What type of 'good' bacteria accumulates in fish tanks? How does it accumulate, where is it from?

Question

I have read that the reason why you only change part of the water in your fish tank is that there is bacteria that is good for the fish. I'm curious as to where this bacteria originates from, and how it accumulates, and what kind of bacteria it is, and how it is beneficial to the fish?
Just want to understand my little ecosystem a little better.

Answer 1

as for the type of bacteria...they are comprised of several Species of Nitrosomonas and Nitrobacter. They are aerobic (needs air to live) bacteria.
http://www.bioconlabs.com/nitribactfacts.html

These bacteria are introduced into your system via fish waste, or a store bought culture, such as eco-start, cycle, etc.

They are beneficial to your aquarium because they break down the poisonous waste & waste byproducts (ammonia & nitrite) produced by the fish and first stage of the nitrogen cycle into a less toxic substance (nitrate). So it prevent's your fish from being poisoned by thier own waste.

The bacteria accumulate by "eating" the ammonia and nitrite produced by fish waste & the biproduct of the first stage of the nitrogen cycle. They build a culture in your filter media, bio-wheel,substrate and decorations. That bacteria is the red or browish slime that builds up in the filter over time. The reason you only change part of the water during tank maintenice has more to do with aclimating the fish to the "new water" by mixing it with the aged water. Partial water changes are necessary to remove some of the nitrate build up in the water...

Removing all of the water will not necessarily harm your bacterial colonies provided you take care not to let them dry out and make sure to remove the chlorine & chloramines which are deadly to your bacterial culture, and your fish. But removing all the water could shock the fish from temperature changes, changes in pH & lack of "fish slime"-a natural substance produced by the fish to protect them from parasites & to help with O2 transfer on the gills.

These are the main reasons why you don't want to change all of the water at once... not necessarily to preserve your bacterial cultures.
The bacteria doesn't usually stay suspended in the water column, after the initial "bacterial bloom" (the cloudy water of a new tank) So removing the water does not remove alot of bacteria.

Answer 2

The water itself carries little of this bacteria. The bacteria lives primarily on the surfaces of the glass and rocks in the tank,as well as in the filter. The bacteria( nitrosomonas and nitrobacters) live off the waste of the fish. The first bacteria breaks ammonia down into nitrite and the second breaks nitrite into nitrate. Large water changes if done properly dont affect the good bacterias much, but can cause shock to the fish because of the sudden ph change or temperature change. The bacterias occur naturally in aquatic enviroments with a steady supply of ammoinia which is provided by the fishes waste.

Answer 3

Bacteria is everywhere - on your skin, in your body, in your mouth....

The same goes for an aquarium environment. When you set up a new tank, there is very little beneficial bacteria present - perhaps because of Chlorine in the tap water. You need an abundance of this to keep your water chemistry at correct levels. You can purchase small bottles of bacteria in a good pet shop - add this (per instructions on the bottle) to the newly set up tank. Your bacteria will multiply rapidly on every surface in your tank - on the gravel, walls, plants...

Overfeeding the fish, rotting food, dead fish hidden under decor, neglected maintenance (missed water changes) can upset the water chemistry and nasty bacteria can grow - (slimy, smelly bacteria sheets). That is not good for your aquarium as you need to get rid of this as fast as possible.

As an aquarist of 13 years, I would suggest to you the following:
Change 25% (1/4) of the water volume weekly.
Don't make 100% water changes as someone suggested!!! That is a no-no, no. If you make such a large water change the PH can change so drastically, and that can be fatal for the fish.

On some of my larger tanks I put a piece of painter's tape on the side of the tank showing me how many gallons of water I am replacing...10 gal., 25 gallons...this makes it easy to keep track of draining and refilling.

To make your water changing job easier, get yourself a "RV"= Motorhome hose (not a garden hose from the garden center, as these are often impregnated with fungicide-that would immediately kill all your fish).

Get yourself a quick connector for your indoor faucets from the hardware store, hook up your hose, and fill your hose with water until it runs into the tank.
Now disconnect the hose from the faucet, and you should have a syphon going, with the water running from the tank down your drain. See, no carrying buckets and spilling water all over. This is so much easier on the back. As you re-fill the tank at the proper water temperature, you should have your de-chlorination bottle handy and add the correct amount. Hope this information will help you.
Happy fishkeeping

Answer 4

Other people did a good job explaining the bacteria. As for the partial water changes, there is no reason you can't change 100% every day if you want to use the water and all that dechlor. It is much less stressful for the fish if you don't have to remove them to change all the water. A 50% change they can stay in the tank as you change the water.

Answer 5

For all the chemical reasons I suggest you use the Internet but the good bacteria actually exists in the filtration system. As you have read make sure you don't over clean the tank.

Answer 6

If it is a new fish tank..your problem is because of just that..it's new..It has to build up an environment, usually takes about 6 months...stop cleaning it..let it get brown and mucky, especially under the rocks...Then after the environment is set, you will probably only have to vacuum the rocks every now and then...My tank in 85 gallons, I clean it once a year...have had the same sharks for 12 years...leave their environment alone for awhile and it will go away on it's own.. also when you buy new fish...don't dump the water from the pet store (in the baggie) in your tank...that will kill your fish quick..different pH levels..If you get a sucker fish...that will take care of the dirty look of your tank..but the "GOOD BACTERIA" you are referring to is basically fish crap...that is what makes their environment.

Answer 7

in a nutshell :

its called nitryfying bacteria. It happens when the nitrogen cycle is complete

ammonia (fish poo) turns to nitrIte nitrIte turns to NitrAte and plants eat NitrAte and there you have the miricle of the nitrogen cycle.

This bacteria is mainly in your filter, but can be on stones, gravel, fake plants etc.

thats why you should never wash your filter in Tap water becuase the cholrine will kill your fish friendly bacteria

Answer 8

do away with the below gravel filter out. Get a canister or bio-wheel type filter out. below gravel filters are hard to scrub, clog easily, and in many cases create "lifeless spots" that can produce deadly hydrogen sulfide. to scrub what you have. Take out each and every of the gravel and put in a bucket and rinse with water till clean. Wipe the factors down with a paper towel the two soaked in hydrogen peroxide or genuine salty water. enable the tank dry in the solar and sit down in the solar for 2 days. you may sit down the rocks in the solar as nicely. solar will kill each and every micro organism left. comparable with the plastic plant life. i do unlike plastic plant life and ceramic adorns, i like organic river rocks and genuine plant life. that could desire to approximately do it for cleansing it to waiting it for fish. determine you examine a physically powerful aquarium handbook till now you place fish and water in, so which you have a physically powerful thought of what you will might desire to do to maintain a fish tank efficiently. Its like gardening, you're able to have a splash understand how. i does no longer use bleach for any reason. Its very risky for destiny fish. Leaves a resedue it quite is very almost impossible to do away with.

Answer 9

Thats a pretty complicated question. I would suggest you do an internet search on aquarium cycling. You will find numerous sites to help with this. Also, your local aquarium shop will have books on this. Your fish will be happier and healthier when you understand the aquarium cycle.