Mote Marine Laboratory & Aquarium

Of major concern to the aquarist is administration of the waste produced by an Aquarium‘s inhabitants. Fish, invertebrates, fungi, and a few micro organism excrete nitrogen waste within the type of ammonia and should then either move via the nitrogen cycle or be removed by passing via zeolite. Ammonia can also be produced through the decomposition of plant and animal matter, including fecal matter and other detritus. Nitrogen waste products become toxic to fish and other aquarium inhabitants at high concentrations. In the wild, the vast quantity of water surrounding the fish dilutes ammonia and other waste materials. When fish are put into an aquarium, waste can quickly attain toxic concentrations in the enclosed surroundings unless the tank is cycled to take away waste.