Can't believe I missed this...
As it stands, I think it needs to be made clearer that it is the drop in ph, not the ph itself which causes the problem.
I also don't think it's suitable for a beginner. More for someone who wants to learn everything about the ecosystem of their aquarium.
In my experience most beginners at anything do much better with extremely basic info, and the chance to expand that with a touch more.
Even as simple as the blanket statement "if your ph drops, your cycle may stop" this statement gives the reader the basic info, and should obviously be followed up by a way to stop ph dropping, then another simple sentence giving a way to bring ph back up. It tells beginners what can happen, how to avoid it, and what to do if it happens.
I have nothing against the scientific approach, in fact personally I love it.
But, on this forum, new members are generally pointed to a group of articles which will take a good few days to read, and be too complicated for most to bother with. (although if they actually bothered they'd probably understand)
I don't think it's just me. If you look through the "your new freshwater tank" section, look at all the topics asking for help because they don't understand the cycle. This can't be because the info isn't there. There is masses of info. But it's all presented in a technical way. A way which makes it hard for the beginner to read.
Most beginners are people that like fish. Who think it's a case of buying a tank and putting fish in it. I think these people need breaking in gently, otherwise they may struggle to understand fishless cycles, be pushed to do it that way, fail because they don't understand then either give up or revert to fish in.
End rant...
So as great as this article is, I don't feel it's suitable for it's intended audience.
/aem.asm.org/content/72/6/4283.full
