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High nitrates seem to be a problem for many.
Whether it be dosing/large bio-load/ or both in combination.
An interesting article from Virginia Tech.
Understanding Fish Nutrition, Feeds, and Feeding | Publications and Educational Resources | Virginia Tech
I found this while investigating a search on "Captive Fish Waste"
This caught my interest.
"Managing Fish Wastes
The most important rule in fish nutrition is to avoid overfeeding. Overfeeding is a waste of expensive feed. It also results in water pollution, low dissolved oxygen levels, increased biological oxygen demand, and increased bacterial loads. Usually, fish should be fed only the amount of feed that they can consume quickly (less than 25 minutes). Many growers use floating (extruded) feeds in order to observe feeding activity and to help judge if more or less feed should be fed.
Even with careful management, some feed ends up as waste. For example, out of 100 units of feed fed to fish, typically about 10 units of feed are uneaten (wasted) and 10 units of solid and 30 units of liquid waste (50% total wastes) are produced by fish. Of the remaining feed, about 25% is used for growth and another 25% is used for metabolism (heat energy for life processes). These numbers may vary greatly with species, sizes, activity, water temperature, and other environmental conditions."
For our aquariums I would rate "consume quickly" @ 1 minute or less, we are not raising commercial fish.
The other bold item is fish waste related. The 50% we deal with in the glass box.
30% is liquid waste that turns to ammonia very quickly and contributes the highest to NH3 in our aquariums.
10% is wasted feed, it decays over time to reach the ammonia state, rather quickly.
10% solid fish waste, poo, crap, mulm, whatever you wish to call it. Most likely the slowest to transform into NH3.
These little ringlets of fish poo seem to be able sustain themselves in a corner of a tank for months before breaking down.
I am writing this because I am targeting the slowly dissolving poo, crap, mulm that is left behind.
Guess I am trying to re-enforce tank maintenance/vacuuming what we can reach easily.
Any thoughts or comments?
Whether it be dosing/large bio-load/ or both in combination.
An interesting article from Virginia Tech.
Understanding Fish Nutrition, Feeds, and Feeding | Publications and Educational Resources | Virginia Tech
I found this while investigating a search on "Captive Fish Waste"
This caught my interest.
"Managing Fish Wastes
The most important rule in fish nutrition is to avoid overfeeding. Overfeeding is a waste of expensive feed. It also results in water pollution, low dissolved oxygen levels, increased biological oxygen demand, and increased bacterial loads. Usually, fish should be fed only the amount of feed that they can consume quickly (less than 25 minutes). Many growers use floating (extruded) feeds in order to observe feeding activity and to help judge if more or less feed should be fed.
Even with careful management, some feed ends up as waste. For example, out of 100 units of feed fed to fish, typically about 10 units of feed are uneaten (wasted) and 10 units of solid and 30 units of liquid waste (50% total wastes) are produced by fish. Of the remaining feed, about 25% is used for growth and another 25% is used for metabolism (heat energy for life processes). These numbers may vary greatly with species, sizes, activity, water temperature, and other environmental conditions."
For our aquariums I would rate "consume quickly" @ 1 minute or less, we are not raising commercial fish.
The other bold item is fish waste related. The 50% we deal with in the glass box.
30% is liquid waste that turns to ammonia very quickly and contributes the highest to NH3 in our aquariums.
10% is wasted feed, it decays over time to reach the ammonia state, rather quickly.
10% solid fish waste, poo, crap, mulm, whatever you wish to call it. Most likely the slowest to transform into NH3.
These little ringlets of fish poo seem to be able sustain themselves in a corner of a tank for months before breaking down.
I am writing this because I am targeting the slowly dissolving poo, crap, mulm that is left behind.
Guess I am trying to re-enforce tank maintenance/vacuuming what we can reach easily.
Any thoughts or comments?