[APD] LFS books

["Phil Edwards" <biotypical at hotmail_com>]

"My caveat is about Kasselmann's new 'Planted Aquariums'. It is not as
informative as I hoped, and it doesn't cover theory anywhere near as
well as I hoped given the quality of 'Aquarium Plants'. I definitely
hoped for more science and I am disappointed. It's a good book but I
think there's probably a much better book she could write."

The thing is Planted Aquariums wasn't intended to be another Aquarium 
Plants.  Planted Aquariums is meant to be a guidebook for people interested 
in setting up a planted tank but have a little or no experience.  I've read 
the whole book, you can read my review in the 18-04 issue of TAG, and found 
it to be a very good guide to setting up an aquarium.  The information is a 
little out of date, but the book itself is at least five years old.  I 
remember looking at a copy in the original German four years ago and it had 
taken some time for my friend to get it here in the US.

There is plenty of technical information regarding substrates, lighting, and 
CO2 supplimentation but not as much as in Aquarium Plants and it's written 
in an easy to digest form.  Personally, I think that's a good thing.  Just 
like Terry said, once you start talking technical to the average 
aquarist/aquarium store patron their eyes start to glaze over and you've 
lost them.  Once folks have the basics down "Planted Aquariums..." then 
they're ready for 'Aquarium Plants' and the Nature Aquarium World series.

This may sound callous, but Ecology of the Planted Aquarium is about the 
worst book for an LFS.  Diana's a friend, I like her book, and have a copy 
of it myself, but would never carry it in a store for one reason.  It does 
nothing for sales.  It's one thing for a store employee to help customers 
with the most efficient hardware setup.  Its another to recommend doing away 
with the hardware all together.  If a planted department doesn't make sales 
the owner's not going to subsidize it for long.  EoPA is best left for 
people to find on the net and to buy on Amazon.com.

Regards,
Phil


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