Is This Theory True?

[KeTeL1]

My theory is that the benifical bacteria in tanks helps break down waste in septic systems. like on the commercial for Ridex how it uses bacteria and enzymes to break down waste. is this a plauseible theory??

 

[kribensis12]

Thats how it works! I've seen a show about it!

 

[geo7x]

Thats how it works! I've seen a show about it!

Believe everything you see on TV do you?

Can I ask why you specifically think that aquarium bacteria is the same as in septic tanks? Why do you think the theory is correct? At the moment you have given a statement but no evidence as to why you think this. Also maybe explain what the advert claims as I've never seen it.

I'm no expert in this however as far as I am aware in aquariums the only bacteria that make any difference or cause any impact on what is in the water is nitrifying bacteria. Of course these are most probably present in septic tanks as well, as ammonia is also in human waste.

However from what I can make out you are talking about bacteria breaking down the actual waste substance, i.e. the faeces, made from undigested fibrous food. These would be broken down by detritivores, and surely these would not be 'beneficial' in an aquarium, nor would they be able to thrive in a tank as any solid waste that fish produce is (hopefully) removed through the relatively intensive cleaning that a tank goes through every week, if it was left to build up though the tank may eventually become a mini septic tank

You mention enzymes but what kind of enzymes do you mean? There are many.

As I said it would be nice if you could explain the theory and the content of the advert in more depth as it is a bit broad at the moment and there is no proposed evidence for me to research and hence I can't really back up or challenge the theory.

Willing (kind of expecting ) to be proven wrong as always But would like some proposed evidence.

 

[KeTeL1]

I was just saying that cause the bacteria in fish tanks breaks down ammonia and all so i thought it might help in a septic system. it was just an idea that popped in my head. i aint no expert niether.

 

[Bignose]

The problem, ketel, is that you're failing to recognize the difference between species. In this case, species of bacteria. Heck, even in our tanks, there are two completely different species that take of the pollution for us. There is one species that does the ammonia oxidizing and then a very different species of bateria that does the nirite oxidizing.

The species that colonize our tanks have only recently (1990's) been recognized as different than the ones who oxidize ammonia and nitrite in wastewater applications. The wastewater species are still incorrectly identified in a lot of aquarium literature today. The wastewater species do the same thing, oxidize ammonia and nitrite, but they are completely different organisms. Just like a cat and a dog are completely different. Cats and Dogs are both mammals, but obviously different species. The wastewater bacteria and the aquarium bacteria are all bacteria, but are different species.

And that is also what will colonize septic systems. If your question is, is there bacteria in there? Then, the answer is a resounding yes. But, human waste doesn't generate much ammonia at all. There is no reason that the ammonia oxidizing bacteria would colonize in a septic system except in small amounts. I am sure that there are some ammonia oxidizing bacteria in there, but not necessarily the same species as is usually dominant in home aquaria. If I remember correctly, there have been at least a half dozen different species of ammonia oxidizing bacteria and another half dozen different species that do nitrite oxidation. But, if your question is that it is the same bacteria in our tanks that breaks down human waste, then it is a definite no.

 

[pastabake]

There was me thinking that Urea was basically Ammonia ... mmm

I would suggest that the main difference is that the septic tank will be an oxygen depleted environment and so the bacteria are more likely to be anaerobic, while the beneficial bacteria in an aquarium are aerobic.

The term "septic" refers to the anaerobic bacterial environment that develops in the tank and which decomposes or mineralizes the waste discharged into the tank. Adding a supplemental bacterial agent to the tank will accelerate the digestion of solids in the tank. Septic tanks can be coupled with other on-site wastewater treatment units such as biofilters or aerobic systems involving artificial forced aeration.[1]

No idea what the aerobic bacteria would be in the second instance, but I can see no reason why some might not be the same kind as found in an aquarium. After all from what I hear an oldschool method of fishless cycling involves the use of ones own urine.