[APD] Back in the saddle again

["Jack Olinger" <jacko3851 at hotmail_com>]

After a 10 year break for schooling and getting settled into a new life, I'm 
getting back into planted aquariums. My previous setup was based on advice 
from the Internet and various websites. I was mostly high tech and followed 
the Dupla ideas with pretty good success.  But it seems as though things 
aquatic have changed in the last decade!

I still have all my old equipment - CO2, wet/dry filters, etc. But I can't 
seem to find Dupla fertilizers (or for that matter, the sources that I used 
to buy from or the Dupla website!).  I tried to e-mail George and Karla 
Booth but they don't seem to respond.  I was inspired by the video tape they 
sent around to the AGA and the Internet back in the early 90s and was hoping 
they knew a source for Dupla since their website still extols its virtues.

Reading the APD indicates that most folks have moved beyond Dupla and use 
either Kent, SeaChem or their own homebrew fertilizers.  I've been trying to 
piece together the right recipe.  Tom Barr seems to be the guru these days 
but I can't find the location of his "complete instructions", just bits and 
pieces of related info.  I am a voracious reader and would refrain from 
asking this question if I could find the info elsewhere.

So, what is the regimen for success with plants?  I have LaMotte test kits 
for most parameters with fresh reagents so I am looking for appropriate 
ratios of CO2, Nitrate, Phosphate, Potassium, Trace elements and light. My 
tank setup will be:

o 100 gallon (60"x18"x22" high).
o wet/dry filter
o automated CO2
o 220 watts of new AHS light (4x55), mix of 5500K and 6300K
o quartz gravel and flourite mixture
o my tap water is soft and free of chloramines

My goal is to enter the 2005 AGA Aquascaping contest!

Thanks for any and all advice.

Jack Olinger

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