[APD] RE: Non CO2 Barr method

["Thomas Barr" <tcbiii at earthlink_net>]

Andrew, 
This is essentially the same thing Diana Walstad suggest.
My only deviation is with the substrate, I use 1/2" peat and mulm with
Flourite or Onyx has really proved wonderful in the non CO2 sets I've done.
Otherwise, light is around 1-2 w/gal, generally I'll use a Triton(7200K), a
small hagen HOB filter for current, lots of plants, a moderate fish load
and feed them daily. I top the watwer off once a week and that's pretty
much it except for the rare pruning. 
I add ____a lot___ of plants from the start. This is the most over looked
thing people do when starting a plant tank.
I use easy to grow plants mainly and work the hard to grow species slowly
once the tank has settled down. 

My pearl grass looks as good as any I've ever seen in a CO2 tank for
example. It does not grow fast but I'd still call it invasive. Egeria and
other bicarb users will do well, moneywort, chains swords and a few red
plants, E azurea, Lugwigia, Proserpinaca, hair grass, even Gloss etc will
do well, growth is slow though so it takes awhile which is kinda nice.

Pearl grass makes a super foreground plant in a non CO2 tank.    
I might change the water once in 6 months, sometimes less. 

Rather than havibng a flat plant only aquascape, adding some nice rock or
wood will spices these tanks up and these decor items don't need pruned.
Moss can work well in these tanks and adding amano shrimp/SAE's are very
very useful since the algae grows slower also so the critters are able to
do more damage.


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