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Re: Sears/Conlin system

> From: krandall at world_std.com
> Subject: Sears/Conlin system
> 
> But I still think the _main_ point of your paper, and certainly, I
> think, the most _important_ thing to take away is that N & K and possibly
> even P need to be looked at individually and dosed as needed, and that a
> tank kept P limited can take fairly heavy doses of N without any algae
> problems.  

	Certainly.  What is more, there are occasions when N _must_ be
added to fix things.

> You know that in the beginning I was a "hard sell" on the idea of adding N
> to the water column.

	So was I. :)  When I first had problems I was (after reading the
usual aquarium stuff) paranoid about nitrate.  I didn't have a test kit at
first, so I kept doing lots of water changes to no avail.  When I did measure
it - not detectable!  The reading I had done made me extremely reluctant
to add nitrate, but that was what was needed.  It occurred to me only
later that the European tanks often have (to us) huge amounts of nitrate
added with each water change.

>  I have come (slowly... I'll admit readily to being
> very conservative when it comes to "experimenting" with new ideas!<g>) to
> agree fully that you can add N (and K, although that's never been much in
> issue) with relative impunity if P is limiting.  I still don't add it WITH
> my trace elements in the same mix. however, and I believe you've gotten
> away from that as well?

	I never did it.  Kevin came up with the recipe, and used it.  He
fiddled with the ratios of components.

> As to labeling, if you look in the archives, I think you will find that
> time and again, I have railed against those companies that do not
> adequately label their supplements, and I vote with my feet.  I use one
> that does, Tropica Mastergrow.

> Second, I'm lazy, and TMG uses good enough chelates that it doesn't need to
> be added on a daily basis.

	Neither does the stuff I use.  
> 
> BTW, the reason I titled this post "Sears/Conlin system" rather than "PMDD"
> is that I think it's a disservice to you guys to stick such good work with
> such a yucky name.

	Thanks.  I don't like it either.

	Incidentally, neither Tom nor I said that no commercial stuff comes
with proper labelling.  We just complained about stuff that doesn't, and
yes, I know you don't like those either.


-- 
Paul Sears        Ottawa, Canada