Kaix
07-27-2006, 02:39 PM
Biological Filtration
Biological Filtration is the process whereby you cultivate bacteria (good bacteria of course) in a suitable medium - gravel, ceramics, etc., - to breakdown the soluble waste in the tank and thus, maintains the balance of your tank. Biological Filtration works by having the nitrogenous bacteria which converts the ammonia and nitrites - present from the fish wastes, excess food, etc. - into a relatively less toxic nitrate, which can then be removed by live plants or by changing water from the lowest point of the tank. Any porous medium with which oxygenated water is able to pass through will automatically have bacteria growing. If your porous medium is not dense enough, not enough bacteria will grow to convert all the wastes. There is no need to introduce or SEED the medium if you can wait. Normally, it takes about 2 - 3 weeks for the bacteria to grow in sufficient quantities to maintain your tank. As with everyone, myself included, 1 week is already a very long time to look at an empty tank. Imagine, 2 weeks?
From my experience you can put fishes in after 3 days so long as you do not introduce too many at once. The best is if you can wait at least 1 week. In a planted tank, the waiting period also allows the plants to take root. If you intend to seed the tank, use commercially available DRY POWDERED FORM. As with all life forms kept in a bottle, there is a very short shelf life for those in a liquid form. The dry form is in a domain stage and they only "wake-up" on contact with water. To use a liquid form, you might as well just throw-in a small de-shelled prawn into the tank. Other methods of seeding the tank includes pouring some aged and stable aquarium water (from your friend's tank, for example) into your tank. Some people uses pond water. The best is using "green" water.
As mentioned earlier, burying a small de-shelled prawn somewhere in the tank will also encourage the bacteria to grow.
Important point to note is that in a bare tank, adding the best bacteria will be of little help. You will need to have a place for them to develop and grow and multiply in sufficient quantities to be of any use. So, be sure to use some medium which they can take root.
No Water is bacteria Free. Any water without bacteria, is dead water. Your fishes cannot do well in such an environment.
Biological Filtration is the process whereby you cultivate bacteria (good bacteria of course) in a suitable medium - gravel, ceramics, etc., - to breakdown the soluble waste in the tank and thus, maintains the balance of your tank. Biological Filtration works by having the nitrogenous bacteria which converts the ammonia and nitrites - present from the fish wastes, excess food, etc. - into a relatively less toxic nitrate, which can then be removed by live plants or by changing water from the lowest point of the tank. Any porous medium with which oxygenated water is able to pass through will automatically have bacteria growing. If your porous medium is not dense enough, not enough bacteria will grow to convert all the wastes. There is no need to introduce or SEED the medium if you can wait. Normally, it takes about 2 - 3 weeks for the bacteria to grow in sufficient quantities to maintain your tank. As with everyone, myself included, 1 week is already a very long time to look at an empty tank. Imagine, 2 weeks?
From my experience you can put fishes in after 3 days so long as you do not introduce too many at once. The best is if you can wait at least 1 week. In a planted tank, the waiting period also allows the plants to take root. If you intend to seed the tank, use commercially available DRY POWDERED FORM. As with all life forms kept in a bottle, there is a very short shelf life for those in a liquid form. The dry form is in a domain stage and they only "wake-up" on contact with water. To use a liquid form, you might as well just throw-in a small de-shelled prawn into the tank. Other methods of seeding the tank includes pouring some aged and stable aquarium water (from your friend's tank, for example) into your tank. Some people uses pond water. The best is using "green" water.
As mentioned earlier, burying a small de-shelled prawn somewhere in the tank will also encourage the bacteria to grow.
Important point to note is that in a bare tank, adding the best bacteria will be of little help. You will need to have a place for them to develop and grow and multiply in sufficient quantities to be of any use. So, be sure to use some medium which they can take root.
No Water is bacteria Free. Any water without bacteria, is dead water. Your fishes cannot do well in such an environment.