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Re: Spotte:



Scott H. wrote:
"A few folks wrote me and told me about used copies available.  Well, I
was hoping someone could just post some numbers -- but I should take
the help where I can get it and how it comes."

Well, if you're looking to be spoon fed......

Actually, I dug the book out (I'm getting ready to repaint and all of my
books have been packed away - it takes a while to dig through 70 boxes of
boos looking for a particular one...). The material I _thought_ was in
Seawater Aquariums isn't there - as Dave W. pointed out it might be in one
of Spotte's other books. Then again, it might be in one of Martin Moe's
books or even in <ugh> Theil..... but I HAVE seen a comparison table of the
square footage per unit volume of a number of biofilter substrates. I'm just
not able to dig the exact volume out of storage right now - the other day I
was working from memory.

As for Spotte being "old", well, yes, it is - but it is STILL very good and
even though it was written on saltwater systems, there is a wealth of
information there applicable to freshwater aquariums. Just because a book
was written last month doesn't make it any better than one written 20 years
ago, especially when someone like Spotte was the author of the older book.
He does focus on things like undergravel filters and those have generally
fallen out of favour but the basic biology, which makes his books so
valuable, is still solid. I know that Hovanac has questioned the types of
bacteria responsible for nitrification but the only real thing in question
is the species responsible - the fact that there are bacteria doing the job
is what is really important.

Spotte, DOES cover the formation, ageing of and replacement of biofilms on
substrates in aquariums, and even talks of freshwater systems when he does
so. If you can get a copy for $9.00, its a very good investment - and much
more valuable than someone just posting numbers for you.

James Purchase
Toronto