qnp@SAGE.CC.PURDUE.EDU (vinod kutty) (01/18/90)
Richard S., I thought about this last night and I thought I'd let you know.
It is about certain plants not being able to grow, while others flourish.
When I mentioned about "plant aggression" the other day, I should have
mentioned that there are other ways that one plant can outsuck the
minerals in the water than another plant. This can happen under intense
or good gro-lux lighting.
When you provide enough or more light to a plant (caulerpas included!) that
it can easily go about photosynthesizing, it will. What I am trying to get
at is that when you provide a lot of one thing that a plant needs, it will
need or expect a lot of the other requirements like minerals too. So, if
you give a lot of light to your plants, they will need more carbon dioxide,
more N-P-K (Nitrogen-Phosphorous-Potassium), MORE MINERALS AND TRACE ELEMENTS.
Providing a lot of light is useless if the plants cannot have enough of
the other thing they need to survive. Am I making sense or am I trying to
explain common sense?
Combined with the fact that your tanks are densely planted, your crypts are
facing a tough battle for not only carbon dioxide (which they need more than
other plants do) but for important minerals. A good reason why many Dutch
aquarists use 1/3 tap water-provide more minerals.
Let me know if all tihs makes sense to you.
The real experts (according to me) are the Dutch, not the Germans. The Dutch
have great success as you probably know, in doing everything that we are
trying to do ...without any major gadgets. Lately, it is sad, many Dutch
aquarists are switching over to the mechanized plant aquarium. They are
tempted by the ease. I am sure not by the cost! The Germans on the
otherhand, can do everything that the Dutch do, only better. Technology
is their forte. If you really think about it, the Dupla guys have
thought of everything. Their set ups, if followed word for word, will
give you a perfect tank where ALL plants will grow with no problem. This
is why they have a automatic fertilizer and trace elements feeder that
shoots doses of these things into the water when it is necessary. So, they
can afford to have very intense metal halide lights. No wonder they have
gorgeous plants!! Their plants dont have to compete like ours. Sure I
could have a tank like the Germans. All I'd need is a solid funding from
the National Academy of Sciences!
The Dupla setups have one MAJOR flaw if you ask me. Their tanks are meant
for plants and not fish. Really. They as you to stay away from large
destructive fish, but get real! I want my large mean cichlids! Your
killies will probably get lost and starve in a Dupla-type tank.
I have been trying to find a book on Dutch aquaria, and cannot find a
single one. I know there are none in English. I was talking about
Dutch or even German. I know there is a book called "Das wunder im
wohnzimmer" (SP) meaning The wonder in the living room in German.
This book is written in German by the Dutchman Arend van den
Nieuwhuizen. You guys have probably seen his photographs somewhere before.
His pictures are almost (and sometimes are) better than H.J.Richters.
Anyway, this book is supposed to be all about setting up a Dutch aquarium.
I talked to Jim Forshey, the owner of Aquatic Book Shop,and he says he's
been looking for it too. He wants to know the name of the publisher.
Hopefully it is not out of print.
Vinny.richard@gryphon.COM (Richard Sexton) (01/18/90)
In article <9001171748.AA17011@sage.cc.purdue.edu> qnp@SAGE.CC.PURDUE.EDU (vinod kutty) writes: > >When I mentioned about "plant aggression" the other day, I should have >mentioned that there are other ways that one plant can outsuck the >minerals in the water than another plant. This can happen under intense >or good gro-lux lighting. This makes a hell of a lot of sense. Kind of like keeping discus with oscars and wondering why the discus never seem to get any food. On the other hand, maybe the answer is not less light, but more nutrients. >Combined with the fact that your tanks are densely planted, your crypts are >facing a tough battle for not only carbon dioxide (which they need more than >other plants do) Where did you hear this. I've thought this too, but have never seen it stated anywhere. >Let me know if all this makes sense to you. Well, it makes a hell of a lot more sense than the guy who told me plants release hormones which stunt the growth of laceplants. I think perhaps I'll try keeping my cryps by themselves and see what happens. Take out the *ahem* water sprite ans aponogetons that are so good at controlling algae because they suck the nutrients out of the water so quickly.