Temporal and spatial stability of ammonia-oxidizing archaea and bacteria in aquarium biofilters.

ABSTRACT: Nitrifying biofilters are used in aquaria and aquaculture systems to prevent accumulation of ammonia by promoting rapid conversion to nitrate via nitrite. Ammonia-oxidizing archaea (AOA), as opposed to ammonia-oxidizing bacteria (AOB), were recently identified as the dominant ammonia oxidizers in most freshwater aquaria. This study investigated biofilms from fixed-bed aquarium biofilters to assess the temporal and spatial dynamics of AOA and AOB abundance and diversity. Over a period of four months, ammonia-oxidizing microorganisms from six freshwater and one marine aquarium were investigated at 4-5 time points. Nitrogen balances for three freshwater aquaria showed that active nitrification by aquarium biofilters accounted for ≥ 81-86% of total nitrogen conversion in the aquaria. Quantitat

SUBMITTER: Bagchi S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4257543 | biostudies-literature | 2014

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature