Talk:Aquascaping

Some granite might be "deadly to fish due to slight radioactivity"... Oh come on. Yes, granite yields a slightly higher background level of radiation (I should know, I live in granite central), and radon filtering up through it is an issue in such areas. But is someone claiming it causes cancer in fish now??? No matter how much or how little granite I put in my aquarium, it is still sitting on top of a few trillion tons of granite. Should I have lined the floor with lead before setting up the tank? Huw Powell 04:41, 8 March 2011 (EST)

Hot Water...
I'm no expert, but radioactive rock does affect DNA development of young cells. So in theory it may cause all kinds of minor mutations not just cancer in fry.

Mind you, water is also a great absorber of low level radioactively too. They use it to cool and to create a barrier to U. waste.

I doubt anyone has done any scientific tests on ornamental fish though... ;-)

Aberdeen is the most _natural_ radioactive city in the world as most buildings are based on Granite. Maybe we need to ask an aquarist from that city? ;-)

But yes, the article needs altering.

--Quatermass 06:55, 7 April 2011 (EDT)
 * Yeah, you're no expert. You're just making it up as you go along. And as I said, I live on top of Granite Central (New England) You can make all sorts of stuff up in "theory" if you want. Huw Powell 02:01, 9 April 2011 (EDT)
 * The background level due to (massive) amounts of granite is higher indeed. IIRC it's 2 or 3 times higher than other areas (and still very minimal). Huw Powell 20:55, 10 April 2011 (EDT)
 * I am not an expert either, but I have worked at nuclear power plants and have had radiation training and read lots of books and articles about radiation of all types from all sources. That said, I would put any granite into any tank without fearing for my fish's lives. Yes, some radiation and radon gas will come out of the granite, but it will add at most about 5% to the background radiation which is not nearly enough to kill anything. Jake4d 22:14, 1 January 2012 (CST)

Seems like this discussion should be resolved by this wiki's policy on differing opinions. Without references, both side of this argument are just opinion. What is the policy? Brian Low 01:55, 8 January 2012 (CST)

Why so aggressive?
Your comments are coming across as quite rude and aggressive. Please stop it. --Quatermass 04:42, 9 April 2011 (EDT)
 * Who are you talking to? Huw Powell 20:56, 10 April 2011 (EDT)


 * You. Your responses aren't phrased in the most polite of manners, quite puts other people off from responding to be honest. Hence I have not entered into discussions. Life is too short to get your knickers in a twist over website articles. --Cat 08:34, 11 April 2011 (EDT)
 * Indeed. Can someone please somehow teach people here how to respond to talk page comments?  Starting a new section makes it utterly unclear.  Also, QM has responded to me in rather aggressive and even obnoxious ways from time to time - and doesn't really take criticism well, from what I have seen. Luckily, you and that other person who signs as one name and uses another have been most welcoming. Huw Powell 03:50, 12 April 2011 (EDT)
 * Excellent use of the word knickers :) FYI If you go into your "My preferences" tab you can change your default signature, my username is PsiPro but my name is Brian :) --Brian 08:20, 12 April 2011 (EDT)
 * Yes, you! While I wholeheartedly approve of complicated username/signature games, it was weird for me to realize that the five people on here were only three ;).  It might make more sense the 'crats who run the place to keep "ID"ing them simple.  Keep in mind that RC, watchlist, etc. list you by your handle, not your sig. Huw Powell 23:42, 12 April 2011 (EDT)

Could we have more articles like this?
Hi all, I am just getting back into the hobby after 20yrs and would like to see more articles like this. (Maybe a list of good books on the topic with reviews?). I only have a single 10gal tank now that I added too many fish to so I have to clean it and do partial water changes multiple times a week, but I am planning a larger (40-60gal) freshwater tank and could use any help, advise, etc. Jake4d 22:20, 1 January 2012 (CST)


 * Hi Jake, was there any particular aspect of it you would like to read about in more detail? For planted tanks there are plenty of planted-tank-specific websites and forums out there, where the true plant geeks live. Or was it more the design aspect? Or something else? --Cat 07:08, 3 January 2012 (CST)