Another Dumb Newby Question

[Mikeco]

My tank is finally starting to cycle. I am now reading nitrites and nitrates. The ammonia is dropping. My question is this. I didn't put anything in there to start the process other than the ammonia. When the nitrites finally showed up I got to thinking. Where did the nitrite and nitrate come from?

 

[techen]

Ammonia transforms into Nitrite then goes into Nitrate.

 

[Mikeco]

Thanks. I am pretty excited watching this process.

 

[mike455555]

if you want details ammonia is NH3, this gets oxidized by the bacteria to turn it in NO2 (nitrite) and then another set of bacteria oxidizes it more to NO3- (nitrate)