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SAE's and PMDD's



Subject: SAE in Albany Aquarium
>  On the other hand, for 
> business owner it has *got* to be tempting to charge a lot for S
> faced with such a clear supply vs. demand situation!  I've never
> owning an aquarium shop is a good way to get rich.

That's a very good point!  I know that SAE's are not expensive 
fish at the wholesale level, and our local store that carries them 
sounds like it charges prices similar to Albany.  I have a hard 
time finding fault, however.  

This is the same store that on urging from some of the clients 
(including me) was willing to go out on a limb and order a box of 
Chocolate Gouramis.  They lost enough of that shipment that there 
was no way to make back even thier costs on the ones they were 
able to sell.  THEY are the ones who took the time to listen when 
we said we wanted SAE's and go to the trouble of locating a 
source, got several boxes of the wrong fish in the beginning (baby 
Flying Foxes and False Siamensis)  Contacted me to help them 
identify what they had and were ethical enough _not_ to try to 
palm these off as the real thing.  

They are _still_ the only store in this area who bother to carry 
them at all. (I suspect it's the same with Albany)  Who can blame 
them for wanting to take advantage of a good thing after they've 
worked so hard to get it?

Oh, excuse me, I'll get off my soap box now.<g>

 ------------------------------

 Subject: PMDD

> I have been looking for fertilizers to mix into PMDD's and have 
> something that is close to the recipie. Im not totally sure that
> alright to use though so I thought I would post the ingredients 

While I can't address whether this is a good approximation of 
pmdd's, I can address some of your other questions.

> Questions: What purpose does Potassium provide? What effects wil
> high percentage have? Is Potassium used excessively by plants?

Potassium is the "other" macronutrient, and is absolutely needed 
by plants. (although I wouldn't say "excessively"... they need 
what they need<g>) That's why terrestrial plant fertilizers are 
mostly P N K (in various ratios) It is also the first 
macronutrient likely to become deficient in a planted tank.

> What will happen if I use this and the ingredients are 
> unchelated?

If the minerals are not chelated, they will quickly form compounds 
that are not easily useable by your plants.

> This product contains Copper. Has anyone else got copper in thie
> elements? Will Copper Sulphate poison the water or is it safe in

Copper _should_ be present in trace amounts.  Remember that trace 
elements _are_ trace elements specifically because they are needed 
in _trace_ (minute) amounts.  More of many of them can be toxic.  
How much copper is too much depends on how much is already in your 
tap water, how much you are adding, and the pH/KH of your water. 


Karen Randall
Aquatic Gardeners Assoc.
Boston, MA