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fw:Mailing List Frustration

Here's a message from Karen Randall.  She's having problems emailing to 
the list.  If any of you (especially the folks on Compuserve) have recently
had articles disappear into the blue, could you let me know?

Cheers,
Shaji
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Shaji Bhaskar                                              bhaskar at bnr_ca
BNR, 35 Davis Dr., RTP, NC 27709, USA                      (919) 991 7125

---forwarded message---->

From: 76535.2776 at compuserve_com (Karen Randall)
 >>  Subject: Re: Under-tank heating coils. <<

 George,

 >> I have found that a plain old substrate will do great for 18 months (in
one particular case) and then plants will begin to do "poorly". <<

 My experiments with my primitive UG/heater substrate circulation system have
convinced me that substrate circulation and keeping the substrate at least as
warm as the rest of the tank is beneficial, particularly to heavy root feeders
like Anubias.  As I've mentioned to you elsewhere, I'm convinced enough that I
will probably tear down my 75G sometime soon to try a cable heating system.

 HOWEVER, That same 75G has been set up without change for over 2 years at
this point with _no_ substrate heating or circulation system.  It shows no
sign of deterioration at this point.  My frustration at this point stems from
the fact that the whole tank is so root bound that I cannot divide plants as
needed without uprooting large sections of the bottom.  It seems to me that
you had to dismantle a tank with substrate heating for similar reasons?<g>

 I've had other tanks set up for much longer periods of time without loss of
vigour.

 Again, I am not doubting the value of substrate heating, but I _do_ know that
planted tanks can be stable for long periods of time without it. Now I've
never tried to out-do Horst and Kipper's 11 year record, but...<g> (bet it
took a long time for _THAT_ tank to become root bound!!!

 >> I therefore conclude that coils DO NOT help plant growth to any great
extent but promote long term SUSTAINED growth. <<

 Now I'm going to jump to the other side of the fence.<g> Since setting up my
tank with the UG/heater system, I have seen _incredible_ growth in my
Anubias... plants that I have always considered slow growers.  Every
species/variety of Anubias in the tank has at least tripled, and in some cases
quadrupled in size in a period of about 9 months. I've never seen that kind of
growth in my other tanks.  As you suggest, I believe this is due to a steadier
supply of nutrients to the roots.  But in this case, it is better growth I'm
seeing, I still have to wait on the longevity issue.

  E-mail from: Karen Randall, 08-Jun-1995