Re: RM...........here are some links to some good sites that have the proper bulbs

"g_i_n_k_o" <_g_i_n_k_o@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> wrote in message 
news:13nd4ck2ehdln59@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> In rec.aquaria.freshwater.plants Reel McKoi
<dorundayREMOVE@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> 
> wrote:
> :
> : I'm starting to think it's the nitrates and phosphates that come right

> from
> : my tap!  And the rain water I'm using is catching dust and providing 
> more
> : algae nutrients........  a losing battle unless I go for some
expensive 
> pads
> : to remove these nutrients.
>
> As a rule to conserve money, I try to avoid all things that have
expensive
> replacement pads, cartridges and other such items.  I don't believe in 
> most
> of them as to actually working as advertised.  :)

Actually I agree. There are loads of gimmick items out there that are 
useless.

> One exception is a good Reverse Osmosis unit.  It needs replacement 
> cartridges
> about once a year.  The RO water is pretty pure and I add back the
desired
> hardness with baking soda and something called GH Booster that I get 
> really
> cheap from aquariumfertilizer.com.   The waste water comes after the 
> carbon
> block filter, so I use this for hard water tanks (i.e. goldfish and most
> live bearers).  So the money I would have spent on de-chlor chemicals 
> instead
> goes into replacement RO system filter cartridges.

I've been buying my dechlor (have ponds and tanks) by the 10lb bucket as 
crystals.

> Another exception is a CO2 tank with regulator.  This really helps and 
> once
> you have the system, it only costs around $20.00 for a refill that lasts

> more
> than 6 months.  I wouldn't even try growing plants in a high light setup

> without
> adding CO2.

Where does the water in nature get the CO2 from?

> Then you need to follow a fertilizer dosing schedule.  I use something 
> called
> the "Estimative Index".  Do a google search on "Tom Barr" "Estimative 
> Index"
> to get the details.  I get raw chemicals for nutrients at 
> aquariumfertilizer.com
> and follow the plan with the 50 percent weekly water change.  There are 
> other
> plans out there, but EI works well for me.

I'll Google that. I can't afford the Tom Barr stuff or CO2 injectors. 
These 
things are not cheap. The ****pping on Barr's fertilizers cost as much as
the 
products he sells.

> Most of my hight light tank problems went away when I started doing the 
> above
> three things.  There are other ways to do this, but it works for me and
is
> relatively inexpensive (long-term) compared to other ways.

How much are you spending yearly for the fertilizers, the RO unit, the 
electricity to run it etc?

> For medium light tanks with fish, you don' need to do much of this.  I 
> have
> good success by using hard or RO softened water and just adding trace 
> elements
> once a week or so.  The fish poop provides enough macro nutrients for a
> medium light tank.  It's much simpler, so that's why I suggest people 
> start
> out with something easier before doing the high light, high maintenance 
> tank.

I'm sure not into high-light, high-maintenance tanks.  ;-)

> Hope this is helpful.  There are many ways to do this.  I think this is 
> one
> of the easiest and least expensive ways.

Give me a ballpark frigure on what you spent for the RO unit, CO2 injector

etc.  And are you in the USA?

-- 

RM....

Zone 6.  Middle TN USA
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