Just moaning...

[cheesemaker]

Hello chaps (and ladies)... although I haven't been keeping fish/plants for long, but i think i've been lucky enough to have discovered this lovely forum with so many learned pals.... thanks

Anyhow....
I've got CO2 running (Hagen), 120W light in my 180L (45USG), phosphate of 1ppm, but NO3 of <5ppm. NH3 0, NO2 0, gravel heater.

Been to a LFS, picking up some driftwoods and stones.... decided to ask the shopowner regarding increasing the NO3 level.

His response was "Nitrate is the MOST toxic form of the waste products, you'll start losing fish soon" then he went on about the nitrogen cycle.... blahblahblah...

Cheese: " No,no... it's for my plants"

LFS: " here, you need this.. " handing me a filter media which actively absorbs all forms of N, P and whole loads of metals....

Cheese:" er... Thanks but no thanks"

I have to say, his store is by no mean a small one, at least 50-70 tanks, community, discus, marine and the lots....

Why has he got no idea regarding planted tanks?
It's not on, really.


Ranting over.
Thanks for listening.

 

[cheesemaker]

By the way, Thanks to Zig and his brilliant article on EI, I've got hold of some dry fert and started dosing my NO3... thanks.

 

[George Farmer]

Unfortunately the old-school still aren't aware of the necessity of dosing N and P. I can only assume that lighting and CO2 levels weren't high enough back then therefore N and P dosing was not required.

The UK in particular is slow to catch on, even the "experts" who write for Practical Fishkeeping magazine don't seem to realise the importance of macro dosing.

 

[zig]

By the way, Thanks to Zig and his brilliant article on EI, I've got hold of some dry fert and started dosing my NO3... thanks.

[snapback]888978[/snapback]​

Thanks cheesemaker

If you think the lfs is bad you should read the current issue of Practical Fish Keeping magazine, a nice article on planted tanks in which they recommend 0 levels of phosphate and nitrate, the author of the article does admit that these are plant foods but that the amount required is tiny, he continues by saying "ideally you should aim for zero readings of both pollutants"

Its just old school thinking, I think EI will catch on but it will take a couple of years before the news filters down to the high street lfs.

Anyway good luck with trying EI, just do lots of tests in the beginning, if you have any problems just ask in here, a good few of us are useing the method now.

Edit: hah i didnt realise gf was post at the same time as me, pretty much echoing my own sentiments on the matter.

 

[cheesemaker]

oh... i see...

thanks for listening guys.

 

[qwikimpss]

So i guess al of you doing the EI method are on the "cutting edge"....once i get money i need to start doing this too....gotta get rid of that algae...my otto's aren't cutting it! The fish personnel at the PetCo near me don't even know about injecting CO2! I mentioned my planted tank with all my fancy stuff and they looked at me like I had 3 heads!!

 

[jimbooo]

By the way, Thanks to Zig and his brilliant article on EI, I've got hold of some dry fert and started dosing my NO3... thanks.

[snapback]888978[/snapback]​

Thanks cheesemaker

If you think the lfs is bad you should read the current issue of Practical Fish Keeping magazine, a nice article on planted tanks in which they recommend 0 levels of phosphate and nitrate, the author of the article does admit that these are plant foods but that the amount required is tiny, he continues by saying "ideally you should aim for zero readings of both pollutants"

Its just old school thinking, I think EI will catch on but it will take a couple of years before the news filters down to the high street lfs.

Anyway good luck with trying EI, just do lots of tests in the beginning, if you have any problems just ask in here, a good few of us are useing the method now.

Edit: hah i didnt realise gf was post at the same time as me, pretty much echoing my own sentiments on the matter.

[snapback]888991[/snapback]​

ha ha i read that article as well, what a load of rubbish. apply for a job zig, i'll give you a reference. by the way i printed your article and politely plonked it on the counter at my LFS. the manager (who i've befriended for obvious reasons) has read the whole thing and seems to have cottoned onto the idea. theres hope for them yet.

Cheese specialist, i've had many of those conversations in fish stores. i know exactly how you feel. oh well they'll catch up some day hopefully.

 

[zig]

By the way, Thanks to Zig and his brilliant article on EI, I've got hold of some dry fert and started dosing my NO3... thanks.

[snapback]888978[/snapback]​

Thanks cheesemaker

If you think the lfs is bad you should read the current issue of Practical Fish Keeping magazine, a nice article on planted tanks in which they recommend 0 levels of phosphate and nitrate, the author of the article does admit that these are plant foods but that the amount required is tiny, he continues by saying "ideally you should aim for zero readings of both pollutants"

Its just old school thinking, I think EI will catch on but it will take a couple of years before the news filters down to the high street lfs.

Anyway good luck with trying EI, just do lots of tests in the beginning, if you have any problems just ask in here, a good few of us are useing the method now.

Edit: hah i didnt realise gf was post at the same time as me, pretty much echoing my own sentiments on the matter.

[snapback]888991[/snapback]​

ha ha i read that article as well, what a load of rubbish. apply for a job zig, i'll give you a reference. by the way i printed your article and politely plonked it on the counter at my LFS. the manager (who i've befriended for obvious reasons) has read the whole thing and seems to have cottoned onto the idea. theres hope for them yet.

Cheese specialist, i've had many of those conversations in fish stores. i know exactly how you feel. oh well they'll catch up some day hopefully.

[snapback]891177[/snapback]​

Thanks jimboo if i apply i'll give you a shout for that reference!!

Yeah it is amazing how little these guys know sometimes in the lfs, i was in a lfs the other day, i would go to this one often enough and would know the owner to talk to, anyway he had a very nice tank for sale it was 60"x20"x24" he was selling it as a complete setup includeing 2 external fluval 304s, anyway he was telling me what a great deal etc it was, and also how you could put hydor external heaters on the 304s etc (which were not included) and i said yeah i believe they dont cut down the flow that much of the filter, and he said "do they really cut down the flow" and i said yes they do, and went on to explain that if you put a UV or a reactor etc they will all cut down the flow on cannister filters, hehe.....the guy never knew this....i was amazed, and he's been the owner for about 10 years, maybe i am spending to much time on here i dont know.

Mind you in the same shop they have a fine collection of non aquatic plants for sale every time i go in.

Anyway maybe in a couple of years it will begin to trickle down to the lfs, but from the above example go prepared with your own research anyway.

As regards PFK i think i'll skip the second installment of the article, its the only reason i bought the first one, the magazine is too expensive over here anyway especially for info like that.