Re: [APD] Re: Carbonate shortage?

["S. Hieber" <shieber at yahoo_com>]

I'll note an exception to the no-water change policy.
Anyway, very few water changes. Diana Walstad, in her book,
_Ecology of the Planted Aquarium_ describes in very good
detail how to set up an aquarium without high light levels
and added CO2 and only small additions of water to make up
for evaporation. As I recall, she changes the water maybe
once every few months.

A slow grow tank set up, such as Diana describes, can make
for a very nice, very low maintenance planted aquairum.

Scott H.

--- Dave Millman <dave at tactics_com> wrote:
> At 12:03 PM 6/24/2004 -0400, Daniel Larsson wrote:
> 
> >With a KH of 2.5, when can one expect to get
> >carbonate-limited in a low-tech-tank without wc:s?
> 
> My KH drifts downward at between 0.25 and 0.33 points per
> week. This is normal.
> 
> 
> >Without wc:s I guess the carbonates eventually
> >are used up (lowering the KH?)?
> 
> Yup. Low KH means low pH, so if you dose CO2, you should
> understand where 
> different levels of KH get you. Do not allow KH to get
> below 1!  KH of 2 or 
> 3 is just fine.
> 
> 
> >What happens if one use bicarbonate as a coal-source
> >in these aquariums? Will the Na build up without
> >wc:s?
> 
> It sounds like you are trying to avoid water changes.
> Water changes have so 
> many positive virtues and no negative ones, so we don't
> really advocate any 
> "water change avoidance" strategies around here when
> dosing anything. The 
> exception is a low-light, low-tech, low fish load tank
> with lots of 
> plants-some people have success in that case with few
> water changes. But 
> they do not dose ANYTHING that changes water chemistry
> like Sodium 
> Bicarbontate! 
> 
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=====
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SEE the Senske submissons to the AGA Annual Aquascaping Contests at http://showcase.aquatic-gardeners.org/2004.cgi

HEAR and SEE Mike talk about paludarium design at The 5th AGA Annual Convention. Details/Registration at www.aquatic-gardeners.org & www.gwapa.org
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