Re: Aquatic Plants Digest V5 #122

[Roger Miller <rgrmill at rt66_com>]

On Tuesday 28 May 2002 13:48, Ellen O'Connell wrote:

> It seems there've been other posts that give (me at least) the impression
> that some people's goal is maximum plant growth.  I understand that more
> light, CO2, etc., are necessary to provide conditions for growing some
> plants, and that healthy plant growth is necessary to keep algae from
> flourishing, but can someone who has this goal explain to me why maximum or
> extremely rapid growth of plants is a goal in and of itself?

Sorry to jump on this thread so late, but I've been out.  I recall getting 
this same impression and asking the same questions.  There's probably at 
least one letter in the archive to that effect.

My own answer is that maximum or extreme growth isn't necessary, but that you 
must have growth that is rapid enough to keep the plants looking healthy and 
attractive despite damage by fish, short-term nutrient problems and prunings. 
 If you don't have fish that damage plants, keep your tank completely stable 
and don't prune or aquascape the tank then you really don't need very much 
growth to keep things looking healthy and attractive.

If you prune and/or transplant your plants at all frequently then you need 
relatively rapid growth so that the plants can recover quickly and look 
healthy and attractive most of the time.


Roger Miller