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Re: Tom's way? Heck I'm lost



> True.. why would anyone doubt Tom?

I doubt myself all the time:)

> I just meant that people were questioning.  Not in a doubtful way, but a
> curious one.

I've known James for sometime as a friend/aquarist. I encourages folks to
attack _ideas_. If they are worthy, they will stand. If not, they won't.
There is no animosity here and I do not feel that way myself/or attacked
etc. He is more than welcomed to attack California.

>> I feel that Tom's approach focuses more on making sure that
>> your plants are offered a banquet to make sure that they keep ahead of algae
>> than the older approach of giving everyone just enough to keep them from
>> starving.
> 
> I agree.  I've tried the P limited tanks, the NO3 limited tanks.  They
> all work.  Some to a higher degree than others.  I want to go back and
> set up a low-tech tank like my first planted.  I had a 55 gallon stuffed
> full of giant val and amazon swords.  Just a little fert pellet in the
> substrate and that's that.  It was easy and good in it's simple way.

Well I hope more folks will see the merits of the non CO2 tank. A few things
can be done these days to make it better. The understanding of that type of
method is much better now. Algae controls are better understood, plant type
and usage, substrates(I used some peat + flourite and came out with
excellent results), herbivore availability etc. It can be done consistently
on a much higher level than when I was suffering years ago.
I think it's interesting to look at different methods and see what works
best for each person. Better lighting has caused things to change and
different methods to be tried.
> 
> That's the key.  You have to know what's going on.  If you're setting up
> your first planted tank, don't dive head first into the nutrient control
> / CO2 / high light / hocus pocus / experimental substrate mumbo-jumbo
> that so many of us enjoy. :)  First get a feel for it, give your plants
> names, take them to bed with you and whisper sweet nothings into their
> tiny little plant ears.  Then settle into your method [whatever that may
> be] and feel it out until you've GOT it.

But.......you can tell folks this till your blue. Some just have to figure
it out no matter what we say. We should deal with them as well. Some just
want a nice mellow tank that's left alone. Some want something in between.
It's just difficult to say what someone else should or should not do.
 
Therefore, knowing something about each method and how it's done to high
level is a not a bad idea if your dealing with a number of folks. You can
give them option after option.

The problem starts right when they start fusing the options together to cut
corners but still attempt to get plant more growth/Amano tanks. Or the USA
motto "more is better". Some folks are rich and can afford some things, some
are poor and cannot. Some are rich but cheap(the worst kind of all). These
come into play almost every time. Example is "I want an Amano tank but I
don't want to use CO2." "Is there some way around CO2". They try to avoid
CO2 like the Plague. If I had a penny for every time I've heard this
baloney...........

But folks DO NOT want to hear only one single option. They want choices.
Would you like to have access to only chemical algae control methods? Give
them enough choices and you can "wear them down" and accept a good method
for them. This way they understand not to mix them together. If you tell
them only one method and not to mix or try other methods they only hear it
once. If I tell them 4 or more different methods and tell them in each(they
hear it 4 x then!) not to mix the methods together. Each has it's merits and
weak points. Then when they do go off and ask others and look on the web
they see that you do know about the non CO2 method or the high light CO2
method etc. They will back and ask you more about it. You've given them
options were as other folks have not. Other folks give one option typically.

 Each method has it's own tenets and these should be explained and separated
from one another as much as possible. Do not mix these together. But they
will do it anyway then come back whining about their algae farm. Then, after
they have suffered, these folks are willing to listen(sometimes).
  Plants are quite secondary for many folks also. After some time they see
it's hard and may or may not be up to the challenges.
Regards, 
Tom Barr