Re: [AGA Member] Soft water management

["S. Hieber" <shieber@yahoo.com>]

If you can, see if you can find out what your other levels
are.  NO3 at the levels you're talking about shouldn't
cause algae unless the others are too low for the plants to
use the NO3.

You don't need a $225 LaMOtte kit.  These will do very
well:

http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_Display.cfm?siteid=6&pCatId=4558

at $53, it's not cheap, but it works and you can read it
which is more than can be said for the $5 and $10 hobby
kits out there.  And it works in a range that's useful.


http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_Display.cfm?siteid=6&pCatId=4559

$59 but it reads PO4 in a range that's useful.

The cheapo pH kits work well enough as do the titration
kits for KH and GH.

If you want to spend less than LaMotte, you ight try the
SeaChem kits.  They are priced more like hobbyist kits and
work okay if you time them just right.  I had trouble
reading them but others are happy with them and Seachem's
pretty good outfit to deal with.  Genuine interet in the
the hobby, no snake oil or yadayda advertizing claims.

If you want to avoid doing tests at all for P and N.  You
can dose and then use huge (50% or more) water changes
frequently/regularly to limit overall levels in the tank.

Scott H.

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