Anaerobic Bacteria.

[D.J]

Does anyone knows if anaerobic bacteria live in a filter sponge?
I read an article about nitrate being reduced/removed by anaerobic bacteria only if it passes through it at a very slow raet, eg 50l/hour.
No cannister filter has that flow rate, hence you have to buy yourself a Sera bio-denitator, which is quite expensive at the moment.
The only other thing that will give you a flow rate of 50l/hour would be a sponge filter, but can they live in it or do they only live in a filter media such as Eheim substrate and Sera siporax?

[Proteus]

anearobic bacteria is the good stuff that lives in the gravel, on the plants, on the glass, basically all surfaces of submersed objects.

aerobic bacteria, if memory serves me correct is the bacteria that requires pass through flow...

Please someone, correct me if I am wrong, I am relying on memory, and old age and dementure is setting in early.... (just kidding)

[flukes]

I thought Anerobic bacteria formed in small pockets of air trapped under the gravel that didnt get any water movement.

I thought it was a bad thing because while it is there it is forming nasty bacteria which is fed from the waste that decomposes on the gravel.

Then when it is released into the water column it can create all kinds of problems with desease and the water chemistry.

Now i am trying too think, got me racking my brain too. Ill have too do a google i think....

[flukes]

Found this -


The fourth category of bacteria are lumped together as anaerobic bacteria. They may include some of the bacteria above; some of them have the ability to switch from operating in a mode that needs oxygen to a mode that does not. The aerobic mode of operation is more efficient, and is usually preferred. The anaerobic bacteria live in areas devoid of oxygen, such as deep in the substrate of the aquarium or in areas where decorations cover the substrate. Some of the anaerobic bacteria are beneficial; some of them convert nitrate into nitrogen gas. This is why most denitrators have such slow flow rates and long coiled tubes- the idea is that bacteria will colonize the first part of the tube or denitrator and consume all of the oxygen, so everything from that point on will be anaerobic. In large quantities, anaerobic bacteria are bad because some types produce hydrogen sulfide as a metabolic byproduct. Hydrogen sulfide smells like rotten eggs; in marine aquaria, just stirring an anaerobic pocket can kill the fish. In freshwater it is largely less toxic, but is a symptom of poor husbandry techniques. These anaerobic areas also indicate lost bio filter real estate. Some of the other byproducts of anaerobic respiration are toxic if allowed to build up, but hydrogen sulfide is the most noticeable. The main way to fight anaerobic areas are to avoid placing rocks and decorations in a way that water cannot flow over the surface of the substrate. Decreasing substrate depth or increasing particle size will allow more oxygen to go deeper in the substrate. Fine sand has a tendancy to get packed and turn anaerobic; livestock ranging from Malaysian livebearing snails to horseface loaches to eartheater cichlids to (small) softshell turtles may be needed to prevent anaerobic pockets from forming.

Also describes other bacteria in an aquarium here-
http://www.geocities.com/josh_shilling/bacteria.html

[D.J]

Thanks for the info Scott, you are a legend.


Donald.

[flukes]

No probs mate..