Bio-load
Encyclopedia
An aquarium
term from biology, the biological demand (bio-load or bioload) is the nitrogen
processing demand placed upon the material, chemical and biological filters
by uneaten food, decomposing inhabitants, accumulated organics and waste produced by livestock, foods and plant matter in the aquarium filtration system. This is not to be confused with bioburden, which is the number of microorganisms with which an object surface is contaminated.
Bio-load is determined by the net water volume of aquarium system (display tank, and sump
), refugium
, substrate
, mechanical filtration, live rock
, additional biological filtration, chemical filtration, chemical reactors, circulation, water changes, stage of nitrogen cycle
, number (in short, the capacity
) verus the size and number of fish, shrimp, crabs, snails, anemones, clams, other invertebrates, including filter feeders (in short, the biological demand). [1]
Aquarium filters remove, reduce and break down the bio-load. Biological filters include deep sand beds, wet/dry trickle, algae scrubbing and mud-based mediums.
Scavengers, which provide a biological benefit to the filtration system by consuming decomposing matter, are small bio-loads. Soft, small and large polyp corals are light bio-loads; they do not consume a large amount of material. Anemones however, are heavy bio-loads. Their feeding requirements equal that of fish. [2] The bio-filter breaks down the bio-load.
[edit]
Aquarium
An aquarium is a vivarium consisting of at least one transparent side in which water-dwelling plants or animals are kept. Fishkeepers use aquaria to keep fish, invertebrates, amphibians, marine mammals, turtles, and aquatic plants...
term from biology, the biological demand (bio-load or bioload) is the nitrogen
Nitrogen
Nitrogen is a chemical element that has the symbol N, atomic number of 7 and atomic mass 14.00674 u. Elemental nitrogen is a colorless, odorless, tasteless, and mostly inert diatomic gas at standard conditions, constituting 78.08% by volume of Earth's atmosphere...
processing demand placed upon the material, chemical and biological filters
Filter (chemistry)
In chemistry and common usage, a filter is a device that is designed to physically block certain objects or substances while letting others through. Filters are often used to remove solid substances suspended in fluids, for example to remove air pollution, to make water drinkable, and to prepare...
by uneaten food, decomposing inhabitants, accumulated organics and waste produced by livestock, foods and plant matter in the aquarium filtration system. This is not to be confused with bioburden, which is the number of microorganisms with which an object surface is contaminated.
Bio-load is determined by the net water volume of aquarium system (display tank, and sump
Sump
A sump is a low space that collects any often-undesirable liquids such as water or chemicals. A sump can also be an infiltration basin used to manage surface runoff water and recharge underground aquifers....
), refugium
Refugium
Refugium may refer to:* Refugium , an appendage to a marine, brackish, or freshwater fish tank that shares the same water supply...
, substrate
Substrate (aquarium)
The substrate of an aquarium refers to the material used on the tank bottom. It can affect water chemistry, filtration, and the well-being of the aquarium's inhabitants, and is also an important part of the aquarium's aesthetic appeal...
, mechanical filtration, live rock
Live rock
Live rock is rock from the ocean that has been introduced into a saltwater aquarium. Along with live sand, it confers to the closed marine system multiple benefits desired by the saltwater aquarium hobbyist...
, additional biological filtration, chemical filtration, chemical reactors, circulation, water changes, stage of nitrogen cycle
Nitrogen cycle
The nitrogen cycle is the process by which nitrogen is converted between its various chemical forms. This transformation can be carried out by both biological and non-biological processes. Important processes in the nitrogen cycle include fixation, mineralization, nitrification, and denitrification...
, number (in short, the capacity
Carrying capacity
The carrying capacity of a biological species in an environment is the maximum population size of the species that the environment can sustain indefinitely, given the food, habitat, water and other necessities available in the environment...
) verus the size and number of fish, shrimp, crabs, snails, anemones, clams, other invertebrates, including filter feeders (in short, the biological demand). [1]
Aquarium filters remove, reduce and break down the bio-load. Biological filters include deep sand beds, wet/dry trickle, algae scrubbing and mud-based mediums.
Scavengers, which provide a biological benefit to the filtration system by consuming decomposing matter, are small bio-loads. Soft, small and large polyp corals are light bio-loads; they do not consume a large amount of material. Anemones however, are heavy bio-loads. Their feeding requirements equal that of fish. [2] The bio-filter breaks down the bio-load.
[edit]
External links
- http://www.afishybusiness.com/Filters_Refugiums_s/2.htm
- http://www.wetwebmedia.com/deepsandbeds.htm
- http://www.freepatentsonline.com/6837991.html
- http://www.marinedepot.com/ps_AquariumPage~PageAlias~wet_dry_filters__index.html
- http://www.garf.org/MANGGG/MANG2002.HTML
- http://saltaquarium.about.com/library/blank/blbac_bioloadchartlight.htm Bio-load ratio]
- http://www.aquariacentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=96095
- http://freshaquarium.about.com/od/termsandtables/g/bioload.htm
- http://www.infectioncontroltoday.com/articles/341feat3.html
- http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20080207231753AA2jvvk
- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bioburden
- http://adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2007AGUFM.B51B0371S
- http://suburbanreef.com/products.aspx?cat=11
- http://www.absolutelyaquatic.com/products/1-5-bio-balls-biological-filter-media
- http://www.ocreef.com/how_to_keep_nitrates_down.html