ghostsword
Member
From what I have read on this forum and from further research, the EI method has been around for a long time, the earliest records I found on the net date from 1997 (http://www.thekrib.com/Plants/Fertilizer/pmdd-tim.html).
I have to agree that it is a little bit confusing to get the head around, but people should just see it as Vitamins and with trial and error realise the best way forward.
Without good care most aquatic plants will die weeks after being purchased, not enough light, CO2 and lack of nutrients will kill them.
The more plants die, the more plants we need to buy, thus ensuring that the plant companies remain in business.
Now, is that a good thing, or a bad thing?
If we keep our plants alive and in good health we will save money, enjoy our tanks that little bit more, and learn from it.
On the other hand if it wasn't for the plant importers we wouldn't see most of the plants we currently have available, so that is something we need to start looking at.
If we don't buy as many plants, due to our better understanding of plant husbandry (if it can be called that!), how will the plant dealers survive?
Last week I went to ADC in London and only bought two small pots, one was Ceratopteris Thalictroides and the other was Marsilea Hirsuta. The sale assistante asked if that was it, and as I told him that what was on the pot was more than enough, he replied that if one knows how to keep plants it was more than enough.
It struck me that even those small pots I could split up, and with good nutrients, light and CO2 in less than month I could expect to have at least one third more plants and give the excess to friends and forum members.
Somewhat I felt guilty.
Obviously there are enough people buying plants to keep the shops afloat, however if we keep all our plants in good health, they will multiply, and we will share them with others, minimizing again the amount of people that are buying plants.
I would like to know what is the thoughts of plant importers and dealers on the matter. Are they seeing a decrease on the amount of plants they sell?
Should we do more to help the hobby? Am I being unrealistic?
I have to agree that it is a little bit confusing to get the head around, but people should just see it as Vitamins and with trial and error realise the best way forward.
Without good care most aquatic plants will die weeks after being purchased, not enough light, CO2 and lack of nutrients will kill them.
The more plants die, the more plants we need to buy, thus ensuring that the plant companies remain in business.
Now, is that a good thing, or a bad thing?
If we keep our plants alive and in good health we will save money, enjoy our tanks that little bit more, and learn from it.
On the other hand if it wasn't for the plant importers we wouldn't see most of the plants we currently have available, so that is something we need to start looking at.
If we don't buy as many plants, due to our better understanding of plant husbandry (if it can be called that!), how will the plant dealers survive?
Last week I went to ADC in London and only bought two small pots, one was Ceratopteris Thalictroides and the other was Marsilea Hirsuta. The sale assistante asked if that was it, and as I told him that what was on the pot was more than enough, he replied that if one knows how to keep plants it was more than enough.
It struck me that even those small pots I could split up, and with good nutrients, light and CO2 in less than month I could expect to have at least one third more plants and give the excess to friends and forum members.
Somewhat I felt guilty.
Obviously there are enough people buying plants to keep the shops afloat, however if we keep all our plants in good health, they will multiply, and we will share them with others, minimizing again the amount of people that are buying plants.
I would like to know what is the thoughts of plant importers and dealers on the matter. Are they seeing a decrease on the amount of plants they sell?
Should we do more to help the hobby? Am I being unrealistic?