How the Nitrogen cycle works?

General idea of a Nitrogen cycle
Fish produce ammonia through their respiration and bodily function as a byproduct of transforming food intake into energy. Ammonia, however is highly poisonous to fish, and if it is not dealth with can cause
them to die prematurely. Luckily, mother nature lend us a helping hand by giving the existence of a strain of bacteria called Nitrosomonas which could breaks down ammonia and converts it to nitrate.

However, nitrite is also very toxic to fish, but thanks again, there is another type of bacteria called nitrobacter which will converts nitrite into less harmful nitrate.

This cyclical conversion of waste products by bacteria is a continuing and necessary process in any mature aquarium, and the fish would not be able to survive in such a confined artifical space without it. What links nitrate back to the fish is the fact that live aquatic plants consume nitrate as part of their own food cycle. Some fish in turn consume tese plants and so the whole cycle begins again.


Related articles

• Cycling aquarium
• What make fish healthy
• Aquarium water changing tips and guide
• How to deal with new tank syndrome?
• Tips on the daily, weekly and monthly task needed for fish keeping

For more related post click here