[KoiCop]

Quote: Originally Posted by John Russell The primary nitrifiers are Nitrosonomas and Nitrobacter bacterias. The strains consume chemical compounds only (ammonian and nitrite). These are slow growing bacteria that reproduce by seperating. The double in size every 15 hours and require chemical rich, highly oxygenated water.

Steve Childers mentioned in passing in his long and detailed response to your post that nitrosomas and nitrobacter are no longer considered the preeminent bacteria responsible for nitrification in koi ponds.

If you're a true student interested in the latest scientific findings, and would like to drill down on this topic, you might wish to refer to the writings of Dr. Timothy Hovanec, Chief Science Officer of Marineland Labs. He and his team have more than a decade of work behind their landmark discovery of BIO-Spira. During that time, their findings have been well documented in trade journal articles and peer-reviewed scientific papers -- several of which can be accessed at:

http://www.marineland.com/science/nspira.asp