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Re: Professional Aquatic Plant Soil (& other stuff)


	Been away from the internet for so long, and I see it's deja vu
all over again: George and Steve are having the same argument, halogen
lights are being proposed, definitions of low and high tech are flying
around, arcillite has once again reared its ugly head... and dad nab it, I
move form Seattle back to Canada, and _then_ Karen decides to give a talk
in the Emerald City!  (BTW I agree that the Kathy and Erik have a great
looking fishroom, though my vision may have been impaired by the beer...
you weren't drinking, were you Karen ;-).

	Anyway, I'd like to mention that I am now experimenting w/
arcillite (the 'lateritic clay' in Professional Aquatic Plant Soil).  It's
in a pot wi/ an Echinodorus barthii. I also have the same species in a pot
with equal portions (by volume) of Sera's Floradepot, Seachem's Flourite,
and Profile's arcillite.  So far the growth of the barthii in the latter
pot is fantastic, and in the other it is very, very good)  I will keep the
list posted.  If I am reasonably convinced that the combination of the
three products will continue to provide a good substrate, I'll use them in
the 75 planted tank I'll be setting up ... soon, I hope.

	I'd like to mention that halogens grow plants, especially
Echinodorus, just fine. A good friend of mine has used them for his
110gal, and his swords, including his barthii, grow better than anyone's
I've seen.  Given the amount of red in their spectrum, I'm not surprised
that they grow his swords well, since many swords IMHO prefer light in the
red.  I am surprised that his barthii does so well, and is such a deep
red, given that my experience is that red plants generally get redder
under blue light.  I know other factors, particularly intensity, play a
role in the reddening through stimulating anthocyanin production, but
still...
	Of course, the main disadvantages w/ halogens are heat and cost
and so on, but that's only arelated, but separate issue.
	Last, I've noticed that some find that tank inhabitants look kinda
ugly under halogens.  Some fish do, I imagine, but his Cardinals and Rummy
Nose look very good, and his Diamond Tetras shimmer in a way that just
doesn't happen when he uses fluorescents.  (Yes, his plants grow great
under fluorescents, too ;-).

	A final note about arcillite:  when I first mentioned the product
on this list way back when, someone, I think it was Beverley E., posted a
fair bit of info on it.  For those looking to get some technical data on
it, search the archives under arcillite, and look for her post.  


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