Is The Ocean Cycled?

[llamalord305]

Yep, I was pondering this today and came to the conclusion that when looking at the amount of water in the ocean, it would be like putting one danio in a 150 gallon. The amount of water would dilute the ammonia, and plants would take it in.

But what about rivers? Is the current like a never ending water change? Do the nitrifying bacteria live in the gravel/substrate? Or is the ratio of fish per gallon so low, that like in the ocean, ammonia is diluted to minimum levels?

 

[River Dog]

I think you have answered your own questions. The water is ever changing just like a constant water change as you say. The amounts you are talking are vast. Any ammonia will never build up because of the movement. I haven't got any scientific answers for you I'm afraid.

 

[Bignose]

I think you have answered your own questions. The water is ever changing just like a constant water change as you say. The amounts you are talking are vast. Any ammonia will never build up because of the movement. I haven't got any scientific answers for you I'm afraid.

You actually have this completely the other way around. The fact that the ammonia levels are so low because of the dilution means that it won't take the same concentration of bacteria to process the ammonia like an in-home fish tank. Also, the algae and plants take up a lot of that ammonia and use it.

 

[kelly528]

But what about rivers? Is the current like a never ending water change? Do the nitrifying bacteria live in the gravel/substrate? Or is the ratio of fish per gallon so low, that like in the ocean, ammonia is diluted to minimum levels?

... Much like a high-GPH filter!

 

[pinkdolphin_113]

the oceans CAN be seen as a giant aquarium in one sense as the fish waste produced is broken down blah blah but the amount of phytoplankton (singular algae cells which float around the sea) that die each day and fall to the bottom (which is what oil is primarily made from) totally out weighes the amount of bacteria which can break down this organic matter...so basically it isnt broken down. it will just sink and sink and over time turns into oil...which means the ocean ISNT a giant aquarium.

so, to answer your question, no lol although the ocean is a perfectly safe place for organisms to live...it will never be completely cycled (as major fluctuations in pH etc. also occur daily too).

pink.

 

[Amberleaf]

Not really, pink. ^^; Most places have a constant pH; some places in the ocean (although, granted, this is closer to shore) will have constant pH levels.... Blah. I'm just reciting something I read in a fish book. ^^; I don't even think that the ocean *has* to be cycled; but, then agains; that's just me. ^^;

 

[pinkdolphin_113]

you're absaloutly right there Amberleaf it is usually shallower areas which have a constant pH due to the lower numbers of phytoplankton respiring. during the day the singular algae cells produce oxygen, through photosynthesis as we all know plants do, as well as carbon dioxide through repiration, but when the sun goes away, they just produce carbon dioxide which increases acidity. but this only really affects deeper water as there are a lot more algae cells present and less calcium, from corals and rocks, to act at as a buffer to keep the pH stable.

back to the cycling topic though lol the build up of dead cells at the bottom is a contribution to global warming as well as hydrocarbon production. global warming brings things with it that 'balances' the planet out, as it were. in aquarium terms, think of it as a mahoosive water change ever few thousand years or so.
saying this doesnt mean i dont think humans have anything to do with global warming...because we do. its a natural process but we have acted like a catalyst.

pink.

 

[jjkremp]

you're absaloutly right there Amberleaf it is usually shallower areas which have a constant pH due to the lower numbers of phytoplankton respiring. during the day the singular algae cells produce oxygen, through photosynthesis as we all know plants do, as well as carbon dioxide through repiration, but when the sun goes away, they just produce carbon dioxide which increases acidity. but this only really affects deeper water as there are a lot more algae cells present and less calcium, from corals and rocks, to act at as a buffer to keep the pH stable.

back to the cycling topic though lol the build up of dead cells at the bottom is a contribution to global warming as well as hydrocarbon production. global warming brings things with it that 'balances' the planet out, as it were. in aquarium terms, think of it as a mahoosive water change ever few thousand years or so.
saying this doesnt mean i dont think humans have anything to do with global warming...because we do. its a natural process but we have acted like a catalyst.

pink.

digress real quick the effects humans have on global warming is that of a grain of salt upon a north american sized iceberg =) Co2 follows heat not creates it i should know (hehe my secret for you to find out how)

anyways as for the ocean being cycled you can imagine this in a equation written out in words in a scenario of such below

say you have a 40K pool filled with cheese now lets say mice can swin within it and so can snakes falcons anything predatory to it now the cheese is the ocean the mouse ammonia mice i should say predators are the sun, acid, plants of all degrees, PRESSURE yes ammonia will break its chemical chain in the right pressure and other such tnhings to it now humans are the mouse ( ammonia ) eating bacteria now we may catch a few here and there but no matter how much those mice breed all the predators will overcome them long before enough humans gather round to eat

lmao i know its strange but eh always thought of it that way so no laughing except for the meta that humans eat mice

 

[Bignose]

Unless we want to start citing specific research about global warming -- and to bring it back to the forum's topic -- it's effects on fish, let's tread very lightly on this issue. It is far too politically charged, and hence exceptionally easy to stray away from the actual validated science part of it.

So, we can discuss it here, but I'm going to demand that citations to actual scientific documents be given instead of just opinions and hearsay.

 

[Knox213]

you're absaloutly right there Amberleaf it is usually shallower areas which have a constant pH due to the lower numbers of phytoplankton respiring. during the day the singular algae cells produce oxygen, through photosynthesis as we all know plants do, as well as carbon dioxide through repiration, but when the sun goes away, they just produce carbon dioxide which increases acidity. but this only really affects deeper water as there are a lot more algae cells present and less calcium, from corals and rocks, to act at as a buffer to keep the pH stable.

back to the cycling topic though lol the build up of dead cells at the bottom is a contribution to global warming as well as hydrocarbon production. global warming brings things with it that 'balances' the planet out, as it were. in aquarium terms, think of it as a mahoosive water change ever few thousand years or so.
saying this doesnt mean i dont think humans have anything to do with global warming...because we do. its a natural process but we have acted like a catalyst.

pink.

digress real quick the effects humans have on global warming is that of a grain of salt upon a north american sized iceberg =) Co2 follows heat not creates it i should know (hehe my secret for you to find out how)

anyways as for the ocean being cycled you can imagine this in a equation written out in words in a scenario of such below

say you have a 40K pool filled with cheese now lets say mice can swin within it and so can snakes falcons anything predatory to it now the cheese is the ocean the mouse ammonia mice i should say predators are the sun, acid, plants of all degrees, PRESSURE yes ammonia will break its chemical chain in the right pressure and other such tnhings to it now humans are the mouse ( ammonia ) eating bacteria now we may catch a few here and there but no matter how much those mice breed all the predators will overcome them long before enough humans gather round to eat

lmao i know its strange but eh always thought of it that way so no laughing except for the meta that humans eat mice

Ok that confused me even more

 

[jjkremp]

well basically when it comes to the ocean ammonia has many enemies so to say.. the bacteria in your aquariums that eat it are the least of its worries.. however if you look at how everything in the ocean works and = itself you could say its cycled but not like how aquariums are.
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also note the oceans contain about 50 times more CO 2 than the atmosphere and 19 times more than the land biosphere. CO 2 moves between the atmosphere a-nd the ocean by molecular diffusion when there is a difference between CO 2 gas pressure (pCO 2 ) between the atmosphere and oceans. For example, when the atmospheric pCO 2 is higher than the surface ocean, CO 2 diffuses across the air-sea boundary into the sea water. he oceans are able to hold much more carbon than the atmosphere because most of the CO 2 that diffuses into the oceans reacts with the water to form carbonic acid and its dissociation products, bicarbonate and carbonate ions . The conversion of CO 2 gas into nongaseous forms such as carbonic acid and bicarbonate and carbonate ions effectively reduces the CO 2 gas pressure in the water, thereby allowing more diffusion from the atmosphere.

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oh and btw my gourami will mess your gourami up

 

[jjkremp]

and as for global warming discussions and arguements there is something we all can agree on in A.

A. climate change from cool to warm to hot to warm to cool to cold to cool is natural and has occured for as long as ice records can show .. doesnt matter if in the past it was natural and now its our fault or vice versa its gonna happen no matter what now to what degree can be to our own or not..

also think about this

B. do you really think WE have the power to destroy or ruin this planet i mean we aint talking make some animals excinct and blow some A bombs we talking ruin this planet nada this planet can hold its own i never understand why most people assume humans have the power to drain all its entire self and ruin this place because pay attention nature as a whole keeps all nature in check.....

this has to do with the ocean and the word itself CYCLE just like our aquariums cycle and fix what the fish create our planet does the same so it takes a while for earth to fix added CO2 but doesnt it take some times for a aquarium to fix added ammonia that fish and decay create? the fish in your tank cant destroy it so when it comes to earth same for us for we are in earth as fish are in aquarium

 

[Bignose]

also note the oceans contain about 50 times more CO 2 than the atmosphere and 19 times more than the land biosphere.

Please cite where you got this number from. Thanks.