But you need the bacteria on the outside taking up oxygen
so that the bacteria in the rock have a low oxygen
environment to do the denitrification. You can't have a
low oxygen environment if you don't have the aerobic
bacteria consuming the oxygen.


Wayne Sallee
Wayne's Pets



George Patterson wrote on 9/18/2006 6:31 PM:
Wayne Sallee wrote:
Yep. What happens is that it is so efficient that it out competes the
bacteria on the outside of the rock and sand, so that denitrification
dos not take place as well inside of the rock and sand.

Right, but isn't there other bacteria in the live rock and sand that eat
nitrates?

Don't get me wrong, I do *not* think you should buy a wet/dry when you
have enough live rock to do the job, but don't see why someone who
already has a wet/dry filter should get rid of it.

George Patterson
All successes in conservation are temporary. All defeats are
permanent.