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[APD] RE: the BarrReport.com




> Thanks, Tom.  I will be looking forward to TheBarrReport.com.  Anything 
> that adds to the accumulated body of experience will add to this 
> wonderful hobby.

Well it seems that books and nice tank pictures are the way to get respect
and have a lasting impression, even if you know your right:-)
So it's natural evolution.
Spinning muh wheels with post.

>  The "Barr Method" 
> seems to be much more in the way I tend my garden - watch the plants, 
> not the numbers.  

While I might like thoise numbers a lot, I am very keen to realize that
most do not.
So a simple quick easy to do consistent method works.
Folks don;t get into this hobby to test
water!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Or to kill algae.
They get into this to grow plants.
Some even think about aquascaping once they figure out how to grow plants.

Once that occurs more, then we will see a great expansion of planted tanks
in this country/world.
The way to do that is for a simple easy method to grow the weeds.
Then they can make and execute their ideas and designs.  

> For the benefit of us "newbies" (advanced and beginners):   What 
> precisely do you mean by "nutrients" (macro and micro) and how much do 
> you "dose" when you write, "Dose nutrients 2-4x a week"?
> Eagerly awaiting TheBarrReport.  Move over Drudge!

> WMC

Macro:
NO3
NH4+(from fish/critters)
K+
PO4
Ca
Mg
S
Si(in some cases in some wetland plants)

Traces:
Cl, Fe, Cu, Zn, Mo, B, Mn, Na, Ni

Generally I dose based on light level and plant biomass.
This is something I have a feel for.
I cannot teach it.
But it also is not critical either.
Knowing that algae is not limited if you add more than just enough for the
plants...........

Armed with that knowledge, we can dose the following which will fulfill a
large biomass, high light, CO2 tank:

CO2: always always always check this, 20-30ppm.
30ppm is better than 20ppm.
DIY users beware.
Always check at the end of the photocycle to see if you are low.

Near as I can tell, I am the one that started the change in the CO2 levels
from 10-15ppm to 20-30ppm.
Prior, I had never once ever heard a single soul mention more than 15ppm
for a plant tank anywhere.

So why 20-30ppm?
I based it on the plants response, fish? They where fine, I had Discus,
Congo tetras etc.
I also had much higher light than most folks.

So if you add 2x more light, you'll need 2-3x moere nutrients and CO2 is
the first one to worry about.
Next is NO3.
Then K, PO4, S, Ca/Mg etc on down the line. Everything must be scaled up to
compensate for the increased growth and light.

Standard 20 gal:
5 w/gal of PC lighting:
Day 1:
50% water change, I add 1/4 teaspoon of KNO3, 1/16" of KH2PO4 right
afterwards
Day 2:
The following next day:
5 mls of Flourish
Day 3:
Same on the macro's
Day 4:
Same on the Traces
Day 5
Same on the macros
Day 6:
Same on the Traces
Day 7? Water change and same on the macro's.

Simple.Scale to whatever tank size you have.

But folks can spread this out and add only 2-3x a week everything together
also with less light.
They can dose 2 x a week also and break things up.
If you have 1.5 w/gal, good CO2, then 1-2x a week is fine.

At higher light, you increase the frequency of dosing, NOT the volume.
You can mega dose also about 12 hours before a water change with Macro's if
you want to "fatten" a tank up.
You add 2x the macro dosing, then do a large water change afterwards and
dose the normal amounts back.

Note: this adds plenty of nutrients for the plants.
The biggest issue is CO2 for most folks or too little nutrients.

Regards, 
Tom Barr



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