Re: Re: Barley

["Don Matakis" <dmatakis at charter_net>]

> > > 2. Despite this fact, marketing of barley straw products,
> > particularly in the
> > > pond industry, has become common and has many proponents.
> > (would like to
> > > hear form some actual pond hobbysists opinions who have used
> > this.  It would
> > > be interesting to find how many say it is bunk)...my next task at
hand<<

Well, like Tom said, if you do the right things why would you need barley.
That said, following Toms advice of frequent water changes to reset nutrient
values, enough CO2 for plants to grow, not overfeeding, adding nutrients
like KNO3 etc. that water changes and ferts don't supply, using algae eating
critters from the start, I have not had any algae in a year in my office
tank. However, I neglected my other tanks and did not do a lot of those
things on a regular basis, or consistently. For me the barley extract and
straw (I used both) did "appear" to weaken and destroy the string and gravel
algae in those tanks.  Could be other factors that worked with it or in
spite of it more likely though, like getting CO2 levels under control, more
water changes, changing bulbs more frequently, adding KNO3, etc. In the
future I will not spend the money on the barley. I guess I'd have to say the
magic bullet is doing the work required that we know works instead of
looking for an easy fix. That's why I joined the list, to be able to glean
the knowledge of people who have been there and done that. Thank you to all
who have helped me to enjoy the hobby more. Don Matakis