Re: Tonics, Peats, and Buffers

[Erik Olson <erik@thekrib.com>]

On Sat, 10 Jun 2000, Christopher R Brightwell wrote:

> Marc Weiss products should be used VERY sparingly.  

OK, I'll bite. :)

"Sparingly" is not the word I'd use here... sparingly would imply it's OK
to use them, but just do so in dilute quantities.  The phrase I'd use is
"with a degree of suspicion" or "with liberal skepticism".

Over on the Aquatic Plant List, the "Marc Weiss Living Water Vital" has
been cited as snake oil on more than one occasion.  Among its claims are
that it produces CO2 without external gas injection.... which is true of a
bottle of sugar, but doesn't mean its good for the aquarium. The only
person who's reported any actual results from it was someone who had just
started her tank and really wanted to beleive.  Some have also raised the
suspicion that all his additives are basically the same product.
Disclaimer: I've never used any of these products.  I know he's got a
reputation as a discus breeder, so maybe his "amazon extract" is better.
But be careful.

Our friend Dave Sanford (on this list) has had great results with the
"Waters of the World" Amazon extract (I think it's made by Wardley's).  
We tried it for a while, as well as Seachem's acid buffer, to a certain
degree of success.  But later we moved from the south side of Seattle to
the north half, where the tapwater's even softer (<1 Degree), so no need
for additives now.

  - Erik

-- 
Erik Olson
erik at thekrib dot com



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