[houseofcards]

Good thread! I think this is really a 'lifestyle issue'. The 'Pros' have a greater ability to tend to their tanks either themselves or through their staff while the average aquarist has life getting in the way and thus their tanks getting into trouble. The act of filling the tank with stems allows the typical aquarist more wiggle room as the tank develops and avoid problems. If one is to use a sparce amount of plants and basically set the tank from the getgo the way he/she wants the tank to be long-term all the maintenance items need to be fulfilled to avoid issues. Which would include constant water changes, using organic removal media, careful montoring of the light cycle, seeding the filter, etc.

 

[houseofcards]

Good thread! I think this is really a 'lifestyle issue'. The 'Pros' have a greater ability to tend to their tanks either themselves or through their staff while the average aquarist has life getting in the way and thus their tanks getting into trouble. The act of filling the tank with stems allows the typical aquarist more wiggle room as the tank develops and avoid problems. If one is to use a sparce amount of plants and basically set the tank from the getgo the way he/she wants the tank to be long-term all the maintenance items need to be fulfilled to avoid issues. Which would include constant water changes, using organic removal media, careful montoring of the light cycle, seeding the filter, etc.

Here's a start for Algae control!

 

[houseofcards]

That makes sense, but the only problem with doing frequent large water changes during the time the tank is cycling is that it messes up the cycling. You more or less have to allow the ammonia spikes to happen in order for the bacteria to colonize.

Actually I think that is a myth dispelled. Most of the bacteria colonize on surfaces, mainly substrate, biomedia, glass not to mention all the plants that are in the tank.