic bacteria (that means that they have to consume other food items) reside in the filter media as well as on solid surfaces in the tank like stones, gravel, decorations and even plants. However, it requires a lot of flow of water through these spaces and some time to establish themselves.
In nature the nitrogen cycle takes place naturally as animals create waste. Then nature purifies it. But, aquariums must use a different method to ensure safe water. When fish produce waste, the waste is contaminated with bacteria that could harm them if they are exposed to it. The nitrogen cycle can break these harmful bacteria down and ensures the water is suitable for swimming.
There are a variety of products available which claim to “seed” an aquarium with nitrifying bacteria However, the most effective method to begin the Nitrogen Cycle is by doing regular water changes and using a well-made filter that can take on the burden. Nitrifying bacteria can be found all around us and within the air. It takes time for them to grow enough to allow nitrogen cycle in motion.
Ammonia Control
Regular water changes, even partial ones, are the most effective method to reduce ammonia levels in fish tanks. When making these water changes, make sure using smaller scoops or bucket to replenish the water, instead of dumping out the whole contents of the tank. This will minimize the disruption on the substrate. The water changes might need to be done more frequently according to the levels of ammonia.
Another way to control ammonia levels is by reducing intake of fish. Ammonia is generated when the protein in the fish food is broken down by the digestive system. The ammonia then gets released into the urine and also breaks into Nitrites. Nitrites are later converted into Nitrates by a different group of bacteria. This is part of the aquarium’s nitrogen cycle.
Both groups of nitrifying bacteria require oxygen in order to perform and to develop. These bacteria will cease function or end up dying if the level of oxygen in your aquarium decreases. The bacteria also require alkalinity for their function. Ammonia levels rise when the alkalinity of the water drops. Nitrifying bacteria won’t be able to function.
regular water changes are essential to keep the ammonia levels lower when cycling a brand new aquarium. Adding live aquatic plants and liquid starter solutions will aid in keeping ammonia levels in check. These products introduce beneficial bacteria to the substratum and filter medium that will enable them to break down ammonia.
Aquarium Water Quality Maintenance
The maintenance of healthy water in an aquarium requires consistent monitoring of pH, Ammonia, Nitrite and Nitrate. These are natural chemicals produced by fish waste, food and organic matter decomposing however in extreme amounts they can cause death to fish and other animals in the tank. Regular testing can reveal these spikes swiftly.
All new fish tanks go through a process of establishing beneficial colonies of bacterial and getting their filtration systems running at speed. It could take some time to get the new tanks functioning. The process is known as “cycling”, or “nitrogen cycles”. Even older aquariums could be subject to periodic cycles.
Nitrification occurs in the colony of bacteria that converts ammonia to nitrite through natural respiration. The nitrite is converted into nitrate in the aquarium filtration system by bacteria. As it prevents oxygen exchange, it can be harmful to fish. This causes the fish to become suffocated. Nitrate should be kept below 5 ppm for freshwater and below 0 ppm for the marine and reef systems.
Test kits are the ideal method of determining what type of maintenance is needed for your aquarium’s water. Follow the directions on the test kit you purchased to determine what kind of water you have in the aquarium (Freshwater Saltwater Reef). Depending on the method you choose to cycle your tank, you will need to monitor ammonia levels and nitrite levels daily and make the water change every time readings are above zero.
