Norm and others :

Norm , thank you , you are right but you are being to gentle. I like the genetic comparison.

I would like to try to bring a few matters into focus that we often don't put in our posts , but should . The question is how .

Even in cases when we are posting on "idea" topics between each other and obviously not giving advice be careful. It is easy for someone to not understand or mis understand a point or be offended especialy if it envolves a reader with less knowledge or one who quickly reads the post or if the post is not well written or is taken the wrong way. It even happens when the post is well written and easily understood. Such is the human mind . This applies most when the reader is not involved in posting on the topic.

I am sure , after seeing the great efforts of posters to help others , that no one on this fourm knowingly or unknowingly ever wants to cause a pond owner to have a problem or make a problem worse.

Norm , I think by definition if something works in one situation it " will not " work in " all " situations. There are to many factors at work for it to be statistically possible to be right in all cases. I am sure I remember most posters pointing this out , just not all the time. ML , Greg , myself and others have done so on the fert. question. You , Bruce , CB1 , Theo , Rad and others on genetics and others. Bill Cody points this out often with his " it depends" warning. I could go on with lots of other posters and topics.

There are to many differences from region to region , all the way down to pond to pond for their to be one size fits all answers. For example the large differences in soil type and content. With this basic pond building block being so different why we would think any other topic answer would be the same every where is beyond me.

Many times we have seen the comment made that it is not " rocket science " or " brain surgery " . True but not accurate . Think about the fact that pond mgt. as well as both rocket science and brain surgery involve the following , biology , chemistry , physics and engineering not to mention a few others. The idea that pond mgt. is easy is both wrong and dangerous .

We face a conflict between wanting to help { which often requires easy answers} and exploring and sharing ideas { which is often complex} . Science has faced this conflict for years. It is often handled with 2 rules , 1} in your advice do or cause no harm and , 2} in your ideas and expir. full disclosure and warnings.

How should we handle it ? I suggest as Bill Cody often reminds us we should be clear and state that " it all depends" and by cleraly stating that " one size does not fit all" . The use of warnings is required so that we don't harm a pond. Patience , civility , understanding , slowness to speak in anger and a thick skin should help us not harm each other.

Sorry for the long 2 cents worth. ewest