First off, I think #2 is exactly the reason our #1 will not ever write that
book, lol.
And second, I have to ditto everything James said.. pay attention to what is
going on in your tank, get to know it.. you'll know if there's a problem.
A few weeks ago I freaked over some water tests in my marine tanks. In over
30 years of keeping freshwater tanks I have NEVER ever done any kind of
routine water testing. Never. If something looked *off*, I'd test.. but that
was rare. I had come to the mind that regular testing for marine tanks is
imperative. So I did it.. posted results here.. Marc jumped in telling me I
needed to do some fast water changes over the next couple days... but.. ok
sorry your Highness.. but I ended up not changing a drop.. (you won't find
me.. I am hiding wayyyyy back in a corner of one of the many dungeons, lol)
BUT I had decided, the tank was stable, nothing was showing any kinds of
signs of stress, in fact everything in it had been growing and
multiplying... so... if it ain't broke, this girl don't fix it. I was going
to just break down the 10 gallon, but it's still running... with several
huge bristle worms and copepods scurrying around. The caulerpa I pulled out
of the big tank is taking over it. I might even get brave enough to put
something else in it eventually.
The point to my rambling is, I have always believed in *stability*.. if it's
working and things are thriving.. not just *surviving* but growing as they
should, then the system is working.
There is no all-encompassing definitive *way*.. there are only starting
points.

Teeb

"rtk" wrote in message ...
Also, some not so great minds disagree. During the seven weeks since I
set up my nano tank, I have read or scanned every book written in the
past five - sometimes more - years on the subject of mini reefs that I
could find in the public and university libraries here, as well a few in
the local bookstores. I've also read most of the posts here and the How
To articles over at ReefCentral and elsewhere.

What I have found out:
#1. A clear, concise, informative, manual has not yet been written. (Go
ahead, Marc: Do it.)
#2. There is no *one way* guaranteed to work or even one way you can
depend upon to fail. All successes appear to depend upon on an approach
described by Marc L. as *interactive*.
#3. As in all subjects, the more the author knows, the more the author
recognizes what he/she does not know. It takes limited knowledge to be
convinced one has dibbies (like that, Teeb?) on THE ONLY WAY.
#4. The methods recognized as works of the devil on this newsgroup are
accepted methods by at least one author who is recognized here as a
higher authority: Tullock.