There was a medical case a few years ago where they thought somebody had argyria from silver, however, they found that it was caused by something else, I don't have access to the New England Journal of Medicine website any more, so I can't look up the cite, however, I do have a question, and that is, have you had your skin tested for silver content? If you have already answered this, then I must have missed it, and am sorry for being redundant. A skin test is the first thing I would do if I were worried about argyria.
Yours in health, James Allison ----- Original Message ----- From: [email protected] To: [email protected] Sent: Wednesday, April 17, 2002 12:41 AM Subject: Re: CS>Argyria and Beneficial Bugs In a message dated 4/16/2002 9:10:43 PM Central Daylight Time, [email protected] writes: Sorry, but the "good" bugs don`t kill the "bad" bugs in an aquarium. The biological filter works by the bacteria (neither good nor bad) converting nitrates from fish poo and uneated food into less harmful nitrites. The cure for it is less fish and more partial water changes. Nitrogen build-up is the real name for "new tank syndrome". Marshalee, former aquarist... Ok I tried to simplify it so everyone would understand a little better. Like I said I wasn't going to go into depth as I considered it off topic. Guess I should have went into depth. Many people don't understand the Nitrates and Nitrogen cycle unless they have had an aquarium and many have had one and wondered why the fish died. LOL Here ya go though.... Nitrosomonas sp. will develop to naturally oxidize the ammonia into nitrite. This bacteria is an aerobic bacteria meaning that it requires oxygen. A well aerated and circulated aquarium is important. When this first species of bacteria has developed the ammonia levels in the aquarium will drop rapidly as well as fish distress. For a while. Then the Nitrosomonas bacteria is producing nitrite like crazy until the concentration reaches toxic proportion. High nitrites will cause the fish great distress and usually for a much longer period than the ammonia. The nitrites can inhibit the ability of the fish’s body to use oxygen. Just like in the first cycle, the nitrites will become so high that a second species of bacteria will develop Nitrobacter sp. This bacteria is also aerobic. It will oxidize the nitrite molecules into nitrate. Nitrate is relatively harmless to fish. Regular partial water changes and a little algae can keep nitrates under control. So to make it all short CS kills these good bacteria's that break down all this stuff (ammonia from excreted urine or whatever you want to call it and fish Poop as you say) and your aquarium has to start all over in the process. Then in the mean time watch out for diseases that can arise unless your fish are already dead. Time to start all over with the cycling and probably new fish too. Which is very similiar to what happens when we have yeast infections. Its an overgrowth of bacteria that would normally be kept in check with another bacteria (not going to go into all the names here but I am sure someone will) had we not killed it because of an antibiotic or other means. Geez I hate getting technical. Looks like thats what you guys want though and I frankly don't have the time for it. It's not that big a deal to me nor probably half the others on this list. Time to go to bed for me. I have been up way too long now playing these games. Nite Nite
