Re: non carbon enriched tank

["Giancarlo Podio" <gp at isaconsulting_com>]

...macro algae or PLANTS??? Goes to show you how much I know about salt
water!! I really have some homework to do, I didn't know algae was "useful"
or "required" in a saltwater tank nor did I know that there are salt water
plants I could keep. I don't mind doing the water changes, after all I do
them weekly on the freshwater tanks so that should not be a problem. I think
I will have to join a salt water group, I have too many questions to ask :-)

.....soooo, what kind of salt water plants are there? I've never seen any
for sale

I promise that was the last salty question. Thanks for the info!

BTW seeing I had plenty of Excel left over I've been adding 5ml to my weekly
mix even though I also add CO2, I don't know what effects or advantages if
any this may have but it's better than letting the bottle grow old, I guess
once I run out I'll be able to notice any differences in plant growth if
any.

Giancarlo Podio

----- Original Message -----

  a.. To: Aquatic-Plants at actwin_com
  b.. Subject: Re: non carbon enriched tank
  c.. From: Thomas Barr <tcbiii at yahoo_com>
  d.. Date: Thu, 8 May 2003 10:43:27 -0700 (PDT)
  e.. In-reply-to: <200305081118_h48BIiMt013857 at otter.actwin.com>

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----

GP was mentioning about small lower tech saltwater tanks(and you
better have some macro algae or plants in there of some kind!)

One thing Saltwater folks hate and will spend loads of $$ on,
all to avoid doing water changes..... much like many FW plant
folks fight about using CO2....

Folks try all sorts of ways around CO2 in planted tanks and not
doing water changes in Saltwater tanks.
On a small 10-20 gal macro algae/coral tank, 60-70% weekly water
changes would do what and how much would this cost?
Salt is pretty cheap, no traces, Kalk, worry etc. You can
maintain excellent control and have a very nice tank without any
skimmer, trace additions etc. Simple things like a weekly water
change will get you far.

But if you balance the tank well, you don't have to do this so
frequently and can dose a few things like Kalk, traces, and even
KNO3, KH2PO4 for the macro algae.

And no, SW tanks are less work once set up than a planted tank.
Water changes are tougher since you need to pre mix the salt and
water before doing the water change.

And you get a fair amount $ for the macro algae. Especially if
they are uncommon in the trade.

As far as the idea of non Carbon enriched tanks, I say this
since adding Excel is not adding CO2, it seems a better idea
therefore to use the term non carbon enriched rather than a non
CO2. This is more applicable when talking about tanks without
extra carbon being added for the plants.

Regards,
Tom Barr