After water leaves the clarifier tanks, it enters into the first of two "mineralization tanks". This is where the liquid waste (and any solids that made it past the clarifiers) is broken down by beneficial bacteria. There is plastic orchard netting in these tanks, just to give the bacteria more places to grow. These bacteria will actually live on every surface within the system. Ammonia is broken down into nitrite, which is then broken down into nitrate, which the plants can absorb as food. Water enters the top of the first mineralization tank, and exits the bottom, entering the bottom of the second mineralization tank, then exits the top of the second minaralization tank to the degassing tank.