in the natural habitats of most tropical fish, the presence of toxic levels of nitrogen is rare
overfeeding and overcrowding can cause toxic levels in aquariums
in an aquarium a nitrogen cycle is more of a biochemical cascade that involves the continual chemical degradation of nitrogenous compounds from ammonia to nitrite to nitrate. The nitrates are then taken up by aquarium plants or removed from the water by other means.
In a living aquarium this cascade is developed over time, usually up to three months before the new aquarium fully converts its waste into nitrates
stocking the aquarium slowly over time with younger and smaller fish is meant to allow the nitrogen converting bacteria time to grow and keep up with the gradual increase in waste matter
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Ammonia
NH3
Fish urea and proteins get immediately converted by bacteria into ammonia
under normal conditions ammonia is a colourless and pungent gas that is highly toxic
when ammonia gets too high it is likely caused by overstocking the aquarium of the fish are being overfed
'nitrogen fixing bacteria' will oxidize the ammonia and change into a nitrite
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Nitrites
[NO2]-
The most common killers of aquarium fish
Nitrites occur in the aquarium through the partial oxidation of ammonium ions
Nitrite loving bacteria convert the nitrite thereby rendering it almost harmless
to prevent nitrite build-up, feed sparingly and make sure to not overstock, carry out partial water changes regularly (not exceeding 20%) with well-aged water
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Nitrates
[NO3]-
The end-product of the oxidation of nitrogen compounds
Nitrates are mainly produced in an aquarium by the breakdown of animal protein and ammonium compounds
e.g., urine, excrement, foodstuffs, and the remains of dead fish, snails, and plant leaves
Most freshwater tropical fish are very tolerant to even large quantities of nitrates
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Plants
aquatics plants can greatly reduce the levels of nitrate in a well-adjusted aquarium
if there are no alive aquatic plants in the aquarium the tank owner must remove the nitrates themselves
Regular inspection and maintenance of your aquarium is necessary to maintain fish health and water quality. Monitor the water parameters, use filters and heaters, and your fish will feel great. First, you need to do изучить Fish tank info about the aquarium before choosing your fish. When choosing aquarium inhabitants, it is important to consider their compatibility. Some species coexist peacefully, while others can become aggressive. You should also consider the size of the aquarium, as different species require different amounts of water and swimming area.
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