nitrogen cycle

Water treatment for aquariums and ponds  STEP 5 Buy the Books Water treatment is used to neutralize chlorine and chloramines. Cities add cleaning agents to prevent harmful bacteria growth, making water safe to drink, however, both chemicals are dangerous to fish and friendly bugs that create the nitrogen cycle Combined ammonia; referred to as chloramines; gives the agent staying power in large cities Chlorine is a liquid gas, and is easily eliminated from water by exposing it to fresh air; Add a simple pond pump to your freshwater bucket. Oxygen destroys chlorine on contact. The process takes up to 24 hours Chloramines, also referred to as combined ammonia, is just that, ammonia combined with chlorine. The only difference between the ammonia used to disinfect our tap water, and the ammonia created from waste is the latter is ionized. Ammonia becomes ionized when enzymes are present. Enzymes initiate change, which allows beneficial bacteria to feed on it. The insignificant amount of ammonia found in chloramines will not injure your fish, and will quickly become consumed by friendly bugs. Whether you have chlorine or chloramines in your tap, water treatment does not need to be used to convert either one Goldfish care Chemicals found in water treatment: Sulfur dioxide, bisulfites, hydrosulfites, aqueous solution buffered at pH 8 with ameliorating ingredients and reducing agents are all chemicals used to create water treatment Although relatively safe in low amounts for healthy fish, these substances burn fish that have little or no slime coat due to living in an unhealthy environment. Use a product that enhances or builds slime coat when using increased amounts of water treatment. Slime coating can be increased by giving the fish a Sea Salt Remedy Salt irritates their skin, causing them to secrete a protective coating Read more about slime coat Aloe Remedy is another means of increasing the slime coat as your fish receive many other benefits as well A healthy slime coat helps reduce the risk of infection as well as avoid poisoning by water treatment. Goldfish with a healthy slime coat are more tolerant to low levels of ammonia, high KH levels and disease in general Warning: Do not use Stress coat water treatment for increasing slime coat when cycling a tank or pond. Stress coat contains only trace amounts of aloe and increased amount of treatment may put the fish at risk Read the label of your water treatment bottle. Some treatments convert only chlorine and chloramines while some convert metals as well. Other treatments convert ammonia, nitrite and nitrates. You may combine water treatments if caution is used to avoid overdosing Type water treatments There are water treatments that raise or lower general and carbonate hardness levels, while some treatments lower these same mineral values. This can also be done by using products found at the grocery store. Epsom salt (magnesium sulfate) raises (GH) general hardness. Distilled or R.O. water lowers GH levels. Bicarbonate of soda raises (KH) carbonate mineral hardness. Vinegar lowers KH levels Nitrogen cycle Noted on treatment label; water treatment has the capacity to bind to a specific amount of substance per [...]