I have learned a good lesson over the past 7 months. There are good ways to experiment, and not so good ways. "Experiment", as I understand it, means to do a test or tests, from which some information can be gained. But, before any information can be gained, certain preliminaries are necessary.
If we are going to experiment with concentrations of phosphate in our water, for example, the very first thing we have to do is establish that we can measure how much phosphate is in our water. And, that means lots of calibration of the system used to do the measurements.
If we are going to experiment with various substrates, or techniques for growing aquatic plants, which was my purpose 7 months ago, the first thing I should have done is "calibrate" the equipment I was going to use. I skipped that step.
I found a very good deal on a 10 gallon tank, then assumed that because I had been able to grow aquatic plants well in a 29 gallon and 45 gallon tank, and less well in a 120 gallon tank, that growing those plants in a 10 gallon tank was a given. Now, 7 months later I realize that until I actually did grow aquatic plants well in the 10 gallon tank, I couldn't assume that I knew how.
Tom has repeatedly pointed out the need to do testing in several identical tanks, first establishing a baseline. For example, first establishing that you can, at will, grow plants algae free. Only then can you begin to test various methods for growing plants algae free.
So, my first effort with that little 10 gallon tank should have been a pressurized CO2 tank, with high light intensity, using the same SMS substrate I knew I could make work well. That would be the "calibration" of the tank. Since I didn't do that all of the "tests" I tried for 7 months were just playtime. Of course playtime is fun, and I did have fun, so it wasn't a failure, except that all I really learned was how not to do a test.
So, I'm passing on that lesson.
If we are going to experiment with concentrations of phosphate in our water, for example, the very first thing we have to do is establish that we can measure how much phosphate is in our water. And, that means lots of calibration of the system used to do the measurements.
If we are going to experiment with various substrates, or techniques for growing aquatic plants, which was my purpose 7 months ago, the first thing I should have done is "calibrate" the equipment I was going to use. I skipped that step.
I found a very good deal on a 10 gallon tank, then assumed that because I had been able to grow aquatic plants well in a 29 gallon and 45 gallon tank, and less well in a 120 gallon tank, that growing those plants in a 10 gallon tank was a given. Now, 7 months later I realize that until I actually did grow aquatic plants well in the 10 gallon tank, I couldn't assume that I knew how.
Tom has repeatedly pointed out the need to do testing in several identical tanks, first establishing a baseline. For example, first establishing that you can, at will, grow plants algae free. Only then can you begin to test various methods for growing plants algae free.
So, my first effort with that little 10 gallon tank should have been a pressurized CO2 tank, with high light intensity, using the same SMS substrate I knew I could make work well. That would be the "calibration" of the tank. Since I didn't do that all of the "tests" I tried for 7 months were just playtime. Of course playtime is fun, and I did have fun, so it wasn't a failure, except that all I really learned was how not to do a test.
So, I'm passing on that lesson.