Most beneficial bacteria are in...

[Andrewz00]

Just a question that has been boggling my mind....

if most beneficial bacteria are on the substrate, filter media, etc.... then why do we test the water column to monitor the levels?

no bearing here really... just something ive been wondering about.

 

[dkpate]

Probably because the fish are swimming around in the water and not the filter?

 

[Kurt_Nelson]

...
if most beneficial bacteria are on the substrate, filter media, etc.... then why do we test the water column to monitor the levels? ...

You're not directly monitoring the bacteria. You're monitoring the byproducts made by those bacteria - or in the worst case, the products that the bacteria *should* be consuming. And that stuff is in the water.

 

[Andrewz00]

Probably because the fish are swimming around in the water and not the filter?

i understand that the fish swim in the water....

the question is more along the lines of if the bacteria live on objects and not in the water... why dont we test substrates or "objects" inside the tank instead of the water?

 

[Andrewz00]

You're not directly monitoring the bacteria. You're monitoring the byproducts made by those bacteria - or in the worst case, the products that the bacteria *should* be consuming. And that stuff is in the water.

ahhh a real answer... thank you!

 

[meegosh]

The water column is what contains the ammonia, nitrites, and nitrates. The bacteria that feeds off those reside mainly in your filter media.

Edit: Apparently I am a slow typer.

 

[dkpate]

Well, we test the water because we are trying to keep the fish heathly right? Well, the fish are in the water, so we have to check the levels in the water.

 

[Andrewz00]

Meegosh: slow typer or not... more input/confirmation is always welcome in my book!

Thanks all!