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Re: Re: LFS vs APD wisdom



>>From all the responses to Kirk's original question you would think that
this
list regularly advised people to use UGFs, good aeration and circulation and
to avoid adding CO2.  In fact, that hasn't happened in a long time.<<

When did UGFs become part of a low tech plant tank? While their negative
affect on plants can be debated, what benefit does it have as a low tech
tank? What purpose does it serve? I don't remember reading it in Waldstads
book..

I think the terms low tech and high tech are very ambigious. Ever since
George Booth convinced the world of the benefit of C02 several years ago,
people have seen how much of a difference it makes in plant growth. Does
using C02 in any form automatically make the tank high tech? Is it simply
the cost that makes it high tech or the method? Is low tech low science and
high tech high science? After all, C02, substrate heaters, power compact
lighting,  enriched substrates, PMDD, are all things or methods based on
scientific principals to improve the health, longevity, and growth rate of
plants.

>>We are fortunate to have DW's book. It was sorely needed. Too bad more
LFS's don't carry it since many LFS also feel the same way in this same
approach.<<

I think most stores who advise a "low tech" approach don't do so knowing its
"low tech". They advise this either

from ignorance

or because they know most of their customers would not want to spend the
money and they can not provide the education to go along with the "high
tech" approach. There is still a big mind set amoung both retail customers
and retailers that you can simply throw plants in an aquarium without
addressing any need in particular, and when they die three months later you
simply replace them with new plants. Thats about as low tech as you can get.

Robert Paul Hudson
www.aquabotanic.com
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