Nitrifying bacteria should also be cultivated with care, ignorance is what leads to mistakes when keeping fish

A friend of mine recently prepared to keep small animals. After considering many pets, he finally chose the time-saving fish as a pet to keep. After keeping them for a while, he heard from others that adding nitrifying bacteria could purify the water. So he bought and added some more, and it didn't work. When he told me about it, I immediately realized what the problem was and quickly worked with him to understand nitrifying bacteria.

Nitrifying bacteria are autotrophic aerobic bacteria, and both nitrosobacteria (ammonia-oxidizing bacteria) and nitrate bacteria (nitrite-oxidizing bacteria) are nitrifying bacteria. Nitrifying bacteria include bacteria belonging to the genera Nitrosomonas, Nitrosococcus, Helicobacter, and Nitrobacter. Nitrifying bacteria include Nitrobacter, enterococcus, and bacteria in nitrocellulose.

Both types of nitrifying bacteria are essentially present at the same time, and ammonia and ammonium salts also require the combined action of both types of nitrifying bacteria to be converted to nitrate. The nitrite bacteria first oxidize ammonia to nitrite and the nitrate bacteria then oxidize the nitrite to nitrate. Oxidation is also a process by which nitrifying bacteria gain energy and grow. The process of growth allows nitrifying bacteria to play an important role in the natural nitrogen cycle and also allows nitrifying bacteria to play an important role in the purification of water in the nitrogen cycle.

One other thing needs to be said. Scientists have managed to isolate bacteria capable of directly converting ammonia nitrogen into nitrate nitrogen, a bacterium known as shortcut nitrifying bacteria. It appears to be the ultimate form that combines two other single functions.

Nitrifying bacteria are widespread in the natural environment but need to meet a supply of water and oxygen to survive. Generally found in soil, freshwater, and seawater, they live in aerobic water or sand layers, but some bacteria are only found in seawater. They are more suited to proliferate in various microporous filter materials such as soil, sand, biochemical cotton, biochemical balls, glass rings, and ceramic rings. Nitrifying bacteria are best suited to living in weakly alkaline water and grow and multiply fastest when temperatures reach around 25°C.

Back to my friend's question here. Firstly, his perception is wrong. Although nitrifying bacteria can purify the water, this purification is not about making the water clearer, but about removing that toxic ammonia and nitrite. Nitrifying bacteria consume ammonia and nitrite through their growth process. At the same time, non-toxic nitrates are produced, which are the best nutrients for algae. So while eliminating harmful substances, they also bring in nutrients, killing two birds with one stone.

In addition, you don't need to add nitrifying bacteria to keep fish at home. When a new fish tank has normal levels of oxygen and organic matter, a stable community of nitrifying bacteria can be established in about a month or two. Once stabilized, nitrifying bacteria will continue to colonize as long as there are no drastic changes in the environment (such as the addition of fungicides or sudden temperature changes).

Although nitrifying bacteria can appear on their own, they are still "delicate". This is why it is important to "nurture" the nitrifying bacteria properly, both in the tank and in the pond. After all, without nitrifying bacteria, the water will become worse.

Cultivating nitrifying bacteria starts with what we know about it. Firstly, nitrifying bacteria need water and oxygen. Since we are raising fish, there is no shortage of water. Then we need to start with oxygen, and oxygenating the water is key. An oxygenator can solve this problem. Of course, it is best to turn stagnant water into living water.

If conditions allow, you can prepare something with microporous holes to allow the nitrifying bacteria to "stay". Most filter media meet the 'space requirement' for nitrifying bacteria. Of course, we can also put sand or soil in the bottom of the tank, which has a similar effect.

Then it is important to maintain the underwater environment. Because nitrifying bacteria live best in weakly alkaline water, they thrive best when the temperature reaches around 25 degrees. So you can't allow the pH and temperature to change dramatically. Also, you must not use any fungicides or disinfectants. These will kill the nitrifying bacteria.

There are two other points that people will pay less attention to. People may think that since nitrifying bacteria are so useful, the more the better, and will add other beneficial bacteria to work together, but this is exactly the wrong idea. If there are too many nitrifying bacteria but no ammonia or ammonium in the water for them to grow, it will cause the nitrifying bacteria to die and lead to pollution instead. Photosynthetic bacteria and nitrifying bacteria simply inhibit each other. If you put these two types of bacteria together, they will have the opposite effect. So the more bacteria the better.

Whatever the good thing is, it is important to understand the things involved before you decide to go for it. That way you will get twice as much done with less hassle.

I think it is a summary of the main points :

1. Nitrifying bacteria are a kind of autotrophic aerobic bacteria, nitrite bacteria (ammonia-oxidizing bacteria) and nitrate bacteria (nitrite-oxidizing bacteria) are both nitrifying bacteria.

2. Both types of nitrifying bacteria are present at the same time, and ammonia and ammonium salts also require the coexistence of both types of nitrifying bacteria to be converted into nitrate.

3. The growth process of nitrifying bacteria allows nitrifying bacteria to play an important role in the natural nitrogen cycle and also in the water purification process of the nitrogen cycle.

4. Scientists have successfully isolated bacteria capable of directly converting ammonia nitrogen to nitrate nitrogen, and these bacteria are known as shortcut nitrifying bacteria.

Nitrifying bacteria are widespread in the natural environment, but they need to meet the supply of water and oxygen to survive.

6. Nitrifying bacteria are best suited to living in weakly alkaline water and grow and multiply fastest when temperatures reach around 25 degrees.

7. Although nitrifying bacteria can purify water, this purification is not to make the water clearer, but to remove the toxic ammonia and nitrite.