[Damon]

Even plants such as anubias and crypts benefit from CO2. As for the cost? $1.39 for a 3lb bag of sugar, an empty 2 litre pop bottle, $1.60 for a 3 pack of yeast, and $1.50 for some baking soda. These products will last you 6 months or more. Expensive? I think not. Slow growing plants are very succeptable to GSA. Once attached, the leaves must be removed as they cannot be cleaned without bleaching which in turn tends to lead to cutting them off anyway. While I have read and own her book, many are following new school methods (getting away from Collin & Sears ect.. and moving towards E.I (Thomas Barr) and PPS. These methods make fertilizing and waterchanges easier than ever controlling algae without having to exactly measure ferts. And many don't want to be limited to 6 or 7 types of plants. Many plants people find beautiful won't do well in a slow growing tank. As for trimming, whats wrong with replanting them? or starting a new tank? or trading them to your lfs for different plants? giving them away to friends? And most slow growers don't provide very adequate fry cover. For livebearers, this is, IMO & IME a must. I would never subject a pregnant fish to a breeding net.

I understand your thinkin, Myra and there is nothing wrong with it. Just a difference in philosophy when it comes to planted tanks. But I would have to agree with the more modern thinkins of Tom Barr, Takashi Amano, and Jeff Senske.