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[APD] RE: what will happen then?



> From: Tony Eales <s328962 at student_uq.edu.au>
> I've been participating in a discussion about new v old ideas about 
> fertilization on the aquabotanic boards and it got me to thinking. Any 
> cursory look through through the archives of the APD and you will see a
lot 
> of posts about plant species. Sure most were about species X won't grow
and 
> the advice seemed to consist of "I find a pinch of mandrake root, 
> undergravel heating cables and dancing around the mistle-toe naked once a 
> month essential to grow this plant." but it lead to many interesting 
> discussions of said cables, substrates, CO2 water additives and
parameters. 
> These days most of the regulars have growing plants nailed and if Tom is 
> right and (heaven forefend) he writes that book any monkey with a bag of 
> flourite, a bottle of CO2, a box of ferts and decent lights will be able
to 
> grow anything.
>
> Question is what will happen then? 

Will the list turn into endless 
> recommendations for valves, light bulbs and hood designs. Personally I'd 
> rather pull out my fingernails for fun. Certainly this new stuff about 
> marine plants is exciting but that can't be the only thing on the
horizon. 
> Would it be too much to hope that we will once again become interested in 
> the weeds that fill up the space between our equipment. Maybe now that we 
> can grow them we might start to take a closer look at them. Where are
they 
> from? How do they reproduce? What other ones are there and can we go out 
> and collect them? Basically the kind of stuff fish people talk about now 
> that they know how to keep them alive.
>
> What do you think?

Tony, it is my hope that the advances will lead folks to the more
aquascaped realm, rather than "I'm just a plant grower" like many in NA./SA
were a few years ago.
There is sooooo muchhhhhh more to discuss, talk and importantly learn about
as far as a nice aquascaped tank.
That can go on forever no matter how good you are/method etc.
I want folks to get to that point if they choose.
It's a fun creative place to be!

My main goal: more and better aquascapes from NA and put us on the map with
our "own style" and ability to show we can kick some plant growing butt and
make awesome tanks. Heck, the last 2-3 years has shown a great increase in
quality aquascapes here in the USA.
No one can argue that. 
 
Finding out where the plants are from is easy enough, most books tell you
where. Sexual reproduction is seldom done since most are easy to grow
vegetatively. I've raised a few different species of Aponogeton,
Cryptocoryne, swords, (I'm forgetting a few others I'm sure) by sexual
propogation.It takes more work in most cases to raise the seeds. I've told
many a story about going out to collect:)

You have goals and desires with this hobby, and importantly these
desires/goals CHANGE as you develop, see the stages of the aquatic gardener
on the Krib.
That use to be a long and painful road.

Regards, 
Tom Barr


   


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