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Re: Low tech tanks
- To: Aquatic-Plants at actwin_com
- Subject: Re: Low tech tanks
- From: psears at nrn1_NRCan.gc.ca (Paul Sears)
- Date: Mon, 24 Mar 1997 08:49:31 -0500 (EST)
- In-Reply-To: <199703240443.XAA08080 at looney_actwin.com> from "Aquatic-Plants-Owner at ActWin_com" at Mar 23, 97 11:43:05 pm
> From: eworobe at cc_UManitoba.CA
> Subject: Re: Dan Quakenbush
>
> I have always and consistently advocated a 'low-tech' approach to the
> culture of aquarium plants. I have always maintained that equipment such as
> undergravel heaters, pH controllers, CO2 injection systems, expensive
> 'full spectrum' lights, fancy substrate additives etc are unnecessary. I
> also agree with you that many novices are scared off by the seeming
> difficulty of growing aquatic plants under these conditions, especially
> since they are convinced that they require this equipment in order to
> succeed.
I'll go along with this! I run two tanks right now, and the
only "high" tech item on either is a CO2 cylinder on the larger one.
I'm suspicious that its main function is to keep the pH down where the
tetras like it. The flame tetras keep breeding, and the plants grow, but
the plants grow in the other tank too. (Guppies breed in there.)
>
> Education is the key to the promotion of the hobby. If people understood
> some of the basic adaptations of plants to an aquatic existence, then the
> mystery of what is going on with your plants would largely disappear and so
> would the snake oil salesmen.
Well said. How, though, will the "industry" fare when people
have plants that grow, rather than die, fish that breed, and no need for
any _expensive_ fertilizers, pH adjusters or magic potions in general?
Education would produce an enormous (and overdue) shakeup.
--
Paul Sears Ottawa, Canada
Finger ap626 at freenet_carleton.ca for PGP public key.