mengyang_neo

Just do a google search. =) Bacterial Blooms - Explained Every fishkeeper has experienced a bacterial bloom at some point. They are common in new set-ups which are cycling, but can happen at any time. The water goes cloudy, almost like someone has poured a drop of milk into the tank, and no matter how many water changes you do, it doesn't go away. Sound familiar? I hope to explain here exactly what a bacterial bloom is, the effect it can have, how to treat it and how to prevent it. The Nitrogen Cycle To fully understand about bacterial blooms, a knowledge of the Nitrogen Cycle is required. If you are unsure of the Nitrogen Cycle or don't know what it is, it may be helpful to read the linked topic below first. This is particularly relevant if you have recently set up the tank, as the cloudiness is most likely an indication of other problems. The Nitrogen Cycle What is a Bacterial Bloom? There are 2 types of bacteria at work in our tanks:- Autotrophic Bacteria - Bacteria capable of synthesizing its own food from inorganic substances, using light or chemical energy. Our beneficial filter bacteria are autotrophs. Heterotrophic Bacteria - Bacteria that cannot synthesize its own food and is dependent on complex organic substances for nutrition. The heterotrophs in our aquariums mineralise the organic waste (break down the uneaten food, fish waste, dead plant matter etc into ammonia). Contrary to popular belief, it is commonly the heterotrophs which are seen in our bacterial blooms, not our trusted autotroph nitrifiers. It is the heterotrophs which are primarily responsible for creating the "bio-film" (slimy residue found on the tank walls and ornaments) which builds up in our aquariums. The heterotrophs are generally bigger than the autotrophs and therefore don't attach themselves to surfaces with the same ease. They also reproduce much more quickly. Heterotrophs can reproduce in around 15 - 20 minutes, whereas autotrophs can take up to 24 hours to reproduce. In a newly set-up aquarium, the heterotrophs get to work quicker than the autotrophs, causing the 'cycling bloom' we so often see. Blooms are almost certainly heterotrophic if they are caused by a build up of organic waste in the substrate, which most, if not all, are. Bacterial blooms are common in tanks with apparently no organics present (for example, where all that is in the tank is water and ammonia for a fishless cycle). This is caused by the dechlorination of the water suddenly enabling the water to support bacterial populations. The heterotrophs immediately get to work on the organics in the water itself. The severity of the bloom and even whether a bloom happens at all is dependant upon the level of organics contained in the water supply. Our autotroph nitrifiers are strictly aerobic (require oxygen), but the heterotrophs can be facultative anaerobic (they can switch between aerobic and anaerobic function depending on their environment). Therefore the heterotrophs in the substrate will be in their anaerobic state and breaking down the organic waste into ammonia, but if they bloom up into the water column, they will switch to their aerobic form and will start to convert the ammonia back to nitrite, although very inefficiently. The heterotrophs are around 1,000,000 times less efficient at ammonia oxidisation than our beneficial autotrophs as the heterotrophs are not true nitrifiers. The Effects of a Bacterial Bloom Most of the bacteria in the aquarium are aerobic as it is a oxygen dominated environment, and these bacteria require lots of oxygen. When the heterotrophic bacteria bloom into the water column and switch to their aerobic state, this is a big drain on the oxygen content of the water. Oxygen depravation is the only risk to the fish which i am aware of during a bacterial bloom, as the heterotrophs themselves are harmless to fish, so good advice is to increase aeration! To help you to understand why bacterial blooms occur, overfeeding ,dead fish or dead plant matter will cause a rise in the reproduction of the heterotrophs in order to break down the organic waste, they re-produce too quickly to be able to attach themselves to a surface and this causes a bacterial bloom. As the ammonia production increases due to the increased mineralisation, the nitrifiers are slow to catch up (as i said above) and so you see an ammonia spike until the autotrophs reproduce enough to take care of it. Contrary to popular belief, bacterial blooms cause an ammonia spike, not the other way around. It is unclear whether the autotrophic nitrifiers ever bloom into the water column or if they simply multiply too slowly to cause this effect. Treatment and Prevention of Bacterial Blooms A thorough gravel vac will certainly help the situation, as will trying not to overfeed. Also, increase aeration as I noted above. Water changes will probably not clear the cloudiness as when you remove the free-floating heterotrophic bacteria, the others will reproduce more to compensate. Given the reproduction rate of the heterotrophs, it would require a 50% water change every 15 - 20 minutes just to stop the bloom getting worse, and even more if you want to make any progress towards clearing the bloom. However, water changes won't exacerbate the situation as it will be heterotrophs (which are producing ammonia) which are removed from the water column via the water change. A water change will remove virtually no nitrifying autotrophic bacteria from the tank at all as 99% of the nitrifiers are housed in the filter, not in the water column. Water changes are not essential in clearing bacterial blooms, as left alone, they will usually dissipate within a matter of days. Reducing the amount of organic waste in your tank is the ultimate solution to treating a bacterial bloom, and avoiding a build up of organic waste in the tank is the best way to prevent a bloom. The best way to do this is to maintain a regular aquarium husbandry routine involving water changes and substrate vaccuuming. As I said above, blooms are common in tanks with apparently no organic waste present, most commonly when only water and ammonia are in the tank for a fishless cycle. In this case, there are few easy ways to remove the organics from the water, and so my best suggestion is to sit it out and wait. Water changes with purified water would help as it would dilute the concentration of organics in the water. Reverse Osmosis water would be ideal in this situation, however i would suggest that patience is the cheaper and more environmentally friendly option. A bloom in an established tank indicates that there is a problem which has allowed a build-up of organic waste, usually in the substrate. This can be caused by excess dead plant matter, over-feeding which leaves food lying around the tank, or leaving dead fish in the tank. None of these are desirable in an aquarium and a bloom in your established tank will certainly indicate one or more of these causes present in the tank. If you experience a bloom in an established tank, improve your husbandry. Sources: www.bioconlabs.com/autoheterobac www.wallaquariums.com/cycling

Oh i thought bacteria bloom is due to not enough good bacteria so there is excess of bad bacteria which cause the clouding of water, hence by adding good bacteria it should kill off the bad bacteria and clear up the water. Changing of water is in fact just removing the bad bacteria. If read from most of the bac product it is actually ok if over dose. This is my understanding, hee maybe I am wrong. =p

Hmmm product like Prodibio BIODIGEST or any other bac product that people use to kick start their tank when cycling in short term. Long term u can try biohome, 2-3kg will be good enough for most tank. =)

Haha sure, I also have a few new frag waiting for it to be stable then can exchange liao. =)

Hopefully it will turn into peach colour with pink or red tip. lol. =p This is what I thought also but strange much of the SPS I am able to hold the colour except this one. Last night I just change out my rowa in my FR hopefully the yellow colour will return.

Maybe is bacteria boom, add some good bacteria should help. =)

Thought of that but my tank width is only 45cm take away the eurobrasing on both side only left 35cm, hence not enough space to add other thing liao. However I do have 4 strip of blue Led which will be turn on at night.

Hee actually I bought the dosing pump last week, now still adjusting to get the correct parameter. =) Now I using ATI sunpower 4x80w.

Super nice zoas and SPS, the last SPS with red poly is

Up for the morning.

Haha ya lor, as u said with dosing pump it is much easier to maintain the water parameter and the grow is better also. The test colony is becoming peach in colour and the tip is a deeper peach colour, hope it will change to a better colour. =) Btw how is the yellow milli, I pass to u? Able to maintain the yellow colour? Mine like getting more and more green.

Some update of the Sps

Up for the morning

Not sure about the rest but will have flame angel, cause I only ask whether got flame angel. =p

I heard this week will have hawaii shipment from iwarana. =)

Most likely is the fish scratched it eye and bac infected, if the water condition is good, it should recover on it own.

Thanks bro, hee my camera cannot make it, cannot capture the real colour of the coral. =p Guys although this is a china brand but I have already change out the ellast and light tube so it is able to do its job in keeping zoas and SPS at optimum coloration. The reason I am selling the light is because the lightset is only 4ft but my tank is 5ft so I cant place any coral on the left and right end. If interested please sms or give me a call. Gary 91507814

more picture.

Should be $60 if I am not wrong.

Want to sell the above 4ft 2 x 150w MH and 2 x 54W T5, brand is weipro but the e ballast has been change to Osram and philips only 4 mth change together with the mh. T5 light tube is ATI aquablue plus only 2mth old Mh is DELUX brand only 4 mth only. One of the plastics cover is crack as shown in the picture. This the picture of the lightset. Interest please sms or call me at 91507814 and collection area is buangkok crescent. Selling for $200. Thanks

The prata super nice, where u bought it? From GO?

Any update from iwarana?

Yup i have one that died from starvation also, then the 2nd one I get, is super hardworking so become pui pui and start to knock down my frag.

If u r using ATI, the best combination is 2 x blueplus, 1 x purple plus and 1 x aquablue special. Not very sure about Giesemann =p

Bro time to do a update.