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Algae comes in many forms and is universally unwanted except for some green spots on rock that gives it a "mature" look.
The most common are tiny floating ones, long slimy strands, green spots, short bushy tufts and also slimy brown, blue green ones.
They generally come piggy backing from plants/fishes or spores that land in your tank.
What we know is if the plants are not doing well due to a key nutrient being in short supply and there is an over abundance of light, algae will thrive and overtake the tank. As such, controlling lighting is an effective treatment of algae in all cases.
Aquatic plants, being higher organisms with larger resource stores can weather light deprivation[not zero] and survive periods up to a month in our experience.
We generally recommend using this method together with a clean up crew[CUC] and manual cleaning to remove algae.
Green water happens when small floating algae reproduces rapidly to cloud the water in a greenish tinge. The cause is generally too much light and nutrients like ammonium. Usually happens in new tank setups with soil rich in ammonium.The simplest method to get rid of it in our experience is by turning off the lights for 4-5 days and not dose any trace fertilisers with iron content. This blackout stunts the algae and gives the tank time to stabilise.
A 50% water change is recommended on the 1st and 5th day of blackout to further reduce the algae count. This lights off method does not involve covering the tank. A portable Ultraviolet Steriliser[UVS] pump can be added to hasten the process.
It can be persistent but blackout together with the UVS is 100% successful even in very thick green pea soup situations.
This algae is generally appears and noticed by us when we use cosmetic white sand that contains silicates. It feels soft and slimy to the touch and can be dark grey to brown in appearance with soft branchy filaments.
Being a hairy algae, it is consumed by Siamese Algae Eaters[SAE] and Yamato Shrimps. Best not to feed any food during treatment so that the algae eaters can focus on eating the hairy diatoms.
Treatment could last two weeks depending on how many algae eaters and the severity of the problem. A short blackout of 4-5 days also helps soften up this type of algae for the CUC.
These are the fellas that will help you tackle filamentous & slimy algae
SAE - Very effective in clearing out filamentous algae when it's around 2.5-6cm size. Could damage plants and be "lazy" when larger.
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Otocinclus - Good nibbler of filmy algae except blue green algae. Gentle on plant leaves.
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Yamato Shrimp - Voracious filamentous algae eater that also scavenges around the tank for other types of waste and leftover food. May attack plants when hungry.
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and how you tackle them
Algae A) This algae grows very rapidly and can take over the tank in a week if not attended to immediately.
This is often cause by neglect and generally unfavourable conditions for plant growth such as lack of CO2 or other key nutrients but with an over abundance of light.
This algae grows very rapidly and can take over the tank in a week if not attended to immediately.
Algae B) This is often caused by neglect and generally unfavourable conditions for plant growth such as lack of CO2 or other key nutrients but with an over abundance of light.
This algae likes to adhere to the side of the tanks, plants and anywhere close to the light.The best method in our opinion is still using a large number of CUC- clean up crew such as SAE and Yamato shrimps to tackle it together with manual removal of the algae with a net & toothbrush.
Algae C) As it is light loving, a short 4-5 day blackout works well to soften up this algae for the CUC to devour. Remember not to feed during this treatment period.
UVS is not effective in treating this type of algae.
Algae D) These three have mysteriously showed up in our tanks. They are quite persistent and grow almost as quickly Green Slime Hair Algae.The difference is it's not as slimy and can feel slightly matted.
Algae E) The colour varies from green to grey green to black.It also appears on tips of moss as black tips!Treatment is the same as for Green Slimy Hair Algae.
Algae F) Here it looks branchy and dry due to low nutrient conditions.
]]>Algae usually appears when there is an imbalance in nutrients, water circulation, CO2, oxygen and light. Too many nutrients and too little CO2 will cause algae to appear. On the other hand, too much light but too few nutrients and CO2 will also cause algae. Many hobbyists think that lowering nitrates and phosphates (which are nutrients) will reduce algae outbreaks, when algae actually thrives in a low-nutrient environment.
These are the main reasons why algae appears:
Algae typically appears in the first couple of months of a new setup. This is because a newly established Nature Aquarium does not have enough beneficial bacteria to convert ammonia through the nitrification cycle. The overabundance of ammonia will cause algae blooms. Algae will cover most part of the plants, blocking light and depriving the plants of nutrients. Plants will eventually die.
ADA substrate foundation PowerSand and five essential additives (Bacter 100, Tourmaline BC, Clear Super, Penac P and Penac W) are the main ingredients needed to jumpstart the growth of beneficial bacteria in a Nature Aquarium.
We like to start a new Nature Aquarium using the immerse method. While you do not need to follow this procedure, it will help prevent an early algae bloom, and give your foreground plants optimal conditions to become established.
This is the immerse method:
Build the substrate foundation using ADA PowerSand and add the five essential elements. Then put down a layer of ADA AquaSoil before filling the Nature Aquarium with water up to the top of the soil and planting it with foreground plants. Do not fill the aquarium with water yet; cover the Nature Aquarium with stretch film to retain the moisture inside. Provide enough light for a duration of eight to ten hours a day. Watch the foreground grow for the next two months, and do not add water.
After 2 months, beneficial bacteria will now be living inside the substrate and will be in a sufficient supply to convert excess ammonia to nitrate. At this time, you may now fill the Nature Aquarium with water. Make sure to use tepid water: icy cold water may harm the foreground plants that were planted. Do several full water changes to ensure removal of any trace of nutrients in the water column which may cause an algae bloom.
To ensure the nutrients and CO2 circulate throughout the aquarium and reach all the plants, it is important to have strong water flow. The flow rate should be five to eight times the Nature Aquarium volume. Choose a filter system with the right flow rate or supplement it with circulation pumps. When plants have sufficient access to the nutrients and CO2, they leave little remaining in the water column for algae to use.
Surface agitation will add oxygen to the system and will prevent surface scum from forming. However, too much surface agitation will also offgas the injected CO2. We suggest the use of an air pump to supply surface agitation, but only when the lights are turned off.
Plants breathe in CO2 when the lights are on and begin using oxygen as soon as the lights are turned off. When this happens and there is lack of oxygen in the system, plants, fish and beneficial bacteria fight for the dwindling oxygen. The first to suffer is the beneficial bacteria, which will die off, resulting in increased ammonia and, eventually, algae blooms. Thus the appropriate oxygen level is as important as CO2 supply.
During the summer when temperatures are higher, beneficial bacteria activity increases and demands more oxygen. It is very important to increase surface agitation when temperatures rise.
The rate at which plants absorb CO2 and nutrients depends on the amount of light provided. The more light, the more CO2 and nutrients plants need. In most cases, we provide too much light but do not measure the CO2 concentration and nutrient availability, and often, we haven't supplied enough of either. When this happens, algae blooms will appear. Make sure that you measure the water chemistry when the lights are turned on and when they are turned off. This will give you an idea of whether you need to increase or decrease your CO2 and nutrient dosing.
As a rule of thumb, we would like to achieve a pH of 6.4 and kH of 4 to get the maximum CO2 concentration of 30ppm. NO3 and PO4 can be dosed daily to attain an optimum concentration of 30ppm and 2ppm respectively.
When this regular maintenance is ignored, organic matter starts to build up in the substrate and filter media. Regular light substrate vacuuming and cleaning of the filter media will decrease accumulated organic waste, which can clog the system and increase ammonia. Light vacuuming will also aerate the substrate, which helps plant roots get oxygen, and also helps beneficial bacteria convert ammonia to the nitrate that becomes food for the plants.
Decaying leaves generate ammonia. Trimming plants of dead leaves will eliminate the ammonia source and promote new growth.
A regular water change of 10% every week is encouraged.
Takashi Amano introduced Japonica shrimp to the Nature Aquarium and thus they have become known as Japonica Amano shrimp. These shrimp are very good at controlling hair algae as well as consuming uneaten fish food and breaking down fish waste into smaller particles that beneficial bacteria can feed on. Shrimp also eat certain bacteria and other micro-organisms, preventing these from overpopulating and creating an unbalanced system. We advise two Amano shrimp per gallon of Nature Aquarium volume.
Trumpet snails are helpful in aerating the substrate. However, they tend to multiply rapidly so make sure you keep their population under control.
So-called "sucker fish" such as otocinclus, small baby plecos or ancistrus are very good at cleaning diatoms and bacteria from plant leaves, decorative stones and driftwood. If you decide to get plecos or ancistrus, make sure to rehome them appropriately when they become too big for the system. See the sequence of Ancistrus cleaning a stone.
True Siamese algae eaters will consume black beard algae and hair algae. However, they can grow to a size of more than 14cm and can become very aggressive towards other fish, so they are not appropriate for all aquarium setups.
]]>ATM is proud to introduce Hot Salt Reef, the driest and cleanest salt found in the market. Hot Salt is made of high quality “anhydrous” raw materials that have been constructed without the presence of moisture at all, thus providing a completely moisture-free salt. This is important because moisture represents the largest source of contaminants found in salt. Along with superior clearing time, ready time, consistency, and least amount of salt necessary to achieve salinity, Hot Salt Reef is simply the best. Like all other ATM products, Hot Salt is a proprietary formula and is not found in any other product.
Not all salts are created equally. The new paradigm in salt is not only about “parameters”. This is a remedial expectation of a quality salt. What separates the men from the boys is purity. Luckily for hobbyists, the difference in salt purity can be proven and seen empirically beyond any doubt.
Heat
Typical salts that contain moisture generate little to no heat at all when mixed with water. This is because the materials are already hydrated, slowing down the absorption rate. Hot Salt’s anhydrous materials, on the other hand, are the exact opposite. They have been quality controlled to such a degree that they contain no moisture so that they contain no contaminants. The average concentrated exothermic benchmark for salt mixes range from 80-120 degrees Fahrenheit. By comparison, Hot Salt registers at temperatures above boiling!
Grams
Hot Salt requires the fewest grams of any other salt to reach desired salinity. For instance, if Hot Salt requires 35g per liter and another salt requires 38.5 grams to achieve the same salinity, that is 3.5 grams of moisture and or unwanted additives! Adding this up over a 25 kg bucket the difference is not grams, but kilos! And in those kilos of water is nitrates, phosphates, organics, heavy metals, and the whole scope of contaminants that are found in salt moisture. It doesn’t take a scientist to see the cumulative effect this has on the aquarium over time.
Clearing And Ready Time
Unlike other salts that leave residues that linger, Hot Salt is completely clear in around six minutes and is ready to use in one hour. The reason is because Hot Salt utilizes all naturally occurring components*, thus relying on far fewer chemical reactions to achieve proper mix and equilibrium. Hot Salt is, without a doubt, the envy of all other salt mixes.
*Synthetic components can also cause a higher exothermic reaction due to prolonged reaction time but is not related to dryness or purity.
ATM knows that hobbyists wants useful and valuable information they can apply to their systems. They want to get to the point. With Hot Salt you get what you pay for and never less. There’s no better deal. Peace of mind is everything
INSTRUCTIONS Measure 1 lb (453.5 g) of ATM Hot Salt™ per 3.6 (US) gal (13.7 l) of pure water to achieve about a 33 ppt salinity or 1.023 specific gravity at about 77 ˚F (25 ˚C). Using this measurement, 3.78 grams of Hot Salt™ will achieve a salt concentration of about 1 ppt per gal (3.78 l). Always mix Hot Salt™ in a separate container prior to introducing to any aquarium. Depending on the mineral content of the “make up” water, Hot Salt™ may show haze for 5–20 minutes while it finds an equilibrium with minerals and salts already present within the “make up” water. Hot Salt mix is ready to use after one hour.
NEVER MIX Hot Salt™ DIRECTLY INTO THE AQUARIUM. TO AVOID INJURY NEVER PLACE WET HANDS DIRECTLY INTO HOT SALT™ AND ALWAYS USE CLEAN LATEX GLOVES WHEN HANDLING. TO PREVENT CONTAMINATION, ALWAYS MAINTAIN THE UNUSED PORTION OF HOT SALT™ IN A TIGHTLY CLOSED CONTAINER AND STORED IN A COOL DRY LOCATION SO TO ENSURE SUPERIOR QUALITY.
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Colony and Outbreak! are two completely different genomes of bacteria for two different functions. Colony, aerobic autotrophs, or true nitrifying bacteria, consume inorganic compounds (ammonia/nitrite). These are the bacteria that "cycle" the aquarium. Outbreak! contains anaerobic heterotrophic bacteria. These bacteria eat organic compounds released in decomposition of organic matter. Typically, you will use a lot more Outbreak! as it is a more "maintenance" type product. Dosage must be repeated to stay ahead of organics, whereas Colony establishes bio-filtration that will last indefinitely in a well kept aquarium. Colony should always be used when bio-load is increased, when ammonia or nitrite spikes are present, or when you have a change of media, as well as after medicating.
Porous material is great as media. The more surface area the better. Nitrifying bacteria love carbon. So always be careful to remove a lot of carbon at once, as much bacteria probably has chosen it as its home. Aeration, surface media, water, and some presences of ammonia is what is required for Colony to work.
This depends on how well the instructions are followed. Typically nitrate is seen after four days. However, it is likely present prior to this. Due to many nitrate test kit readings starting at 5.0ppm, much smaller amounts won't be read and especially in a planted system where plants can absorb some of it. Nitrite should start appearing by the 3rd day. Ammonia and nitrite should be 0ppm by the end of 5-6 days. If no nitrite is appearing after five days, an alkalinity test is in order as that is always the likely culprit to Colony Freshwater working slowly. Colony Marine rarely has issue as salt mixes and alkalinity is consistent from tank to tank
Yes, the instructions on the bottle and water parameters are important! That creates the optimum performance mentioned for Colony. While a fish-less cycle utilizing proper ammonia products will work, it is recommended to use fish to cycle the systems because its just easier and it sets the natural dynamic of the system in place from the start. The fish are safe because nitrogen spikes are controlled by feeding a tiny bit at the beginning and not feeding again until nitrite is at or near zero. Colony is livestock and must be brought along slowly, but in this case the slower you take it the faster they take root. They can be overwhelmed too fast with high levels of nitrite and begin to stall at around 5ppm... they still work, just a bit slower. Barely feed! Its the whole trick to instant cycle. Small food = small spike = food for Colony = safe fish = super fast cycle. None of your common sense rules change.
Nitrifying bacteria are aerobic autotrophs, which are a non spore-forming bacteria. This means they cannot be concentrated any more than they are in Colonywithout needing to be refrigerated. Refrigerated concentrations are sold commercially to handle thousands of gallons though. But for the shelf stable bottle, refrigeration isn't necessary because the concentration is much lower. Other bacteria, such as those in Outbreak! are safe inside of spores and can be concentrated to much greater ends. Other products that claim to "cycle" the aquarium, yet have treatments exponential of Colony are NOT true nitrifying bacteria and will not cycle the aquarium. Also, there should never be a need to dose nitrifying bacteria more than once. They are either all in there or they aren't. Just like fish, you don't need to put it in the aquarium more than once.
Outbreak! is a different kind of tool for aquatics. Outbreak! will continuously, over time improve the aquarium. Outbreak! doesn't do its job as quickly as Colony. Colony! works with matter at the molecular level and in smaller quantities. Outbreak! does the same, but with quantities you can actually see with the human eye (fish waste etc, uneaten fish food etc.). Outbreak! is a shift in the entire ecosystem of the aquarium. Continued use keeps a much cleaner and nicer aesthetic and improves water quality by preventing nutrients and nitrates that feed pests at a minimum. Outbreak! is based on the commercial formula that actually breaks down human waste at waste water treatment plants!
Yes Colony can be used as maintenance. Generally in a well kept system it isn't necessary but instances happen where it is needed as highlighted in the asnwer to question 1.
Outbreak! should not be used as a tank starter. It simply doesn't have the bacteria for the job. The disadvantages are that if tried the tank won't cycle and the fish will die! But Outbreak! will start going after all the sludge in the system. Starting with Outbreak! always ends up a top-notch, clean and hearty ecosystem for the fish.
There is no risk in overdosing Colony nor Outbreak!. Always have air bubbling! All nitrifying bacteria, including Colony, are aerobic so the more oxygen the better they work. If oxygen depletes, they start struggling and working slower.
In emergency situation whereby a tank is fully spiked with ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, maybe a dead anemones, dead fishes, over fed, water is murky and everything is in bad health, which product can respond fast and help ease up water condition?
Would it be Outbreak! or COLONY? Definitely Colony. To handle this the first step is to discontinue feeding immediately. Then, as big a water change possible should first be performed with Paradigm added. Then dose Colony. You can double/triple dose it for faster results in an emergency. It is all natural and non-toxic.
Some products claim that their anaerobic bacteria establishes bio-filtration, how can this be? Even though anaerobic bacteria multiply much faster than true nitrifying bacteria (aerobic autotrophs), they would result in a much, much, much slower removal of ammonia and nitrite, if at all. This claim is made due to the known fact some anaerobic bacteria can use ammonia (not nitrite) as a secondary energy source if organics are not present (which is extremely rare in a closed aquatic system). The claim is based on this technicality, but as we look at the actual truth in this technicality it becomes obvious that these bacteria do not perform bio-filtration. For instance, even if organics were not present in a system it could take up to 1,000,000 anaerobic bacteria cells to remove the same amount of ammonia as one cell of the aerobic autotroph bacteria in Colony. So it is clear that just because they can technically called "nitrifying bacteria", they cannot hold the distinction of "true nitrifying bacteria", which is what Colony contains.
Colony truly is the same exact bacteria that you have traditionally waited weeks and weeks to develop for bio-filtration.
]]>It doesn't take long for the aquarist to understand the value of keeping as little organics as possible in the aquarium. There are various ways of controlling organics, but often times only nature provides the most efficient methods, with billions of years of research and development on its side! By controlling organics, you control the ecological and aesthetic qualities of your tank. Because Outberak!'s bacteria can function in aerobic and anaerobic conditions, organics can run but they can't hide. The result is a dramatic reduction of NO3 and PO4 release into the water column through the most important practice in aquatics: prevention.
ATM’s Outbreak! Freshwater is a high-powered biological sludge remover that consumes decomposing organics, leaving aquariums clean and free of waste that can cause problems for biofiltration. Regular use of Outbreak! improves water quality and leaves aquariums looking their best. Specific marine formulation.
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Aquarium water quality begins with establishing and maintaining biological filtration. Proper biological filtration will help ensure aquarium health and rid your water of toxic elements.
The nitrogen cycle is the single most important process all aquariums must undergo in order for them to become established. During this process, aquariums cultivate beneficial bacterial colonies and begin to maintain a stable state, where the rate at which toxic compounds are introduced into the aquarium equals the rate at which they are converted into less harmful compounds.
ATM Colony is a bottle of True Nitrifying Bacteria.
Before fish can be introduced into the aquarium, bio-filtration must be established to filter out the toxic ammonia and nitrite created by fish waste. ATM's Colony establishes this bio-filtration in days instead of weeks with real, commercial grade nitrifying bacteria. Used by ATM, the #1 aquarium builders in the world, Colony comes in two different formulas we use to introduce fish immediately on our own custom installations. Colony for Freshwater contains real Nitrosomonas and Nitrobacter bacteria, which are specific for the freshwater environment. Colony for Marine contains two different real strains specific for marine systems: Nitrococcus and Nitrosococcus. These formulas have proven time and again to be the champions of instant cycling on site at ATM installations.
1.) What experience does ATM's labs have with nitrifying bacteria? |
Pro Formulas, Pro Results isn't just slogan but the reality. ATM�s staff of research and production professionals include microbiologists, aquaculturists and aquatic specialists who have spent every day over the last 20 years perfecting the growth and packaging of pure strains of true nitrifying bacteria. What designates ATM as the global leader in aquatic biological formulas is that they can be found in multiple professional aquatic, environmental, and industrial applications across the planet, not just home aquaria. The subsequent answers from our team result from extensive application as leaders in the field for a very long time. |
2.) Can nitrifying bacteria last for 4 years in a bottle? If not, why? |
True nitrifying bacteria, that which colonize bio-media within an aerobic filter and which utilize primarily inorganic ammonia and nitrite, do not have the ability to create spores like other types of bacteria that utilize organic (sludge like) substances in an aquatic environment. The ability to create spores give bacteria a �seed like� ability to survive long periods of time, sometimes years and years, with no detrimental effects to the bacteria. In the case of aerobic nitrifying bacteria, the bacteria does not have the ability to create a spore form and subsequently must �draw� from internal nutritional resources to survive. If you think of nitrifying bacteria like a hibernating bear, it can survive for a extended period of time (several months) given unique environmental parameters but it is continually sacrificing nutritional reserves in order to survive. Under the best �environmental parameters�, true nitrifying bacteria can survive for approximately eight months in an hibernate state. Knowing this, there is no way that the true nitrifying bacteria can survive 4-years in a bottle since they do not create spores and cannot survive longer than 8 months in their hibernate state. This effectively disqualifies them from the equation of a product claiming a four-year shelf life and at the same time claiming to establish bio-filtration as we desire in aquaria or any other aquatic application that relies on true nitrification. |
3.) Is there any value in regard to nitrifying bacteria of the anaerobic variety? Are there any anaerobic bacteria that perform nitrification? |
Although true nitrifying bacteria have the ability to survive aerobically, ammonia and nitrite are not converted without the presence of oxygen. There are a few non-nitrifying bacteria that possess the ability to convert ammonia directly to nitrate under unique environmental conditions not typically found within an aquarium. Some might draw a conclusion that this is nitrification but since these same bacteria often possess the ability to convert the same nitrate back to deadly ammonia within a extremely short period of time, the use of this type of bacteria would be dangerous and impractical for aquarium use. Furthermore, wet dry filters, sponge filters, carbon filters, rotating bio contactors (RBC), gravel filters and fluidized beds are all designed to house and grow true nitrifying bacteria-all aerobic for a very good reason. |
4.) What are the limitations of using Nitrosomonas bacteria? |
Lack of oxygen limits true nitrifying bacteria from doing their jobs. Since aquariums should always have plenty of oxygen this limitation becomes irrelevant. Antibiotics can wipe out nitrifying bacteria. Since nitrifying bacteria have no spore stage, any attempts of drying nitrifying bacteria can cause the cell to lice or �crack open� which kills the bacteria. Any dry products claiming to be nitrifying bacteria and are in a dry powdery form are not living nitrifying bacteria. Over heating true nitrifying bacteria over 45 C or freezing bacteria at 0 C will kill true nitrifying bacteria. Aquariums should maintain a minimum 85 ppm of alkalinity at all times so that true nitrifying bacteria, the only bacteria responsible for proper bio-filtration, can properly utilize ammonia and nitrite. |
5.) Would you call the bacteria in Colony unstable? |
The bacteria in Colony is very stable as long as it�s not older than 8 months, does not freeze or over heat. In the aquarium environment, they are as stable as the aquarium itself since true nitrifying bacteria function optimally at pretty much all of typical, healthy aquarium conditions. |
6.) Is it realistic for nitrifying bacteria to work the same in all water parameters across the board? |
No. In the case of just about any living organism, the closer that you are to an optimum environment condition the better the organism functions. In the cases true nitrifying bacteria, non optimal conditions could cause reduction in efficiency. A good example would be cold water situations. In cold water, nitrifying bacteria continue utilizing ammonia and nitrite but not nearly as effective as when the water is warmer. This is the case when looking at pH or low alkalinity situations or other water parameters, the further that you slip away from optimum, the less affective nitrifying bacteria become. If any product is claiming that nitrfying bacteria of any usefulness works in any and all parameters it is a faux pas and they are not describing true nitrifying bacteria. |
7.) Can freshwater and saltwater nitrifying bacteria be packaged in the same bottle together, or with other kinds of bacteria? If not, why? |
No. Saltwater and Freshwater nitrifying bacteria are completely different bacteria species that are normally maintained in different environmental conditions and therefore must be bottled differently. It must be realized that these are organisms and not chemicals, therefore have express handling rules. The biggest deception in the hobby is products that claim to establish bio-filtration in both freshwater and saltwater environments with the same product. You must have separate appropriate strains and they cannot be packaged together based on laws of nature. In the case of combining nitrifying bacteria with non-nitrifying bacteria such as spore-forming bacteria, the combination of the two types of bacteria would destroy true nitrifying bacteria almost instantly. Spore-forming bacteria are packaged in spore form, this is why they can live for long periods of time. To maintain sporulated bacteria in a spore form requires the presence of a preservative. Preservatives signal to these types of bacteria that the environmental condition, within the bottle, is not suited for the bacteria to emerge and the bacteria stays in a spore form. Since true nitrifying bacteria do not possess the ability to form spores, these preservatives, or sometimes called inhibitors, intended to maintain spore forming bacteria instantly kill aerobic nitrifying bacteria on contact. The possibility of combining the two bacteria for more than a week would mean a 100% destruction of true nitrifying bacteria. The two forms of bacteria cannot be combined to form a viable product. |
8.) Is there any advantage to spreading out dosage of Colony or is it better to dose all at once? |
True nitrifying bacteria can live for hundreds of generations and as long as environmental conditions stay about the same, additional applications of Colony are not normally needed. With that said, it is rare for environmental conditions in an aquarium or water garden pond to always stay the same. Instances where an additional application of Colony would prove useful would include after cleaning a biofilter, after the use of a disease fighting compound such as copper, antibiotics of formalin, after the introduction of additional fish or just after a pond warms up in the Spring and fish start eating aggressively. True nitrifying bacteria grow and shrink to meet the daily demands of ammonia and nitrite production so adding Colony is always a safe practice to follow. |
So you want to cycle a new aquarium, eh? This is, no doubt, hobbyist’s least favorite step in aquarium keeping. This step probably promotes more questions, confusion, frustration, and giving up than any other. ATM views cycling differently. We actually think it is fun! Why? Because it is more simple than many like to make it seem. Cycling, be it the long way or instantly, is systematic and has certain rules and parameters that provide a logical check list on how to get a cycle established every time. At ATM, aquarium cycling is an extremely important step of custom installations. So what is aquarium cycling? It goes like this:
The term “cycling” is defined by establishing biological filtration in the aquarium. Biological filtration, or the “biofilter”, is made up of bacteria that filter out the toxic ammonia from the aquarium via a process called “nitrification”. Nitrification is a two-bacteria strain process that turns toxic ammonia ultimately to nitrate. One bacteria serves as an “ammonia converter” that turns ammonia to nitrite. The other strain serves as the “nitrite converter” that turns the nitrite into nitrate, the end of the process. What we will do for the sake of this article is encourage you to think less of bacteria in terms of “microbes”, and more in terms of “livestock. They have their own requirements, conditions, and care that must be practiced just like the live stock you can see.
Nitrifying bacteria don’t just “happen” in the aquarium, or in other words, just appear immaculately. Like everything else in your aquarium they must be imported from somewhere else into a new aquarium, even if it’s just a handful. They can be imported from media or objects from another system but most often they arrive in or on the fish themselves if media isn’t used. In order to start this colony of livestock, only one of each strain is required: One ammonia converter and one nitrite converter.
Let’s just say that in a system cycled only by introducing starter fish, one of each bacteria fall off and stick on some new media in the system. Starting with a population of 2 and with a division rate of once every 24 hours, with proper conditions and adequate food, nitrifying bacteria will grow to a population of 549,755,813,888 by the end of 40 days! With a flourishing colony your ammonia and nitrite will be at or around 0ppm with present nitrates and your aquarium is cycled.
The faster, and no less effective cycle, is to directly import nitrifying bacteria with a product such as ATM’s Colony. While importing media from another system can establish biofiltration, using a biological proudct such as Colony works just as good and usually better because you know you have the amount of nitrifying bacteria needed in every bottle. Such information isn’t provided on a chunk of live rock. Colony also carries zero risk of transmitting any harmful viruses or pathogens that could be residing in other systems. Colony introduces millions of real, living nitrifying bacteria that gets the cycle done fast. The other benefit of this method is that you become aware of any possible water chemistry issues that could be hampering the performance and growth of nitrifying bacteria. It’s better to find this out in the first few days than 4-5 weeks later!
Water conditions. Before you start to cycling your aquarium it is important to go into it with some knowledge about how nitrifying bacteria live and survive. Think of your aquarium as a “power plant” for your bacteria and each individual water “parameter” as a toggle switch. As each condition is met, you flip the switch and the green light glows. When all of your switches are glowing green, your bacteria are powered and will function. Just one red switch and frustration likely follows. Just like you need a certain amount of oxygen, nutrients, water, and minerals to survive so do nitrifying bacteria. So what are these “parameters”?
Before beginning your aquarium cycle, let’s look at the aquarium as something different like, say, a power plant and a light bulb. The water plays the part of the power plant and the nitrifying bacteria plays the part of the light bulb. In an aquarium the nitrifying bacteria is just as dependent upon the water conditions as the light bulb is upon the power plant. No juice? No go. Below are the water conditions, or toggle switches, that must get a green light before the power plant will work and the light bulb will turn on with maximum brightness!
Nitrifying bacteria are waterborne, aerobic microbes. This means they require oxygen to function properly, but not necessarily to live(more on this later). A properly aerated system with plenty of oxygen is necessary for a quality cycle. The less oxygen they have, the more lethargic they get and require less feeding, which results in less ammonia and nitrite being consumed in the system. The more oxygen, the better. If your aquarium is properly aerated, then you have your first green light!
Temperature is very important to nitrifying bacteria. Varying temperatures bring about different results on the high and low end. Nitrifying bacteria will live between 32°F-112°F. Outside of that range they will die. This means that nitrifying bacteria cannot be frozen! This also eliminates the possibility of nitrifying bacteria arriving in powder or spore form. The optimum temperature for nitrifying bacteria in an aquarium system is between 74°F-86°F. Falling below 74°F will result in slower metabolism and conversion will occur much slower, being cut in half at around 65°F. If your temperature is within the optimum range then you have another green light!
pH is very important to nitrifying bacteria as well. In most freshwater systems it is recommended to maintain a pH of between 7.4-8.0 and 8.0-8.3 in most marine systems. pH outside of that range will stress the nitrifying bacteria and a drop-off in production is likely to result in most cases. Flip that switch and get yourself another green light!
Alkalinity is usually the integer that gets lost in starting an aquarium. It is rarely checked in this context and it’s the most frequent cause of cycling frustrations. Alkalinity generally isn’t a problem with marine aquariums due to the added salt containing most of what nitrifiers need. Alkalinity is, by far, most problematic in freshwater systems. As *tap water is most definitely recommended for freshwater aquariums instead of R/O water stripped of necessary trace elements and phosphate, it is different depending on where you live. Total alkalinity carbonate hardness (KH) should be kept at no lower than 70 KH (7 dKH) and recommended between 90-120 KH (9-12 dKH) minimum. This should be checked or verified before attempting to cycle your freshwater system. Another green light!
Phosphate?? What??? Phosphate is one of the fundamental building blocks of life on Earth. Therefore, if nitrifying bacteria is deprived of phosphate they will not function. This is a problem when **R/O or DI water is used instead of tap water. Water that has been intensely filtered will be void of not only phosphate but other necessary trace elements, notably calcium, magnesium, and sodium bicarbonates. In some very, very, very rare cases water like this can come out of the tap in urban areas from rural areas. This is why it is important to check total alkalinity and even phosphate if possible if you are in one of these areas.
*hum… spark… spark…..* We’re live! With an introduction of an ammonia source your nitrifying bacteria now have a place to live, grow, and give you years of joy with a healthy aquarium!