Fundamental aquarium bacteria question.

[MikefromNH]

What's the difference between the bacteria in the water and the bacteria in the filter/substrate?

Is the bacteria that keeps water clarity in check the same as the bacteria that consumes wastes?

 

[Nuriel]

i believe there is no real difference except the fact that there is far less actual bacteria free floating in the water than there is residing in your filter.

 

[kveeti]

In the water, there is also a population of microlife – stuff like protists, copepods, rotifers, etc. They are all important to water clarity.

 

[MikefromNH]

Do they live in the fiter? In other words, let's say I took a large portion of my established media out of my filter and replaced it with new media, the water would get cloudy and start a mini cycle, correct? Well, I have slightly cloudy water in my 90 still :rant: and I have some established media in another tank. Could I throw the media from the other tank into the cloudy tank and have clear water in a short amount of time. I hope I explained myself well enough, it was a long one last night. Pats #3

PS. I'm not going to do this because obviously I'd have a mini cycle in the other tank. I'm just wondering.

 

[TKOS]

A well established tank should not have any problem loosing a small amount of bacteria from its filter media. That is because thebacteria is already in the rocks, decorations, glass etc... Unless of course you have a massive bioload that is teetering on the edge.

So take some from the established tank and add it to your other tank. That should be fine.

 

[OrionGirl]

Actually, cloudiness is seldom related to the nitrifiers. These bacteria are firmaly attached to an object, very little free floating in the water column. They will not cause cloudiness. An imbalance in other microorganisms, including bacteria which feed on something other than ammonia/nitrites, is the most infrequent cause of cloudiness that is not green in color. Rather than moving the media, siphon some of the 'gunk' from the substrate, or clean the other media in a gallon of clean, dechlorinated water. Let it settle for a few hours, and then siphon the solids off the bottom. Put this into the cloudy tank to reintroduce the micro-fauna that does live in the water column. They will then establish a balance with the organisms that are clouding your water, clearing it. Be patient--it's not an immediate fix, but it will work. Cloudiness is seldom stressful or hazardous to the fish, so this is primarily an aesthetic issue.