anecdotal aquarium information

Yahoo Answers and other anecdotal aquarium information for aquarium hobbyists.

I have been in the aquarium trade in a professional capacity for over 28 years and as a hobbyist for almost 40 (as of the time of writing this blog entry). I also have been conducting research both hands on and via internet and books for a long time too.

I caution anyone who is searching for reliable aquarium and pond information to be very careful in what they read and believe as much of what is passed around as fact is often tired old information that might sound good in theory but in reality is nothing more than someone’s often misguided opinion.
Much of the research I perform is outside the aquarium and pond keeping hobby/industry as there is often much better, well researched and funded information to be had elsewhere (and without the constant recirculation of poor information).
Reference for ACCURATE Aquarium Information:
http://www.americanaquariumproducts.com/Aquarium_Information.html

The internet and Yahoo Answers in particular can be poor places for aquatic information if one is not careful. I will especially tell readers to be wary of Yahoo Answers as the format is very poor for allowing truly good information to get passed.
I used to be a Top Contributor there, but since I needed to go back to research and other aspects of my aquatics occupation, I lost this so called credibility.
Another problem is that many persons there get multiple aliases so that they can reward themselves with “best answer” when it goes to voting.
The communication is poor there and there is a competition to get answers out fast regardless of the fact. Also I have noticed that the vast majority of resources cited are very poor with little relevance to the question asked and most persons who answer questions never read others resources to see if they should even bother answering the question, rather they often will try and out do the other.

Also be wary of blog posts that are nothing more than ways to sell drugs like Viagra and even sites such as about.com that may have some good information are still in the end often anecdotal.

Here are a few aquatic subjects for which anecdotal information abounds followed by a link to RESEARCHED information:

*Redox Potential,
http://www.americanaquariumproducts.com/Redox_Potential.html

*Aquarium or Pond UV Sterilization
http://www.americanaquariumproducts.com/UVSterilizers.html

*Bio Wheels
http://www.aquarium-pond-answers.com/2006/12/do-bio-wheels-really-work.html

*Aquarium Medications and Treatments
http://www.americanaquariumproducts.com/Aquarium_Medication.html

*The Nitrogen Cycle (such as the use of raw shrimp to cycle aquariums)
http://www.americanaquariumproducts.com/Nitrogen_Cycle.html

*Aquarium Lighting (this subject has gotten even more anecdotal in recent years):
http://www.americanaquariumproducts.com/Aquarium_Lighting.html
In particular the subject of Aquarium LED Lights:
http://www.americanaquariumproducts.com/LEDLights.html

Please visit the aquarium keeping forum below for better information and help:
Everything Aquatic

Saltwater as a fuel

Saltwater as a fuel, fuel cell, or energy source.

This video about an experiment that started as a cancer treatment experiment is very interesting, although the separation of Hydrogen and oxygen in saltwater is not unknown.

I do have a couple of observations that have not been answered by all the amazement by the media:

(1) What frequency of radio waves are required?

(2) More importantly, what is the energy input (ie radio waves) required to start this process. Also what then is the output of energy? In other words if the input is say 100 K and the output is 50 K, this would not be very efficient.
I guess I don’t see this as a viable source of energy for a vehicle as the mechanism to run the radio wave generator will require its own energy source.

This may be a step in the direction, however realistic criticism is necessary to keep in check good ideas in theory but are unrealistic in application as so often happens today especially once the media gets a hold of an idea (which is generally clueless when it comes to differencing theory from fact).

I do hope this can work where it may be more practical such as an electrical power plant that utilizes solar or some other power source to generate radio waves.
My understanding of E=MC2 tells me that there are certainly possibilities here and I hope my doubting can be proven wrong (although the second law of thermodynamics does not give me much hope).



My Field of Expertise in Saltwater & Freshwater Keeping Resources:

For the most up to date Aquarium Lighting information, especially for saltwater aquarium use:
http://www.americanaquariumproducts.com/Aquarium_Lighting.html

Fro Saltwater aquarium care information:
ttp://www.americanaquariumproducts.com/Basic_Saltwater.html