More beneficial bacterial growth on...???

[twk1]

I would like to know if, lets say you have one tank with sand substrate and a another tank with rocks pebbles or boulders.... Will the tank with sand have more beneficial bacterial growth on the sand?? Or the other tank with a different substrate?

For an example of what i'm talking about:
Bio balls and pot scubbies... pot scrubbies have more surface area for benificial bacteria growth than bio balls do.

 

[bigspizz]

There is certainly more surface area for the BB to live on with a sand bed. Throughout all of the variables, there could not possibly be a static answer. But the potential is there for sure. Getting the bb to thrive in the sand would be the trick. I suppose if you turned it everyday, you would maximize the possibility, of having as much bb, as possible.

 

[Will Hayward]

Water flow is crucial to the Ammonia and Nitrite eating bacterias (Though Nitrate eating bacteria relies on stagnant water). While sand has significantly more surface area, water will be able to flow beneath a bed off large pebbles.

 

[vfc]

A deep bed of sand has the potential to support anaerobic bacteria. Pebbles and dense rock would probably only support aerobic bacteria. However, porous rock might support both.

I say might, because I have not seen any studies where they state actual bacteria density per square for any substance. Everything I see is theoretical based only on surface area and the potential for aerobic bacteria only.

 

[vfc]

Most tanks have overkill when it comes bio-media and aerobic bacteria; especially those with huge wet/dry setups. Once you have ammonia and nitrites at zero, adding more bio-media is a waste.

I have one tank running for quite awhile with only large round pebbles and a water pump. The 26G tank supports four 2-3" cichlids.

My most stable and healthy tanks have been the ones with a deep bed of sand.

 

[twk1]

Thanks guys for your responses and making it clear that having sand will promote more BB growth. Sooo.. does it mean having sand as substrate allow you to be able to do bigger water changes?? Like lets say i use to do 40-50% WC on a pebble substrate tank. Will i be able to do 70-80% WC in a tank that has sand substrate with no harm caused to the fishes??

 

[twk1]

Thanks guys for your responses and making it clear that having sand will promote more BB growth. Sooo.. does it mean having sand as substrate allow you to be able to do bigger water changes?? Like lets say i use to do 40-50% WC on a pebble substrate tank. Will i be able to do 70-80% WC in a tank that has sand substrate with no harm caused to the fishes??

Feed back please....

 

[Will Hayward]

If you have well cycled filters, there is little harm doing large waterchanges. Fish like fresh clean water. The bacteria feeds off ammonia and Nitrite, so as long as the fish in the tank are producing it, then the bacteria will live. However, large waterchanges that are made very frequently can be stressful, with the low water levels, and temperature change.

 

[hybridtheoryd16]

As long as you remove the chlorine/chloramine and match the temp and PH, you can do 100% water changes on any tank with no ill effects. -------------Trouble people get into with large WC's is they don't do one for a long time and then do a 90% and get a crash. This happens because that tank did not have any water changed for so long that there was to big of a PH swing and the temp was not matched. You can shock Bacteria just like shocking a fish.

 

[mjohns]

Most tanks have overkill when it comes bio-media and aerobic bacteria; especially those with huge wet/dry setups. Once you have ammonia and nitrites at zero, adding more bio-media is a waste.

What harm can extra media do...?

I use as much as possible, that way you can feed extra