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re: Algae challenge (kind of long)



>>crypts". I think I can contribute this to keeping
things simple and not messing with "chemical soup".<<

I no longer use PMDD and do not particularly recommend
it.  Keep it simple.  I agree.

>>I suspect that many new comers to this hobby are
treated to a bad experience because they think they
are
delving in depth into how to do a "high tech" tank<<

I think it is easiest to start with hardy plants that
do not necessarily require high light and optimum co2.
 Maybe start with half the light that you will
eventually use.  Let the tank settle into an
equilibrium, and then gradually up the ante.


>>with all the latest witches' brews(in reality they
scratch the surface). They add plant spikes, clay
balls, micronutrients, macronutrients, laterite,
heating cables, carbon dioxide canisters, metal
halides, compact flourescents, difusers, reactors,
bubblers, counters, dosers, drippers, grazers, and
then a healthy dose of PMDD which they (hopefully
correctly) mixed up themselves to save some money HA
HA (j/k).<<

When I first started, my first questions were, do I
REALLY need co2?  Do I REALLY need fertilizer?  I
started with neither.  Added yeast, saw an
improvement.  Then my plants started turning pale
after a few weeks, and it became clear that fertilizer
was necessary.  A lot of the doctrines of our hobby
are not must-haves.  It's just that each of them, in
general, make it that much easier to grow plants (co2
cylinder better than yeast, for example).  Do I really
need laterite?  No.  But will it make things a bit
easier?  Probably.

The point of my algae post was that algae-control
isn't just a matter of tweaking the recipe.  It's
about thinking of root causes.  And that's why people
think it is complicated and get frustrated--they want
to buy a magic cure, and not dig into the root causes.

>>If they stay with it then they must take a crash
course in biochemistry as they sort out metabolic
pathways of plants and nitrogen chemistry, when what
should have happend in the first place is they should
have gotten a healthy dose of reality and realized
that you guys are great because you took years to
learn the ART of balancing all the complexities of
what you do.<<

The idea of education is that I won't have to repeat
the mistakes of my predecessors because they have
taught me to avoid them.  To give hope to the newbie
(with the caveat that I do not feel I am "great") I
should mention that I haven't been in the hobby for
"years."  With patience, one can start from knowing
nothing, to an Amano-style finished aquarium, in 6
months.

>> Sometimes free enterprise
mucks things up. If what makes the big guys great (and
I really do not see why many of the people on this
list are not considered equal or greater than Ammano,
he just happens to be a great photgrapher so can show
off easier ;-))<<

How many of us have the drive of an Amano?  How many
of us have setup hundreds (if not thousands) of
aquascapes?  How many of us have developed the
artistic sensibility of Amano?  How many people are
experts at growing every conceivable plant, but can't
come up with an engaging aquascape to save their life?
 Amano is a unique combination of technical mastery,
artistic genius, skilled-photography, and shrewd
marketing.

>>, is not in fact SCIENCE. Science is a
tool used by these artists, if it was science that
made these tanks great, then there would be a recipe
that anyone could follow with guaranteed results.<<

It CAN be science.  But you're right.  It's not a
science yet.  I propose that members of this list come
up with a "consensus" tank setup for a 75gal
high-light/co2 to ensure best results, while balancing
costs.  Would include stocking levels, and algae-crew.
 Many newcomers can/will try this consensus setup and
report back.  A work in progress.

Arthur
http://www.geocities.com/anwestover

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