beaslbob
Well-Known Member
Quote:
Originally Posted by 1guyDude http:///t/390146/live-rock-question#post_3453380
Really? U dont think its the bacteria in the rock? I look at coralline as a good indicator that ur on the right path.... proper cal and mag levels...and watever else grow the algae.
The bacteria is the starter for the aerobic and anerobic process.
Sure the bacteria grows on the rock and that bacteria does reduce ammonia to nitrates.
And anaerobic/anoxic bacteria does reduce nitrates to (hopefully) nitrogen gas. (When not working correctly the anaerobic bacteria actually reduces nitrates to ammonia and sulfur coumpounds.)
And pH probes have measured low pH values in live sand indicating anaerobic activity.
But no such measurement has been done in live rock to my knowledge.
But still the ******** of the rock could have the anaerobic/anoxic bacteria. We're just not sure because there is no way to know.
But it is well known the algae (hopefully corraline) consumes ammonia and nitrates (in that order), plus phosphates and carbon dioxide producing oxygen and fish food.
And as stated before the presence of corraline algae can be a good indicator of proper calcium, alk, mag and light. Besides it look pretty also.
So given the above and too take an extreme example let's make the assumption there is no bacteria of either kind in a newly setup tank with live rock covered with algae.
What happens is the ammonia increases, the algae consumes that ammonia preventing measureable spikes. With the assumption the rock has some ammonia nitrates leaching into the tank, there is an initial nitrate spike as the algae consumes ammonia for its nitrogen not the nitrates.
The aerobic bacteria starts building up and consuming the ammonia. Eventurally the ammonia is being consumed by the bacteria and the algae is consuming the resulting nitrates. So nitrates finally drop down.
If something goes bump in the night and ammonia results, the algae consumes the ammonia preventing dangerous spikes and tank crashes. Then as things adjust the algae is forced to consume the nitrates.
So the algae not only prevents dangerous initial cycle spikes but also later bumps and possible tank crashes.
So with or without anaerobic bacteria nitrates can be unmeasureable.
And with or without aerobic bacteia there can be no initial ammonia spike
Both simply due to the algae in the rock.
Hence my statement it is the algae that makes live rock work.
Same thing happens with algae turf scrubbers and refugiums with macro algaes. Both forms of alge could also be on the live rock.
still just my .02
Originally Posted by 1guyDude http:///t/390146/live-rock-question#post_3453380
Really? U dont think its the bacteria in the rock? I look at coralline as a good indicator that ur on the right path.... proper cal and mag levels...and watever else grow the algae.
The bacteria is the starter for the aerobic and anerobic process.
Sure the bacteria grows on the rock and that bacteria does reduce ammonia to nitrates.
And anaerobic/anoxic bacteria does reduce nitrates to (hopefully) nitrogen gas. (When not working correctly the anaerobic bacteria actually reduces nitrates to ammonia and sulfur coumpounds.)
And pH probes have measured low pH values in live sand indicating anaerobic activity.
But no such measurement has been done in live rock to my knowledge.
But still the ******** of the rock could have the anaerobic/anoxic bacteria. We're just not sure because there is no way to know.
But it is well known the algae (hopefully corraline) consumes ammonia and nitrates (in that order), plus phosphates and carbon dioxide producing oxygen and fish food.
And as stated before the presence of corraline algae can be a good indicator of proper calcium, alk, mag and light. Besides it look pretty also.
So given the above and too take an extreme example let's make the assumption there is no bacteria of either kind in a newly setup tank with live rock covered with algae.
What happens is the ammonia increases, the algae consumes that ammonia preventing measureable spikes. With the assumption the rock has some ammonia nitrates leaching into the tank, there is an initial nitrate spike as the algae consumes ammonia for its nitrogen not the nitrates.
The aerobic bacteria starts building up and consuming the ammonia. Eventurally the ammonia is being consumed by the bacteria and the algae is consuming the resulting nitrates. So nitrates finally drop down.
If something goes bump in the night and ammonia results, the algae consumes the ammonia preventing dangerous spikes and tank crashes. Then as things adjust the algae is forced to consume the nitrates.
So the algae not only prevents dangerous initial cycle spikes but also later bumps and possible tank crashes.
So with or without anaerobic bacteria nitrates can be unmeasureable.
And with or without aerobic bacteia there can be no initial ammonia spike
Both simply due to the algae in the rock.
Hence my statement it is the algae that makes live rock work.
Same thing happens with algae turf scrubbers and refugiums with macro algaes. Both forms of alge could also be on the live rock.
still just my .02
