Nitrifying bacteria: the real players

[Tom Barr]

Rectifying the common myth about the species of nitrifying bacteria in our aquariums:

Nitrospira-Like Bacteria Associated with Nitrite Oxidation in Freshwater Aquaria -- Hovanec et al. 64 (1): 258 -- Applied and Environmental Microbiology

and

Identification of Bacteria Responsible for Ammonia Oxidation in Freshwater Aquaria -- Burrell et al. 67 (12): 5791 -- Applied and Environmental Microbiology

Please note you can access the entire article by clicking on the "Free pdf" section.

Regards,
Tom Barr

 

[Professor Myers]

This explains a great deal

I honestly wondered why folks had such a hard time cycling through Nitrites. Thankfully some folks still question conventional wisdom. It may be irritating, but sometimes it pays off.

 

[Tom Barr]

Well, Hovanec burn them all pretty good.
He did good work on that thesis and got several papers out of it.
Marineland recruited folks from UCSB where I went as an UG.
They are there in Moorpark.

I'm working with Excel as a herbicide for Hydrilla and it's extremely effective and novel in the weed management groups, they ain't got a clue what it is.

Speaking of which, back to work

Regards,
Tom Barr

 

[jerime]

Tom, sorry for bringing this old thread up but as I understand, the nitrosomonas bacteria is still the one oxidizing amonia to nitrite. The only change is the bacteria associated with oxidizing nitrite to nitrate.
Am i rite or the amonia bacteria is also changed from what we always thought?

 

[morphriz]

Interesting, N. marina is both SW and FW, that might explain a few cases I've heard about where cycled FW filters moved to SW did their job. It has been though that this was impossible.
cheers
Mattias

 

[Tom Barr]

Interesting, N. marina is both SW and FW, that might explain a few cases I've heard about where cycled FW filters moved to SW did their job. It has been though that this was impossible.
cheers
Mattias

Yes!!!

I used FW mulm to seed marine tanks in the past. I thought it might had been the live rock, marine plants etc helping or the organic matter.

Jerime, read that pdf good.
The answer is there for you.
Tim is a great person for this work.

Regards,
Tom Barr

 

[jerime]

Got it, thanks.
Think it's too important just to let that slide quietly, don't you?

 

[nursie]

Have there been any documented cases of aquarium bacteria causing illness or infection in humans? I would assume as with any bacteria there is the potential, but was curious as to the facts.

I have a co-worker that insisted on tearing apart her kids goldfish tank and bleaching everything in it periodically becasue she just knew her kids tried to pet the fish.
I tried to explain cycling a tank to her, and when she heard about the bacteria...that was it, she felt justified in what she was doing. I did try suggesting that she make the kids keep their hands out
Of course...the fish are dead now and the 10 gallon thank they were in put up. We never even got to the proper stocking level for a tank that size.

 

[Tom Barr]

Yes, Wright(search the APD) got sick and had to see a doctor, it's serious stuff.

One of my friends who did siome work had Pseudomonas attack him. Another friend had some from a hot tub client work and the client got it also.

Nothing like a good old fashion infectious disease to wake folks up. We walk a thread there and they have cut funduing consistently for many years for infectious diseases, naively beliving that we have all but beaten them.
Not hardly, it's only a matter of time.

I approach diseases like I do plants, a happy person that's in good health is less likely to contract pathogens and good hygine etc and taking good steps to prevent them from getting inside!

Regards,
Tom Barr

 

[Tom Barr]

Got it, thanks.
Think it's too important just to let that slide quietly, don't you?

I do not let it slide quietly. It's part of the book and part of the articles I write, not that other outdated mumbo. Some is not outdated but they wrote it and did not look into anyway.

I pay Tim heed for the right reason.
He deserves it and is a smart guy.
I understood it a long time ago and now it makes total sense.

Stuff like this are things hobbyists should know and be made aware of.


Regards,
Tom Barr

 

[gupp]

This is wonderful. I've been wondering about more specific information about the bacteria in aquariums for several years. I'm printing the articles up now to read them.

 

[Tom Barr]

Tim's research is still, even after a decade, not been presented in aquarium stores, in books etc.

Most are unaware of it.

But.........the right information is out there and available.
So if folks do their homework, they can be well informed.

Problem is, many have strong beliefs and are unwilling to change them in light of new and better understandings about the very topic they claim to be passionate about ironically..........

Regards,
Tom Barr