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[font color="#000080"]Just want to get one thing clear here. I would like it as clear as possible.

1) Fish eat, food containing protein will definately result in nitrogenous waste produced. In the case of fish, the waste will contain ammonia. Correct?

2) Ammonia is now it the water. If there are aerobic bacteria present, the ammonia will be converted into nitrite (NO2). Correct?

3) Now ammonia has been converted into nitrite. Nitrifying bacteria in the water will do some further converting, they will convert nitrite into nitrate. Correct?

4) Nitrate is used up by plants as growth nutrient. Or it can be removed by water changes. So nitrate can be removed in to ways. Correct?

Thanks Tammy. I think I do need to rephrase the last statement. All I meant was, in a estabilished planted tank, the nitrate level should be very low.

[span class="edited"][Edited by JQW 2004-07-09 17:46][/span]

1) Correct
2) Correct
3) Correct
4) Correct


Your summary confuses me a bit though. First you mention a well established tank and mention the nitrite and ammonia being zero. This should be correct. BUT you mention before adding fish. This should be incorrect. If you have not added the fish yet then yes, the ammonia and nitrite should be zero but there is no way to bypass a cycle having a well established tank.

I apologize, but I think I am missing something or you need to state your question or statement a bit more clearly.


[span class="edited"][Edited by Tammy 2004-07-09 07:03][/span]