[APD] Re: dirt and the No CO2 tank

["Tom Wood" <tomwood2 at flash_net>]

BD: "I corresponded with Ms. Walstad both on her forum at AB and 
personally, and she was fairly adamant that fish food, even to excess, was 
better than dosing, and she was quite adamant about that."

SH: "Walstad said the last AGA convention, that she too adds ferts for the 
more ravenous eaters like swords."

Maybe not so adamant after all. Walstad has also acknowledged on the AB 
forums that plants can get what they need from the water column. So, um, 
what would the dirt be doing then?

SH: "Ms. Kasselmann, who spoke at the NEC convention earlier this month, 
described a version of "dirt tank" (my term, not hers) using loam. She, 
too, said that after a period, ferts will need to be added. When and how 
much depends on the loam and the kinds of plants, of course."

Of course. :-/

I think there's something conceptually attractive about the -idea- of the 
balanced tank and soil substrates that makes them seem more natural. When 
there's really nothing natural about growing weeds in a glass box at all. 
The required inputs for success are easily determined so I'll skip the 
Koolaid and stick with science.

TW

PS: Regarding CO2, I like the third way with moderate light and -some- CO2. 
Slow stable growth and easy to manage, plus the plants filter the nitrates 
produced by the fish, which is why I got started on this anyway. 


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