BryceM

I just received the electronic version of Tropical Fish Hobbyist for the month of October. For the last three months they've been featuring a new column titled the "Plant of the Month". The APC staff have been supplying the text and photos. I think this represents a significant step forward for the hobby and for APC in particular. The featured plant for October is Cryptocryne cripulata var. "balansae" on page 43. I'd like to congratulate Dave Manthei (davemonkey) for the text and Drinda Jacobson (Tex Gal) for the great photo.

I encourage everyone to get a subscription and take a look. TFH has demonstrated a solid commitment to planted aquaria and the now feature at least three plant articles every month.

Also take a look at our advertisement on page 42. This contains elements from our recent T-shirt contest.

Stay tuned. Starting in November we'll be advertising for the upcoming "Tank of the Year" contest.

davemonkey

I just read my own article in a national publication! I almost feel famous.

Yes, TFH has done a great job presenting Plant of the Month and other articles for the planted aquarium. It's very uplifting to see our hobby gain such attention. I look forward to seeing the ads for the Tank of the Year Contest, too!!

-Dave

mudboots

Congrats Dave! It'll be really nice if we can one day submit an article on some natives.

sanjay

great job!

hydrophyte

Nice work Dave. That kind of rigor is just exactly what is needed to generate more interest in planted aquaria.

Jimbo205

It feels so good to see my home base in the hobby get the recognition it deserves.

Great job!

Tex Gal

So neat to see this take off. I hope we get good feedback!

rich815

Good to hear. Some plant articles in the past in TFH seemed to give advice somewhat contrary to what most people recommend here on a few basic aquatic plant aspects...

Tex Gal

Maybe that just speaks to how versatile some of these plants are...

BryceM

It really is interesting to see how varied people's approaches can be. It's hard to fault a persons ideas or techniques if they produce the desired results for them. The real issue is usually that we're not comparing apples to apples. There are so many variables in the hobby that it's almost impossible to do this accurately. TexGal is right. Like coyotes and elephants, many of our plants will grow and thrive under a wide variety of conditions. In the wild they have to.

IME, most issues arise from either too much light or too little light. Sadly, this is the single parameter that is hardest to accurately quantify in our setups. Too much light tends to be the worst problem because it demands very precise and consistent fertilizing strategies. Honestly, some of my favorite tanks are with reasonably easy species in low-tech type setups. They're just so stable.

My biggest issue with some of what TFH has published in the past is that their ideas have been presented as the gospel truth, without proof of concept. Not every hammer will work with every nail. It's good to get some exposure in an international magazine though, n'est-ce pas? As long as there is a place for honest and thought-provoking debate (like forums) we'll continue to progress in our understanding of the hobby.