Looks terrific!
Is there any evidence behind the idea of
nitrates causing decreased clarity? I've never heard this and tend to doubt that it's possible. What led you to that conclusion?
It's a shame that we will probably never know what is keeping your nitrates low. I tend to agree that it is the plants, and that the baskets are not doing that much, but you seem less enamoured with them now than before as well. Has something changed your opinions?
I've watched the video you linked, as well as a number of others, and I must say that I don't feel a great deal of trust towards the aquarist presenting them. He never talks about his aquarium; it's always his "SCA aquarium". Who says that? Someone with an agenda to promote a product from which he achieves financial gain.
Unfortunately, the term Biocenosis Clarification Basket sounds very used-car-salesman-ish as well. Those words all have specific meanings, and putting them together in this fashion doesn't change the fact that they are not really relevant to each other or to the function this product is supposed to perform. All they do is sound impressive and techy.
I hope you keep us updated periodically on this tank. It's progress so far is encouraging, but I think we all want to know how this tank will be doing a year or more down the road. That long term success will be the proof of the pudding.
