The meeting ended with a discussion about things we do differently with our ponds in the winter vs. the summer. Many great ideas were shared concerning issues of fish feeding, pond filtering and air temperature. What is the Nitrogen Cycle - As explained by Tom Lansing With the new season approaching and in light of the cold winter we have had and may continue to have, I thought this article might really help some of the members, who ARE going to see some filter stumbling and major start overs this year. Understanding what is happening can help. It's really kind of interesting.
Fish excrete ammonia from their gills and kidneys.
This ammonia is converted to Nitrite by Nitrosomonas bacteria 3. Nitrite is converted to Nitrate by Nitrobacter bacteria 4. Nitrates, in most cases, are harmless unless at high levels and are consumed by algae, plants or through regular water changes. One of the most important aspects of successful koi keeping or any fish keeping for that matter, is biological filtration and its function in the nitrogen cycle. I read recently, that the number one reason novice fish keepers become disillusioned with the hobby is the frequency in which they experience high death rates of their aquatic pets after setting up a new system.