dasaltemelosguy

Thanks so much for writing. That's amazing how that event precipitated your entry into environmentalism! Now that you've told me about that H2O special, I've just ordered it too! 

One of the things I love about this forum is people are seriously dedicated to it, and the related causes as you are. I love data.  99% of it is trash but there's often some gem that can be mined from even the most verbose diatribe. 

I also love that people here are supportive as opposed to competitive. The latter is why I literally gave up posting anything on any other aquatics forums. I like the supportive mentality and 'think tanks' that form here. And none of the viciousness you can see when the egos arise. This forum is quite literally in its own class. 

Yes, I do remember the Cuyahoga fire!  I may be mistaken but I believe that event was one of the catalysts towards the birth of the EPA?  

I've done a 2-day photo shoot at Cuyahoga NP in the 1990's, although I think it was still a national forest then. I love the area and the Shawnee NF area as well. A bit east of these but I've probably been to Niagara without exaggeration, 50X. I hate the carnival atmosphere that developed but the Falls, I have no words. 

I could not agree more about water quality. There's so many parameters that can affect the fishes that escape the typical tests.  Even a quick dip of a cheap, water test strips reveal some parameters not tested with aquarium test kits. 

Often surprising too, especially the heavy metal content. Ours was disturbingly high in several areas but the values escape me at present (BTW the LA water report parameters were surprisingly close to the test strip results).  I picked up these; 15 Test, Water Test Strips to try the tests and although they're not very accurate, they revealed some surprising aspects of our water. 

Some metals content was actually high enough to be of concern, at the end of the 'safe' range for drinking.  I've also noticed, and this is most likely the local pipes, but the heavy metal content does drop substantially if I run the water for a few minutes. I like dipping in a water test strip before every water change now. Probably insignificant but why not have less toxicity if possible. 

I haven't yet done the math, but I did notice that adding Prime drops the GH substantially. Or at least, it distorts the water tests for it. But that drop is short term, like 2 days or so but I would like to run through the formulae and see why that happens. I suppose that's the geek in me! 

But to return to your feelings about water primacy, I too feel it's not only primary, but it also illustrates ourselves, to ourselves. Water behaves exactly as we do because we are largely water. It finds the paths of least resistance, it uses time as a tool for conquering even the largest obstacles, and it inevitably returns to the global cycle. As inescapable as any physical law in this universe.

I think your point is spot on because a life form's identity is relative to the observer such that depending on scale, a given life form is created or transformed. 

On a cellular scale, we're not a single organism but rather a massive collection of them. 
On our scale, life is of course, as we experience it. 
From an outer orbit the entire planet is the organism, evidenced by the same behaviors and needs for a planet or a 1 celled creature or anything in between. 

There's nothing new in the universe, only reminders! 

Sorry if I'm too verbose, it's a failing of mine. Thank you for the tip on the DVD. I can't imagine a more fitting spot for 'knowing your water' than here. 

Wow, thank you so much. That's really very kind of you. Given the topic, I didn't truly know if anyone would even read the piece! But I'm with you 100%, its primary for all life so why not know all you can about your own water.

Also, I now remember the Hartz dechlorinator too now that you mentioned it! 

Thank you again for the kind words. I really appreciated this note from you. 

Well your design is gorgeous. My wife likes it better than ours! But she's stuck with ours because that Lucky Bamboo is really growing fast and is now deeply rooted. I think it's a foot taller in a month! Oddly and fortuitously, the stalks are not getting wider, it just gets taller...and taller...and taller! 

It must be a fast growing plant, of which I was uncertain if so. I base that on the nitrates dropping from 40ppm to 5ppm in 2 weeks! If it 'eats' that much, it's gonna grow!

Yes, please do post any updates. I'd truly love to see it.