Re: PMDD and chem test

[Thomas Barr <tcbiii at earthlink_net>]

> Subject: PMDD
> 
> Howdy guys,
> 
> I have a proposal, I hope no one takes this the wrong way; can we
> password protect the PMDD recipe until a person passes a basic chemistry
> and mineral nutrition test?

Who's going to administer this "test". What if I fail? No PMDD for me?:-)

>  Or at least add more blinking bright
> disclaimers about high light levels and PMDD?

Maybe. Most are a little mystified by it unless they look into the idea or
have someone suggest it etc. It looks scary so folks that don't know any
better avoid it anyhow.

> It's just that I've seen
> too many posts asking "what does K do?" or questions on how to calculate
> rises based on dry dosing after someone rushed out and starting dumping
> stuff into their tank.

_You_ have seen too many post?

 You are in no way obligated to answer everything. No one is twisting your
arm:-) Folks are going to make mistakes with dosing. Some get lucky, some
don't. Some heed warnings, some don't.

Main thing is that learn and address these issues as they come and appear.
I do it because it means another poor person sucked into this hobby for
good:-) I repeat myself quite often. Each time I get better at understanding
it and thinking about explaining it.

>  I think PMDD is wonderful and Chuck Gadd's
> calculator can be handy, but these are calculations *everyone* who uses
> PMDD should be able to perform without any problems.
> I feel bad
> however, and do try and help these people, for reasons Tom Barr pointed
> out earlier:  the only reason they need to go to PMDD is that they
> bought 3-4W+/gal of PCF lighting based on this group's "high-light"
> recommendations.

 Dosing can be that easy but it depends on how far into to this you want to
get. I don't think a chem test is needed.
There are only 4 things that you need to "dose" depending on the tapwater
and hardness.
K2SO4
KH2PO4
KNO3
Traces

Some add MgSO4/CaCL2 etc for GH or SeaChem Equilibrium and baking soda for
KH.
Now if folks want to make it complicated they can. But this does not have to
be the case.

But you always get someone going "BUT WHY?"

That can get complicated. Understanding it is perhaps more the issue you are
raising here.
The act of doing this is quite simple though. Some may argue that point also
but I've been doing this a long time and it is simpler than many would have
you believe. There's no witchcraft going on.

> Maybe I'm off base here, but should not someone's first planted tank be
> under 2W/gallon, non-injected, rich substrate, no fertilizer except
> potassium and maybe trace?

And the plant police will punish you if you don't do this?:-)
I try to suggest this but we cannot make them do this. Many folks suggest
3-4 watts a gallon for lighting. Try stopping folks from suggesting so much
light. How do you do that? Is that the right way to handle this?
You just have to work with whatever they have or decide on really.

> And then when you understand this ecosystem
> and simple chemistry well enough then go out and buy one of those
> "high-octane" setups?  PMDD is a complicated, experimental, and
> unsupported non-commercial method of maintaining a tank that does
> require a reasonable amount of skill at basic chemistry... We can at
> least be honest about this.  My intent is not to discourage people from
> trying PMDD, just to make sure they've done their reading.

You are not going to make folks to do this. Nor buy lower lighting. You can
wave a huge sign in the air, scream etc, they will still go out and try
this, and get high lighting systems.

It's just the way some folks are. This is why folks that come to this hobby
from the reef and SW arena often do much better because they killed off 300$
or more of their SPS corals, killed their Clown trigger, had nasty algae,
spent more than they will on a planted tank etc. They understand the expense
and cost of doing this and do not want to make the same mistake so they tend
to look into this more and learn the in's and out's more completely.

It's also a lot to learn and it's not going to be learned over night.
There's a sharp learning curve at the start of most new things folks try.
Give em a break.
Have them learn CO2 first if they want to have those high oct tanks. Next
NO3 etc........one step at a time. Sometime they need to hear it 2-3
different ways to get it.
Simply reading it off the web page is not the same as haggling on a forum
about it. Some folks will surprise you also and really pick up on it. Sure,
experience sure can help and allow new folks to relax and learn _patience_.
Regards, 
Tom Barr 





 
> Sorry about the rant,
> Jeff Ludwig
> Philadelphia