[Date Prev][Date Next][Thread Prev][Thread Next][Date Index][Thread Index]
Tanks but no thanks
Here is a very interesting article as reported in the Dallas Morning News. I
would like to see the original, if anyone knows where it can be found.
Dallas Morning News, 05/25/98
Tanks but no thanks
ATLANTA -- Bacteria might be unwanted guests on vegetables, but they
are welcomed by new fish tank owners trying to remove dangerous amounts
of ammonia.
A study described in Atlanta suggests that commercially available
bacterial additives designed to encourage the growth of nitrifying
bacteria might not work as expected. Nitrifying bacteria convert
ammonia, which can be toxic to fish, into nitrate. But these bugs can
be sluggish, taking about a month to establish themselves. In the
meantime, fish can sometimes fall ill with a malady called new tank
syndrome.
Scientists from Aquaria Inc., a California company that manufactures
tank filtration systems, tested three additives. In comparison with
tanks that had no additives, the nitrifying bacteria didn't appear to
grow any faster in the tanks dosed with the store-bought additive, the
researchers said.
The scientists theorize that the additives might not contain the
mixture of bacteria the tank needs. For new tank owners who want to
avoid diseased pets, they suggested keeping low numbers of fish during
the first month, allowing the bacteria to grow naturally.