which aquatic plant reference book to buy?

[cheeboonyong]

Hi guys,

just wanted to check which reference books are you guys using and which do you recommend?

Right now, there's the Christel Kasselman and the $25 book that is being sold by Teos (I think singapore writer with amano foreword) that I know of. Budget is not a big issue for me (reasonable lah of course, <$250 is ok).

[budak]

Kasselmann's book is undoubtedly great for a rich database of plants and wealth of ecological data. Her planting philosophy, though, is disputable. But still a must-buy.

I would recommend also the Baensch Encyclopaedia Vols 1-3, as their plants and algae section is highly comprehensive, with extensive commentaries on individual varieties. Vol. 1-2 can be found on occasion at Kino or Borders, Vol 3 focuses on rarer species, and is likewise very seldom seen.

Barry James' Aquarium PLants is a good no-frills newbie book. So is the Scheurmann.

The proprietary books understandbly lean more on the technology than the science. But the big Dupla book (available at Aquatechnic) is quite thorough, and so is the existing Dennerle. Tropica's is for their own plants, while the newer Oriental book is a better guide to what's available locally. The other end of the scale is Diane Walstad's near treatise (only via mail/online order)

IF you can read Taiwanese Chinese, the white hardcover book called something like "native plants of Taiwan" semms like a good reference as well.

Amano stuff is eye-candy, that's about it.

[Simon]

actually, the one teo is selling at $35, which is from oriental is worth the money, compared to their first edition, the latter is further more comprehension and easy for those who wants a quik reference.. though, nothing much to read like the christel K. book... other books like what budak is pointed out is also recommended, but if u compare 2 different plant books, u may realise there are some difference between naming of certain plants

[pipsqueak]

eeks! i bought mine at 45.
its a good book for identification of plants, and they have little notes on the plants thriving conditions, like ph, temp,hardness, and also a short desciption of it. mostly about where it originated and how big it gets.

[Alfa Low]

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On 1/14/2003 10:06:24 PM

IF you can read Taiwanese Chinese, the white hardcover book called something like "native plants of Taiwan" semms like a good reference as well.
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The book is "Foreign aquatic plant in Taiwan" which is the best aquatic plant reference book (among Taiwanese books) so far, IMHO.