Path: utzoo!hoptoad!amdcad!decwrl!ucbvax!rutgers!husc6!psuvax1!burdvax!sdcrdcf!trwrb!trwind.TRW.COM!nrcvax!nrc-ut!andre From: andre@nrc-ut.UUCP (Andre' Hut) Newsgroups: alt.aquaria Subject: Re: Information on filtration needed Keywords: filters, ammonia Message-ID: <372@nrc-ut.UUCP> Date: 21 Dec 87 21:43:27 GMT References: <539@ncrcan.Toronto.NCR.COM> <2598@gryphon.CTS.COM> <369@nrc-ut.UUCP> <2642@gryphon.CTS.COM> Reply-To: andre@nrc-ut.UUCP (Andre' Hut) Distribution: alt Organization: Network Research Corp. Salt Lake City, UT Lines: 49 In article <2642@gryphon.CTS.COM> richard@gryphon.CTS.COM (Richard Sexton) writes: >In article <369@nrc-ut.UUCP> andre@nrc-ut.UUCP (Andre' Hut) writes: >>>I think I's stir the gravel up and diatom it to get it as clean as possible >>>and THEN do as you propose. But I cannot see any advantage to do what >>>you are proposing. >>This is a *good* way to upset the biological function of the undergravel filter. >>If you stir it all up and diatom it, then you will see an ammonia cycle! >Good, I'd love to see an ammonia cycle. >Seriously, what are you talking about ? What is an "ammonia cycle" ? Fish produce waste products. The main toxin in those waste products is ammonia. The undergravel filters job is to process those ammonia ions into nitrates. First of all, you need sufficient amounts of the right bacteria living in your gravel to do the job. Once that is established, the bacteria will convert the ammonia into nitrites (another toxin), and finally nitrates (also a toxin, but not nearly so dangerous). The nitrates will be converted by plant action into plant material (food) and oxygen which some fish eat. ...The ammonia cycle... To "see" an ammonia cycle, you need the appropriate test kits. These are usually sold for salt water aquaria. >I usually drain half to a third of the water. Scrape all the algae off (and >make spinich lasagna) and by this time the water is pretty stirred up >from all the muck. I throw the diatom filter on it, and add new water. >At this poiny I stir up the gravel a bit, wait 10 min. for the gravel >to clear up, and repeat four or five times. Stirring a bit is ok, it will allow a clogged UG filter to get a flow going again. Really going at it, to make it all look squeeky clean will upset the bacteria colonies, and you will get a rise in the ammonia level. >Now, if you are saying that by stirring up the gravel you will see >a rise in the ammonia level, something isn't right here. I thought >all that ammonia was being converted to nitr*tes, so where is the >ammonia coming from ? Fish shit. -- ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- sdcsvax-\ ihnp4-\ \ \ Andre' Hut sdcrdcf!psivax!nrcvax!nrc-ut!andre / / / hplabs--/ ucbvax!calma-/ / utah-gr!uplherc/ Network Research Corporation 923 Executive Park Dr. Suite C Salt Lake City, Utah 84117 -----------------------------------------------------------------------------