[no subject]

["Adam Novitt" <adam at xhaos_org>]

Tom Wrote  "My question is more along the lines of why does ANYONE need a
bubble counter in the first place? We focus on the pH for precise CO2
determination, not bubbles per sec"  (SNIP) Why spend time, money and
maintenance on such a device? Some folks have to have them I guess. Never
been sure what for though........"

I recently built a bubble counter from a syringe.  All of the plumbing from
my tank runs into the basement.  The water where I live is very soft out of
the tap so it has to be buffered and with water changes that amount of
buffer changes so pH fluctuates.  The tank is plumbed into the house so
water changes are very small and frequent as I use tank water to water my
houseplants.  Having a maintenance free bubble counter, mine has been in
line for months without any fuss, is no problem that I can see.  If I want
the plants to bubble more up it goes a little and vise versa. It's just a
quick visual indicator. I don't actually count bubbles.

My question is more along the lines of why does ANYONE need to test water
parameters in the first place? Why spend time, money and maintenance on
testing? Some folks have to do it I guess. Never been sure what for
though... My plants grow very, very well.  I pull some out and sell them to
the LFS every week or two.  The life in the aquarium is the best test kit
and watching it is a very pleasant unlike monitoring reagents.

There are a lot of routes to success in this endeavor.  I now have a 20 high
Walstad method, e.g. dirt in the substrate.  I never understood this
approach before I tried it. Now, I believe.

;-P

Adam