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In advice to someone recently: Osmocoat seems like a wise idea for DIY root tab solutions that has seen some revisiting lately(been used for the last 30 years by aquarist). Slow release, small etc, ice cubes filled with Osmocoat also would make adding it in spots very easy too. This is similar...

Use only foam, not the floss. Eg, Seachem Denitrate or porous clay balls(hydroponic places sell it), maybe a sack of carbon, or purigen............sintered glass rings etc.........then lots of open cell foam, say 10-20ppi ranges. This is all you need, not ultra fine stuff, that will clog way...

+1 for temporary or water change frequency control. Big water change, or take wood out if possible, dribble anything like KNO3, Prime(it's a strong salt solution), Excel, H2O2 is a lot lot lot cheaper than Prime....... Add the stuff straight, spray bottle for large areas etc, pain brush it on...

Same is true and can be said for every and any method...... regards, Tom Barr

Since the goal is low tech, I assume no CO2/Excel dosing. I'd suggest perhaps T8's. A pair of them along with a good reflector would really do nice and a DIY effort could make them for 40-50$ easily. T8's are pretty good. A single T5 would do the trick also I think, I'd get 2 such bulbs and...

Light => drives CO2 uptake/demand, which in turn, => drives nutrient uptake and demand. Thinking about this: Removing the reflector did what? How might using less light influence managing the CO2? Would it make it easier, or harder? Do you waste more gas at 80mph or at 40mph? Which is easier...

Well, you have the CO2 gas tank, so you are way ahead there. DIY vs CO2 is the big leap for most. A place to cut the corner,: DIY lighting.......less is better. So you did well on both counts. DIY is fun and has some merits. Regards, Tom Barr

You are so poor you can afford a good sized planted tank?:p: I always wonder about it, but many of us aquarist, myself on many levels, are of the Church of the Cheap. Sometimes this gets the better of us. I've done both, I learned this lesson. But perhaps others are fine with it, much like...

This is why you boil or allow it to mineralize for 2-3 weeks prior to use, if you use the DSM, then you are growing the plants in 1st....and mineralizign the soil, then you fill the tank up, then add a fish a few days later. Mostly the issue is too much organic matter, bacteria take care of...

Both are "dirt" cheap and WC are fast, you can boil soil also to speed the process up or wait....... Or use ADA AS.......etc.......I hate layered sediments for my tanks at home, so they are all single type sediments only. Regards, Tom Barr

You can also view the worm casting method: http://www.aquahobby.com/tanks/e_tank0311b.php Regards, Tom Barr

Try water sprite, Indian water fern, it does very well and will do well in the sump Regards, Tom Barr

Me too, I should know, I know he's crazy. Regards, Tom Barr

The poster does not live in the USA, but it can quickly clog every river and stream and takes years to get rid of. Once loose there, it will destroy and transform the water systems, so if you like the native species there, do not let this weed loose. It's banned 100% from the USA to have...

I think you mistaked my attitude, assume it was personally directed at you and my intent, sorry if so. Some things are lost over the web. You can dose and predict the % build up using a calculator that includes water change %, dosing, relative % uptake by plants, fish waste etc...

Once the algae have been beaten back, then you can increase slowly the lighting etc. Tweak the CO2 as you increrase the light, do this slow and methodically, do not rush with adjusting CO2. Plants can grow and do pretty good with low light. If you can borrow or rent a light a meter, buy and...

I'm always a bit mythed when folks say they do not understand EI, but then go and test and measure 1/2 dozen parameters and then try and make head or tails from this pile of data, most of which has been collected without any reference, thus is a guess in the first place. EI is a response to...

20-30C Regards, Tom Barr

I'd suggest emergent water sprite, any plant that has emergent growth, that will not clog things(eg duckweed, Salvinia, most floaters or gets too large Hyacinth etc). A small 15-20 W light in the sump area should do okay, more if you really need/want NO3 removal rates at a higher level...

It's called experience and doubt. These things just do not exist for some folks and not for others without some dang good reason. I've felt the same as you do in the past. So what do you think it is? Honestly? Not some BS claims and other hokey muck. Why can I consistently address all these...