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Re:H2S in substrate, Wardley Nitrate & "true" rapid start

> pots (rubber maid tray types). I found
> I had H2S production and anarobic
> activity in the Initial Sticks pots. I
> never had had this occure before.  I don't
> want to knock what could be a good
> product, but I've stopped using it. I
> do like Tetra's Crypto-Dunger tabs (sure
> is an odd name though).
> Tim - Pittsburgh

	I believe the H2S production can be a problem w/ the Tetra Initial
D because it is fairly acidic ~pH 3, and labile.  I have a simillar
problem in one of my tanks which I initially set up w/ a laterite
(Terralit) and Initial D mix.  I have begun combatting the problem by
shoving small shells into the substrate.  I'm taking it slow, since i
don't want a sudden and massive change in the tank chemistry, either in
the substrate or the water column.  I have also considered just squirting
some of the Sera KH booster into the substrate here and there, but haven't
done so.  Btw, anyone know what's in the Sera KH product?  I had quite a
problem, especially when the tank was new, with my plants' roots rotting.
I think next time, I may mix a small amount of dolomite pellets in the
substrate.
	
	Regarding Wardley's Nitrate test kit:

> Thom writes: Nitrates<10ppm (even cheesier Wardley kit), 6ml PMDD 

	I've actually found the Wardley kit to be quite accurate.
Assuming the Kordon kit to be reliable, I've compared them more than once
and they produced the same results.  Wardley has experienced some problems
with their #2 tablet in this kit, resulting in a couple of lot #s giving
false '0' readings, but they have apparently switched reagents recently.
as an aside, Kordon was one of the companies making the tablets for
Wardley!

	Roxanne writes about lamp&ballast compatability:

> bulbs.  I initially put in 2 Vitalites and 2 Penn Plax Ultra TriLux lights. 
>  The vitalites work fine, but the Trilux will not turn on in the fixture.  
> Energy Savers, Inc. (from whom I bought the fixture) says they have had 
> trouble with people using the Ultra TriLux before:  it apparently is NOT a 
> true "rapid start" bulb and therefore not really compatible with the 4-bulb 
> fixture.  Energy Savers says only U.S.-made rapid start bulbs will work 
> well (such as Vitalite, Corallife Triphosphor, etc.); something about 
> the bulbs from overseas is different.

	I had a similar strange experience a while back which I asked
about here.  I had and Advance, magnetic, rapid start ballastdesigned to
run two 4' lamps, but which stated it could also run two 3' lamps.  It
would not run 3' Aquarilux, but at least for a while it would run 3'
Tritons and 3' Ultra Tri-Lux.  When it stopped running the Triton and
Ultra Tri, I gave up on it. (I've tested the ballast, btw, and it runs 4'
lamps just fine).  Recently, I discovered that it is approved for 3' T-12
lamps, not for T-8s, all of which the Triton, Aquarilux and UltraTri are.
(I'm not talking about the efficient, 25 watt T-8s here).  I wondere
whether the problem isn't that for instance Ultr Tri-Lux aren't true rapid
start, but that they are T-8s and not T-12s?  I notice that the advance
ballast for one 4' or one 3' specifies that it will run 3', (30watt) T-8s,
as well as T-12s, and indeed, it has just fine run the same 3' Triton lamp

				Andrew