Originally Posted by
florida joe
http:///forum/post/3225338
sterile or
• Asepsis, a state of being free from biological contaminants
free from living organisms and especially microorganisms or dead you can not have bacteria form in our aquariums with out a degrading of something with some sort of life to it i don't give a crap. if you have a sterile environment bacteria will NOT find a way in
If the rock started with no bacteria on it (ie sterile), it could still obtain the necessary bacteria from the outside environment (again, it's ubiquitous) and flourish.
The NH3- ions that are necessary for the bacteria to thrive are given off by the dead or decaying organisms on the rock.
This statement: "you can not have bacteria form in our aquariums with out a degrading of something with some sort of life to it" is completely false. NH3- is a chemical. It is not living and has never been living. Add that to your aquarium and you'll get a cycle.