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I know that George feller well, nice guy. He was one of the last hold outs when we debated their "insignificant effectiveness". He fessed they where not a significant factor in helping plant growth, he was trying to find some positive benefit based on Dupla's sales and marketing claims. I've...

Good fish choices. Regards, Tom Barr

Yes, this is a typical scenario and rational for this BGA that we have. And solution as well :iagree: Regards, Tom Barr

It works on a few, mostly BBA, greens? Not much, I've not heard nor noticed it does much to BGA. I do think it's fear mongering using research from lakes and ponds to suggets that our one genus is somehow leaching lethal toxic chemicals into the system. This is pure speculation and the...

I've never seen any evidence in a planted tank where BGA caused any of the speculatory claims listed there. We really only have 1 species of BGA in the genus Oscillitoria, there are others but they really do not form blooms, and most folks export and do water changes when they have BGA issues...

38 Gal cube. There's pagoda stone to make the sand higher in the back. Some like this method for keeping the soil/sand cap away from the front, it can work for either method(rich sediment or not). This tank is just plain sand throughout. The water column is dosed once a week or two, a little...

The plants and fertilizers have no issues with fish. CO2 does perhaps, because folks seem to have troubles and impatient with adjusting the correct amount often times. But not fertilizers, EI supplies plenty for any light level and species. No one has ever killed fish due to fert dosing I am...

So why does it work so well for the non CO2 planted tank then? GH are nutrients, as long as they are not too limiting(tap water for evaporation adds some, sediment holds some Ca/Mg, and some recycling within plant biomass occurs, fish food also is another source) The rates of growth are...

We really do not know how much light this really is, there's up to 300-400% error in assuming wpg = PAR. This tank below has no water changes and no issues with TDS build up(why should it? The TDS is bound up in the plant biomass, which.......gets trimmed and exported every few weeks)...

Some folks mineralize the soil first, some use worm castings, some use ADA aqua soil. They are all somewhat similar methods. They all have the same basic ferts in them and they all last years and years, and only decline with respect to NH4........NO3 is highly mobile and comes from a good well...

Go non CO2, or go above the water, rift fish are okay with plants floating or emergent: Regards, Tom Barr

I'd go with Excel and dose daily and then dose the EI at 1/4 to 1/3rd the suggested amounts. Then do the water changes(you can do them weekly or 2x a month etc). You may need to do more changes to get a nicer non cO2 planted tank and the growth is slower. Either way, you will some trade off...

EI is not really designed for non CO2, that involved little to no water changes(non CO2). See here for more details on a Non CO2 method and with Excel dosing, you can do a modified EI, about 1/3 the dosing and then water changes maybe 1-2x a month...

Justification of 600$ for a product whereas other products can do as good, if not a better job for much less is on topic. Product review includes comparing other options. Posters do not have to say only what you want them to, they can and should debate and question the products, cost to...

600$? Saving folks? Enough said. Not if you get a good one, how long did you say this was guaranteed for again?? 3 years? How long do typical solenoids with the 10,000's of thousand being used last? This is electronic and also prone to failure, I do not think there is going to be any difference...

Folks .........if you buy a dual stage reg, there's extremely stable tank/reg pressure, that's the thing about using a dual stage reg......... Ideal Valve in ND is also an excellent piece of high grade valve, about 60-70$, and ebay can nab a decent dual stage, get a good high grade solenoid(GLA...

I trimmed them down to about 1", the mat was about 5-6" and I left the back to illustrate the depth. As the new stems sprouted, they fill in and give the slope illusion. Same as if you trimmed a hedge in front of the house and the stems/branches regrew and leafed out. Regards, Tom Barr

One thing to think about as far as dosing methods, they all add pretty much the same things. Another thing: all dosing methods have nice examples of algae. They also have examples where the plants are doign well. Is this not true? I think everyone can conclude that these observations are indeed...

I mowed my 180 Gal and sold off a lot of weeds: About 3 weeks later: Helps to see pics and not be told what to do for trimming. You can see that the stems resprout and fill in. This same method is used for Gloss, HC etc, and other taller stesm much like trimming a landscape hedge. A few...

Potash of sulfur is avail from most garden centers and nurseries. Regards, Tom Barr