LR Rubble in sump

[midiman]

We all have our opinions.

Perhaps I did misread your post. However, one cannot have "opinions" about matters of fact.

One being the bacteria that eats ammonia and nitrates no longer do their job and produce nitrates so there for eliminating

This is not correct. The bacteia that "eat" ammonia are not at all the same as the ones that "eat" nitrates.

which in studies has shown that the lack of oxygen can and will remove nitrates for several reasons.

It's not the lack of oxygen per se that removes nitrates, but the anaerobic bacteria that metabolize them.

Unless these studies that are put out are full of it???

I'm always up to learn something new. To which studies are you referring?

 

[morphviper]

These where put out in a news letter I got about a year ago and it was by a Dr. Robert Goldstein. The only reason I remember is because I really admire his research.

I don't think that I am getting my point accross. I must be wording everything wrong because we just keep going in a circle, so I will drop it.

thanks for the the debate though. it is always good!

 

[steve-s]

Not sure if this will help clarify for some but...

Nitrosomona bacteria consume the ammonia as a food source which is expelled as nitrite (all bacteria expell nitrite to a degree). The next stage is nitrobacters which consume the nitrite and expell it primarily as nitrate. That is the extent of nitrification.

The next stage is denitrification and what completes the nitrogen cycle. This is accomplished by varying sets of bacteria. Primarily strict (or obligate) anaerobes (less desirable) and facultative anaerobes (more desirable). Strict anaerobes live within an oxygen void environment and consume honorary oxygens or elements containing O2. Anaerobic biproducts are quite nasty resulting in partly methane and hydrogen sulphide.

Facultative anaerobes live within an oxygen reduced environment refered to as anoxic. They can alter between an O2 or O2 void environment, as with the areas within LR or a shallow sandbed. The larger the rock the more likely the denitrification process to work depending on porosity. Facultative bacteria IMO being the more desirable in an anoxic setting due to the final stages of their waste expulsion being CO2 and nitrogen gas. If these same bacteria end up in an oxygen void environment they switch to a fermentation style of digestion.

Cheers
Steve

 

[morphviper]

Nicely put!

Thanks steve!