IS ALL POOP CREATED EQUAL?
- Thread starter happypoet
- Start date
Ammonia is generated by the deamination of proteins. The more protein you feed the more protein they poop so if you are thinking about ammonia load the protein eater produces the most.
Also as others have said - fiber is not the more easiest digested stuff - that is why certain animals have symbiotic bacteria in their gut to help them digest it. So fiber eaters may leave a lot of waste but not much of it as poop can be further degraded, in general.
Also as others have said - fiber is not the more easiest digested stuff - that is why certain animals have symbiotic bacteria in their gut to help them digest it. So fiber eaters may leave a lot of waste but not much of it as poop can be further degraded, in general.
Hey, DocTim, thanks for the serious comment on this very critical topic. Think I'll go digest it for awhile.
Geez, the things I find when I go to bed early! I was pooped out 
I think it depends on your definition of "bioload". Are we talking ammonia only? Nitrate? Crap I have to vacuum out or remove from my filter? Places for bacteria & fungi to grow & break down? Oxygen consumption?
I think plant eaters need to eat more in terms of volume to get the nutrients they need leading to increased poo volume. I'd think 2 fish of the same weight would need similar amounts of calories, nutrients etc. They'd also have a similar amount of waste byproducts, except for the fiber. So say if a neon = 10 shrimp in terms of weight & needed nutrient intake it seems like 1 neon poo= the waste of 10 shrimp in terms of bioload but maybe 100x the volume. It might take the neon 2 bites of fisf food but the shrimp need to graze all day to get equal amounts of nutrients.
That also isn't taking into account the ammonia expelled by fish gills or that oxygen needs may be different. There's also "animal products" in the tank microfauna shrimp & vegetarian fish graze on so they're not vegans & do produce ammonia even if they aren't fed "meat".
Whew! All that on half a cup of coffee :coffee2:
I think it depends on your definition of "bioload". Are we talking ammonia only? Nitrate? Crap I have to vacuum out or remove from my filter? Places for bacteria & fungi to grow & break down? Oxygen consumption?
I think plant eaters need to eat more in terms of volume to get the nutrients they need leading to increased poo volume. I'd think 2 fish of the same weight would need similar amounts of calories, nutrients etc. They'd also have a similar amount of waste byproducts, except for the fiber. So say if a neon = 10 shrimp in terms of weight & needed nutrient intake it seems like 1 neon poo= the waste of 10 shrimp in terms of bioload but maybe 100x the volume. It might take the neon 2 bites of fisf food but the shrimp need to graze all day to get equal amounts of nutrients.
That also isn't taking into account the ammonia expelled by fish gills or that oxygen needs may be different. There's also "animal products" in the tank microfauna shrimp & vegetarian fish graze on so they're not vegans & do produce ammonia even if they aren't fed "meat".
Whew! All that on half a cup of coffee :coffee2:
