Help with Bacteria Question

[Vienna]

I have both a saltwater tank and a freshwater turtle habitat. I'm also a professional freelance writer and need fast information about the benefits of aerobic and anaerobic bacteria. What's the difference between them? How do they help or harm our tanks If possible, please list your name and/or source and I'll quote you! Thanks in advance. From Vienna in Montana.

 

[mattfish]

Arobic bacteria- Bacteria that needs water circulation threw it constantly. Pros, is very fast growing and is used in new systems and large systems that have heavy fish loads coming in and out of it. it cycles tanks fast which changes ammonia to nitrates and makes the tank ready for fish. Cons, it is very unstable, if the water stops passing threw it it all dies. this can happen in a short amount of time. when the power kicks back on, you have a surge of ammonia go threw the tank and burns the fish.
Anaerobic bacteria- Bacteria that needs very little circulation around it (not threw it). Pros, it is a very stable bacteria and if the power is off, takes days to start dieing. this is my preferred bacteria for saltwater. Cons, takes a much longer time to mature to change ammonia to nitrate. i think of it as good wine, it takes awhile to mature and become fantastic.
Some people will start a tank out with "bio-balls" to get the tank cycled and slowly take them out once the tank has properly cycled. you can do this but do it very slowly, aerobic bacteria absorbs alot more waste faster than anaerobic and will starve it out. But if you slowly take aerobic media away, the anaerobic will develope and do the job.
Hope this helps,
Matt

 

[mattfish]

if you have a reef saltwater tank i would move to a little deeper sand bead (2.5 - 3.5 inches deep) and stick with anaerobic, but turtles and large aggresive fish only tanks on the other hand produce ALOT of waist. aerobic bacteria media is a good way to go. if you have a power outage there is a risk for the fish if the bacteria dies but its a risk you will take.