Where Do They Come From?

[Bugsvile]

Ok, this may sound really daft, aside from mature media, where does the good bacteria come from?

Is it assumed you have this bacteria in your water supply already?

I know its only quick and possibly daft but i am intrigued and would love to know.

 

[coldcazzie]

Is it assumed you have this bacteria in your water supply already?

I think so... I always assumed it was a small amount of bacteria in the water supply that then makes the most of the ideal conditions provided in the filter media.

Although that begs the question that, if they are in the water supply, how have they not died considering that chlorine is not only toxic to fish but also the filter bacteria...?

 

[sjolliff]

Where i live Keighley, on the yorkshire water website it tells you about whats in your water and there are traces of nitrite and nitrate

 

[Bugsvile]

Where i live Keighley, on the yorkshire water website it tells you about whats in your water and there are traces of nitrite and nitrate

Ok so i am so new to this, but i thought ( perhaps incorrectly) there is one bacteria that chomps on ammonia, one for nitrite and we clean the nitrate?

So if that is right i am baffled, where do the ammonia eating bacteria come from?

 

[Tolak]

http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?showtopic=161413l= Post #19.

 

[coldcazzie]

[URL="http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?showtopic=161413l="]http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?showtopic=161413l=[/URL] Post #19.

see, that's the kind of post I like to read! Thanks very much

 

[Bugsvile]

Now that post has just got me thinking about tapsafe and if its necessary or not

I will still use it only because i dont want to risk loosing any fish.

Although i do have to say that in the past when keeping goldfish tapsafe was not always put in and the eldest did live to be 8, not sure if thats a good age but she was always healthy, never had any problems health wise either.

 

[Truck]

on a water change smaller than 15% i dont bother heating or dechlorinating

 

[sjolliff]

There is only a small amount of chlorine in the water, there is a member on here called rabbut who has an 8 discus set-up and he told me that he uses tap water only, and the reason for that is the discus dislike the tapsafe in there and hes has had them for years

i had a problem with API stress coat think it was a dodgy bottle but it still was in date, my cycle would not start even after 3 weeks, i then started again with nothing but water and i was nearly done in 3 weeks but had to re-start due to leeches, this time i used tetra aqua safe and after 3 weeks im nearly there

 

[Bugsvile]

on a water change smaller than 15% i dont bother heating or dechlorinating

Dont take this the wrong way, but i assume you have been keeping fish for years and seen no ill effects from doing this?

Is this usual for most people to not use dechlorinator on small changed?

 

[Truck]

on a water change smaller than 15% i dont bother heating or dechlorinating

Dont take this the wrong way, but i assume you have been keeping fish for years and seen no ill effects from doing this?

Is this usual for most people to not use dechlorinator on small changed?

ive been doing this for years...been keeping fish for nearly 8 years

not sure on other people though

 

[Bugsvile]

So anything larger than 15% would you always add dechlorinator?

 

[Truck]

So anything larger than 15% would you always add dechlorinator?

sometimes, but most of the times yes

 

[Bugsvile]

Does anyone else have any input on this?

Can everyone say that they ALWAYS use dechlorinator on any amount of water change no matter how big or small.

 

[craig855s]

At the minute i always use dechlor as my bacteria colony is only young..once my tank is over 6 months mature ill do 10% and less changes using no dechlor (obviously testing for any spikes for 7 days after,then ill report back)