Biofilter -yes or not?

[Kemview]

Hi all! I have a question.
Is the biofilter efficacious in soft,acidic water? Maybe chemical filtration would be better in such conditions?
What do you think at this matter?

 

[Mike Wise]

All my tanks use biological filters (sponge filters) + frequent water changes. It has the advantage of no expenses after you buy the filter. In breeding tanks the fry find food on the sponges & you don't risk losing fry in the intake tubes of power filters.

 

[Kemview]

I have met with information,that "in soft,acidic water the biofilter is much less effective,especially in extremely low pH;the useful (nitrifying)bacteria cannot thrive,and biological filtration is no longer a viable option.So it has to be compensated for with more chemical filtration and increased water changed" - by David Boruchowitz.
What do you think about it?

 

[Bev N]

Biofilter -yes or not? Reply to Thread

I'm with Mike on this one. I too have nothing but sponge filters in my 40 or so tanks that I have set up thus far. I have a water treatment system that provides me with very soft, very low ph water. It comes from the tap at a ph of about 5.5. With water changes and cleaning the sponges I haven't had the need for anything else. This is even in tanks with the parents and 50 fry with feeding 3 times a day.

I would have never thought that sponge filters could be so effective and am thrilled with how inexpensive they are but how easy they are to maintain.

Bev

 

[Mike Wise]

David Boruchowitz bases his observation on a scientific paper (I have it somewhere) that reports that Nitrosomonis & Nitrobacter bacteria are sensitive to low pH and shut down at around pH 5.5. This is correct. What the researchers didn't think to study is that there are bacteria that take over nitrogen conversion & prefer more acidic environments. This is what happens in acid water tanks. If there is food to consume "Nature finds a way".

 

[ed seeley]

David Boruchowitz bases his observation on a scientific paper (I have it somewhere) that reports that Nitrosomonis & Nitrobacter bacteria are sensitive to low pH and shut down at around pH 5.5. This is correct. What the researchers didn't think to study is that there are bacteria that take over nitrogen conversion & prefer more acidic environments. This is what happens in acid water tanks. If there is food to consume "Nature finds a way".

Mike I have always maintained this view but have often been told I was wrong about this (but never believed I was! :wink: ) and Nitrification doesn't happen in tanks below pH 6. However I have struggled to find any papers/other evidence for it. Do you have any actual research done on Nitrification in acidic environments?

 

[lab]

I found this one, Ed:

http://www.cababstractsplus.org/google/abstract.asp?AcNo=20043135238

 

[ed seeley]

I found this one, Ed:

http://www.cababstractsplus.org/google/abstract.asp?AcNo=20043135238

Thanks very much Lab. I always thought that some bacteria must still convert ammonia at low pHs as I've had tanks running at 4 and still no detectable nitrite and fish breeding happily. Some of these tanks have been plantless too so that assimilation by plants couldn't have removed it either.

 

[Refael Hdr.]

In addition to this, earlier researches have already determined a decade ago that the common assumption related to the presence of Nitrosomonas and Nitrobacter in freshwater aquaria is erroneous, and that the dominent bacteria in these systems filtration is actually Nitrospira and Nitrosospira.
This have been discovered by series of researches made by Hovanec and Delong from the University of California.
If you like I can find some links to the related articles...

 

[lab]

That would be nice. Please do!

 

[Refael Hdr.]

Please:
http://aem.asm.org/cgi/reprint/64/1/258

 

[lab]

Thank you so much