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Kevin Osborne book & Anubias article & big tanks
Congradulations, Karen Randall, for a fantastic job of documenting the
anubias family. Well written, good photos and fresh information. If any
of you do not take Aquarium Fish Magazine, get this issue as it is a classic.
Re Justin's querry on the "simplified Plant tank" book offered through
FAMA. I bought the book and agree with a good share of what Kevin
Osborne says. However, IMO he misses the most obvious point on why
people fail with plants. Most starter setups have a small air pump.
These things are deadly to plants because they drive off the necessary
CO2. If Kevin would have talked about that his book would have been more
valuable. He says nothing either way about air pumps or using air
venturi on power heads. I have set up several low tech tanks with UGF
and power heads with 1.5 watts fl per gallon and with regular maintenance
they do great.
Re big tanks. I finally got my dream of two big tanks. Made by Inter
American advertised in FAMA. Dimensions 72" l x 30 h x 32 w. May write
an article some day about the problems and joys of big tanks. I love the
depth for tall plants but no matter how tall the tank is there will
always be some plants that want more height. Tall tanks can be a bear to
work on. My arm pit and ear do get wet at times if I have to reach too
far. It requires getting on a ladder to reach down low enough. I use
plenty of gravel - up to 6" and am working with different substrate
combinations, MH and co2. Had early problems of blue green algae but
followed the Sears recommendation on PMDD etc and have the P down to
where there is no longer any cynobacter algae and very little of any
algae. After being set up for 4 months I am going to migrate to more
exotic plants and phase out the water sprite and rotalla "indica"
(rotondifolia).
--Earle Hamilton from northern Michigan where coral once grew