Re: NEED HELP

To: Aquatic-Plants at actwin_com
Subject: Re: NEED HELP
From: eis at alto1_altonet.com (Paul Nicholson)
Date: Thu, 13 Jun 1996 19:43:00 -0700

>From: buddy wiese <buddyw at umich_edu>
>Date: Thu, 13 Jun 96 14:41:02 -0400
>Subject: NEED HELP
>
>        Dear Plant Experts,
>
>        I  am a lurker from the aquatic plants newsgroup/digest.I need
>some help.
>
>        The question/senario
>
>        I am going to be moving into a new apartment in September. At
>that time I would like to convert my 130 gallon cichlid tank to a plant
>tank Including proper lighting, substrate and CO2.  (In the ideal
>senario I would like to leave some of the smaller ones in the tank, but
>it is not a necessity...They are mainly small julidochromis and  a few
>tropheus dubosi.  They like a pH of 8 or so.)
>        The question I would like answered is: If you were to have such
>a tank and had saved the necessary cash, what would you purchase to
>outfit it-pulling out the stops - I can put them in later if necessary
>;)  I would like as complete a set up as possible.  If possible tied
>into a power mac to control it....
>
>        I have no real knowlege of this stuff so names and suppliers
>would be nice.  If you could please reply to me directly (as well as the
>news group if you want.)
>
>        Thanks in advance.
>
>        Sincerely,
>        Buddy Wiese
>
>        M.D./Ph.D. Student
>        University of Michigan
>

The only use for that power mac with the aquarium would be to attach a
chemical spectrum analyzer (HP has some real good ones) to your aquarium
and do real time nutrient replenishment. In lieu of that, it is easier to
use a simple timer to control your lights. The only other thing you may
want to do is regulate CO2 levels, but this hardly requires a computer.

You need 2 to 4 watts gallon of flourescent or metal halide lighting,
appropriate substrates (dirt, vermiculite, laterite, and/or organic
compost) depending on what you're trying to grow, and appropriate
nutrients, possibly including CO2.


Paul
Electrical Engineer and Macintosh developer

Paul Nicholson              Electronic Imaging Systems, Inc.
eis at altonet_com             5148 Commerce Avenue, Unit F
TEL 805 532 1068            Moorpark, CA 93021 U.S.A.
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