where does the bacteria come from?

DarkSoul

DarkSoul

Mad Scientist
Mar 12, 2007
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when cycling.... where does it come from?

does it honestly just "magically" appear in the presence of ammonia? why doesnt it grow in pure ammonia then?

if it already exists naturally in tap water and such, then would you be able to cycle RO/DI water?


this has always boggled my mind.
 
it's pretty much the same bacteria that breaks down dead things. . . it's everywhere. air, water (unless killed by chlorine), soil.
 
Most of it is brought in on the flora and fauna we put in our tanks I would presume....

But I also agree on it being in everything....I mean (almost)everything decomposes somehow right?
 
Yep.........:)
 
why doesnt it grow in pure ammonia then?
Click to expand...


The concentration of pure ammonia is too strong for anything to survive, that's why bacteria doesn't grow in pure ammonia. Even in the aquarium, if the concentration of ammonia is too high, it will stall the cycle and damage the bacteria. That's why you shoot for a target level of ammonia concentration while fishless cycling. (1-1.5ppm)
 
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bacteria

a million bacterial cells in a millilitre of freshwater !

They just kinda cruise around looking for a food source and when they find that they reproduce like lunatics, whether they are anaerobic or aerobic. So, they are always present, but in order to grow to levels where their activity is significant they need food. And, like many species (human males lol) an excess of food source can be as bad as no food as all.
 
so what about RO water, in which nothing is present?

I guess they float in from the air then?

Sure everything decomposes, but outside, or anywhere else you would expect bacteria to be present..... the biggest question is about PURE water sources really.

in RO/DI water, its like 99.99% pure ..... I would think, there wouldnt be any denitrifying bacteria in a water source so pure, and thus, how would you start the cycle?
as i quiped above, it must come in from the air then.
 
I'm thinking that there is still bacteria present in RO/DI water. Its not kept in sterile lab conditions right ?
 
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