Advice I gave

[Zach Villers <zvillers at columbus_rr.com>]

The other day I said this in an e mail. Will someone please correct me where
Im wrong, or expand on what Im saying here.

As to setting up your low light tank....I personally have problems with
algae just about every time I have set up a tank. The usual recommendation
is to plant densley with fast growing plants to compete with the (perhaps)
inevitable algae. With lower light levels fast growing stems arent as easy.
My theory is, if you used some floating plants, duckweed, watter
lettuce,etc. You might stand a better chance of beating the algae while your
lower light plants settled in. Low light plants are often, "low light
tolerant," even a shady to partly shady condition in nature still receives
some sunlight, which is better for plants than our aquarium lights. We use
aquarium lights because we can control them, we know their output, their
spectral make up, yadda yadda. The best "tanks" I have in some respects are
the bowls I have set up on a western facing window in my apartment. Your low
light tank will still benefit from CO2 and attention to nutrients. Tom Barr,
a guru of the list has written an excellent article on nutrients. It is on
the SFBAAPS web page,  http://www.sfbaaps.com/reference.shtml

BTW...does anyone have a "nutrient timeline?" When setting up a fish only
tank we have the nitrogen cycle, which of course is still present when
setting up a planted tank. I would like to see something like, after x days
my phosphate was used up, after x days my nitrates were at 5ppm. At what
point should we start with ferts on a planted tank. Should we let everything
go until there is a deficiency. I know that it would change tank to tank,
depending on set up, plants used and plant density. Just thought it might be
helpful for the novices *like myself* on the list.

Thanks again,
-Z-