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Re: Osmocote
Aquatic Plants Digest wrote:
>
> Aquatic Plants Digest Friday, March 28 1997 Volume 02 : Number 613
>
> In this issue:
>
> Osmocote
> The algae farmer
> Nice Post Dan
> Magazine writers
> Some CO2 Figuring
>
> See the end of the digest for information on subscribing to the
> Aquatic Plants mailing list and on how to retrieve back issues.
>
> ----------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> I have recently conducted a test with Osmocote on dwarf sag, and with
> the debate currently going on, I thought you might like my results.
> Non-osmocote: 55 gal w/various plants & community fish, standard
> aquarium gravel, lit with 2 x 24" gro-lux fluoro bulbs on timer with 12 hrs
> of light/day.
> Osmocote: 10 gal w/warious plants & fry from the community tank,
> standard aquarium gravel, lit with 1 x 18" gro-lux fluoro bulb on timer for
> 12 hrs of light per day.
> Dwarf sag was removed from the 55 and planted in the 10 gal, and
> several pellets of osmocote were embedded in the gravel with the
> replantings. The test was condicted for 5 weeks.
> Observations: some very minor algae growth occurred in the osmocote
> tank, but the dwarf sag showed twice as much new growth.
> IMO Osmocote is a winner. Thanks to Dan Quackenbush for his
> excellent work!
>
> Greg.
I think that there must be a little bit more light on the ten gallon tank. (I am
assuming that the 10 gal is about 20x12x12 and the 55 gal 48x12x18) if this is so the
light in watts per inch square is 0.07 in both. However, the tank depths and light
penetration would be favor the 10 gal, especially with a dwarf plant. Perhaps someone
has a formula for calculating the differentials in light reaching the two plants. Even
so, those results sound pretty convincing. Convincing enough that I might try this
myself with the subject plants in the same tank, with one receiving Osmocote to the
surrounding substrate the other not. Where can I get Osmocote? (I did try looking this
up in the archives but it told me I ‘Cannot execute getfile’). And thank you for taking
the time and effort to perform a controlled experiment.
I wondered if it might be worth introducing a standard unit of light that we can quote
and refer to. I don’t know weather watts per gallon or some more complicated unit
involving depth is appropriate. What do we all think?.
David Brooks