[Date Prev][Date Next][Thread Prev][Thread Next][Date Index][Thread Index]

Welcome (was: newbie)

Amethyst wrote:
> Date: Tue, 29 May 2001 17:16:57 -0400
> any way to anchor stem plants? the goldies love to trash the place and stemm plants are
> always floating up to the top

   If the plants ever have a chance to develop roots, they might stay by themselves.
I think most others on the APD list keep tropicals, and may suggest abandoning goldfish
for less aggressive herbivores.
> 
> how much light?? my 55G has a 110W compact flour. and the 30 has 60W of "aqualight"??

   The standard rule of thumb is 2-3 W of normal output fluorescent per gallon, so 
you meet that rule.  Faster growth & more potential for algae at or above the high 
end, slower growth and slightly less potential for extremely light loving plant 
species at or below the low end.
> 
> plants seem to be doing well. is there a troubleshooting guide out there somewhere? best
> books? best web sites??

   You've got to know about www.thekrib.com.  I find the search engine for the APD
www.actwin.com/fish/aquatic-plants/index.cgi is so-so, but a while back, someone 
suggested using the advanced search at www.google.com to limit answers to the
actwin.com domain for a more thorough search.  The best inexpensive all around
book in my opinion is Aquarium Plants Manual by Ines Scheurmann, published by
Barons, but I've been waiting patiently (a couple years) for the pending English
translation of Aquarienpflanzen by Kristel Kasselman.  Pablo Tepoot's "Aquarium
Plants, The Practical Guide" has large pictures, so makes a good identification
atlas, but little text.  Barry James' "A fishkeeper's guide to aquarium plants"
(Tetra Press) is also frequently mentioned, and is worth its mail order price.
> 
> how about buying plants on line? any advise? recommended vendors?

   I never have because the minimum cost is so high, but Arizona Aquatic Gardens
is frequently mentioned as being a good vendor.  [Redacted]

> I'm looking for a few plants..hornwort is one!!!..that I can't find locally.

   Your best bet is to arrange a trade with someone else in either your local
plant/aquarium club, if you're lucky enough to have one, or from the APD.  The 
cost of priority mail is a pittance compared to the $30-60 minimum mail order
cost.  I no longer keep hornwort, but my LFS occasionally has it.  Write back
if you can't find it elsewhere.
Alex
> 
> that's all I can think of for now!!
> Thanks!!
> Amethyst