From: pprior@magnus.acs.ohio-state.edu (Paul A Prior)
Subject: Re: Assorted Questions .... [F] [M]
Organization: The Ohio State University
Date: Tue, 7 Apr 1992 21:49:52 GMT

In article <1992Apr7.183757.16910@ux1.cso.uiuc.edu> erno@mrcnext.cso.uiuc.edu writes:
>This is going to be a long post. I came up with all these questions over the  
>weekend and the pet shop here couldn't answer them.
                  ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Boy, now there's a first... ;)

>
>1. Can you recycle water after a water change? I change 2 gallons of water  
>every week in my 30 gallon tank and up til now I just flushed the old water.  
>It really seems like a waste though, and I thought why couldn't I just  
>recycle that water, clean it up, and put it back. So what I did was buy one  
>of the 32 gallon Rubbermaid trash cans, built a home made UG filter with  
>power head for the bottom, added some old active gravel to about 8 inches  
>deep, filled it up with water, and added an ancient Aquamaster power filter  
>with AmmoChips, Carbon, Nitrex, and a load of other chemical media. I've got  
>it sitting on my balcony covered running for two days before water changes. I  
>added more chemicals to make the water condition more like my tanks', and now  
>whenever I change water, I just take two gallons of clean water from this can  
>and exchange it with two from the aquarium. I plan on replacing half of the  
>can's water every month or so. The great thing about this setup is that the  
>pH and hardness and Nitrate levels stay virtually constant at the level where  
>I want them. It also conserves water. What do you think?

I think you're wasting far more time, electricity and effort than is 
needed considering the almost insignificant amount of water you're talking
about.  Heck, cut your daily showers by about 10 seconds and you'll save that
much water....


>
>2. Why don't the aquarium magazines do any equipment testing and evaluation  
>like computer magazines? I think this is a feature that is lacking and would  
>be very beneficial. Imagine, FAMA during one month comparing twenty of the  
>more common light bulbs, and the next month, comparing water pumps, testing  
>each model to find the most efficient and inexpensive pump. I hate having to  
>guess if I should get an AquaClear 300 or a Whisper #3 power filter. I would  
>really like to grab a FAMA and look at the Power Filter tests to find out  
>which is more powerful and efficient and filters the water best. The  
>magazines now have too many ads and not enough good articles.

The ads pay for the articles.  And if FAMA dumps on a manufacturer's product
then they just lost that ad money.  Simple economics.  Remember that the 
magazines are profit ventures, unlike the net, where we are hobbiests
trying to share information.

>5. Is there a magazine just for keeping a marine aquarium?

I believe MFM is solely marine.  I've never seen it, but several people
have informed me its accuracy is pretty dismal.  I would check it out
if I could find a copy....

-- 
--------pprior@magnus.acs.ohio-state.edu----(614) 297-8474----------------
Paul A. Prior    Ban anchors, not reef tanks   "With friends like this,   
2nd year medical student		          who needs anemones?"
The Ohio State U. College of Medicine   Tobacco Kills- Please don't smoke!
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