OnlyGenusCaps

Typically if a leaf is actually damaged, e.g. holes in leaves, dead tips, etc., that leaf will not recover, i.e. it may live, but won't regenerate over the holes or regrow a tip. However, if the leaves are weakened, such as some discoloration, they can recover to a degree. Generally, plants will need to grow new leaves. That's normal, and healthy new growth is a good sign that the plant as a whole is recovering nicely.

I realize that you already have a system installed, it's up and running, and you are likely happy with it. However, for anyone reading this who might be interested in alternative options, I offer this. In an approximately 150sqft, uninsulated portion of my basement, where one wall is above grade, I use a 5,000BTU portable electric heater and a fan to circulate the warm air. I recognize there is quite a bit more operation cost here than for a gas heater, but I have it in a GFI outlet and suspect this, overall, has fewer hazards associated with it than a burner of any sort. This is simply a suggestion of a potential alternate option for a similar situation, and in no way a condemnation of the techniques used by those more confident in their installation abilities than I.

It is indeed.

This is a great and interesting topic! I am an ecologist, and have colleagues who study nitrogen fluxes in aquatic systems. It's very cool stuff whether you are talking about the reasons for the dead zone in the Gulf of Mexico or the processes in a home aquarium. In terms of the anoxic, denitrification process, my suspicion is at the scale of the home aquarium it would simply be easier to do water changes or grow plants to reduce nitrates. Indeed, I'm not certain it is possible to have denitrifying bacteria perform the function to any degree that would be beneficial (depending on stocking rates, of course). I'm trying to think of the best way to explain this, so please excuse me if I am fumbling a bit here. For the most part, we try to keep O2 fairly high in aquarium water. This is true not just in the display, but as we run it through filters. Unless that oxygen is utilized by something, it doesn't tend to decrease dramatically (stays in equilibrium with normal solubility with the air). Yes, loads of aerobic processes are going on in our tanks. But to favor denitrification, it takes pretty low oxygen. Denitrification is the least energetically efficient process in the aquarium "nitrogen cycle". That means that the flow of oxygenated water to any given surface must be fairly low, or the O2 is too high and the process is no longer favored. That can be achieved; however, think about if you had to achieve this with your typical biofiltration. Think of the area you would need for beneficial bacterial growth if the flow had to remain low to every surface to achieve conversion of ammonium to nitrate. So, while I think denitrification occurs in all aquaria, the area necessary to deplete the influx of nitrates would be massive, given the low flow rates that would be required to first deplete the oxygen. After running through an effective denitrification reactor, the water would then need to be rapidly re-oxygenated or it would be lethal to the animals in the aquarium. I am not saying that this is entirely impossible. And as a scientist, I am always eager to be disproved by good data. That said, I remain highly skeptical of the efficacy of such systems (even after watching videos made by certain doctors). Additionally, I am not certain that an effective denitrification reactor would be a better option than simply changing your water regularly, or growing plants (even if only in a refugium). Yes, plants will largely have an affinity for ammonium over nitrates, but they will scavenge nitrates quite effectively (which plants are best for this purpose in a freshwater system, remains an open question for me).

I was directed here by someone I respect on another forum. Signed up right away, then lurked. I like Cory's idea for a forum that focuses on the hobby and is less about the chit chat. So, I'm in. By training I'm a biologist. By profession... Man about town? In terms of what I have going for tanks; well I have more plans than tanks at the moment. I've got a 42 gal that I am just about to rework. I have a rack of 9 twenty H tanks that is in process. And I have a 280 gal on order. I've kept tanks on and off for years. Worked in a LFS in high school. But it before this round it had been a fair few years since I had my last active tank. I love a sump filter when I can use them, but I prefer UGF or box filters for smaller tanks. I'm deeply opposed to ever owning a canister. I tend to have what I call survivalist fish keeping tendencies - i.e. I like to keep tanks where I can keep and breed colonies of a species. Not really a community tank sort of person, and I have no interest in hybrids (I can always get your hybrids from my species, but you can never get my species back from your hybrids). Other than that, I'm interested in Rift Lakes cichlids, and little fish that have been isolated in desert springs. Well, and I have have N-class Endlers as well as snails too.

If you are interested in the Okefenokee pygmy sunfish (Elassoma okefenokee) or even better, the Gulf Coast pygmy sunfish (Elassoma gilberti), but worried about their feeding requirements, I have a suggestion if I may. Look into the iridescent toothcarp (Aphanius mento). The color patterns can be strikingly similar depending on the population source (most are Turkish sources of various locals). They are also very hardy in terms of water parameters. And best of all, they accept a much wider range of food types. Much like the pygmy sunfish species, they are unlikely to be at your LFS, so you might have to contact a local killifish enthusiast group to find them. The one down side of this as a substitute for the sunfish species is the males do not do the same specific display. A display that is really quite interesting. *I recognize I have not yet introduced myself on the welcome page. I apologize for the break in etiquette. I will endeavor to do so soon. In the meantime please accept this as my mea culpa.