[Michael Buchan]

Hi Guys,

Just finished reading Mike Hecks, Spring Creek Stratagies book.  Good book some interesting tips one im going to try see if it makes any difference is to try dipping a nymph in frogs fanny or similar powder floatant to cover them in air bubbles might a slight differnce be fun trying anyway.

This got me thinking is there any rivers in scotland that have similar characteristics to a spring creek (Chalk stream) Ie Clear water, Stable tempretures, Lots of food and not to affected by rain.  Does anyone know of any with similar charictaristices, if not would the Driffeld beck in Yorkshire be the closest true chalk streams to us?

I know the Avon in speyside is suposed to be gin clear and speaking to a ghille who worked there he said you can see every stone in the stream and stalk individual salmon which sounds ace but not sure if there is a resident population of trout and if there is good feeding for them.

Thanks

Michael

[Peter McCallum]

The Avon has a few big trout. I'd put it in the same catagory of New Zealand rivers(though I've never been there). Lots of water with no Trout then a cracker and so on.

[Rob Brownfield]

I am not sure about this, but I think the definition of a Chalk Stream is not its clarity etc but the fact that the chalk acts as a sponge (aquifier) and mineral provider. Because the water for a chalk stream, by definition, is spring fed, the water not only remains very clear, it also maintains a stable flow and temperature as the reservoir of water stored underground in the chalk is a pretty constant temp.

Add to that the heavily mineral loaded water and you get ideal conditions for insects, which use the minerals and trace elements such as Calcium, Srontium etc in the construction of there "shells"/body.

So cool, stable flows and temperatures, minerals and clarity and you've got a little bit of paradise.

Driffield and Settrington Becks are the furthest North chalk streams.

[zeolite]

You are close Rob
Chalk is a particular type of limestone made up of broken pieces of a particular creature called a coccolith. The major eature of chalk is that it is white and quite hard but it does get broken and fractured. The springs that are of interest to us come from the aquifers below the chalk (greensands usually) and the water is treated and filtered by the chalk. It neutralises acidity and removes impurities and particulates. You are correct about the stability and clarity and indeed about the calcium being important for a lot of insects although what is more important is that the pH is too high to react with the insects shells. Calcium isn't a trace mineral BTW and I am confident there is no strontium in chalk.
However there are plenty of spring fed waters in scotland with limestone aplenty which is very similar. The Dee (Pannanaich springs and Strathgairn) and Tay system have a lot of limestone as do many burns up in Durness.

[Rob Brownfield]

Thanks for that Zeolite. I know Calcium is not an element by the way, tiz a mineral..which is what I put.. .

I run a couple of Marine tanks and have such wonderful things as Calcium and phosphate reactors, zeolite systems etc..all voodoo to me

Anyway, I was thinking of the limestone side of things as I know up north there are a lot of limestone lochs. Presumably it is the temperature which is the issue up in Sutherland??

[Graham Ritchie]

Thanks for that Zeolite. I know Calcium is not an element by the way, tiz a mineral..which is what I put.. .

I run a couple of Marine tanks and have such wonderful things as Calcium and phosphate reactors, zeolite systems etc..all voodoo to me

Anyway, I was thinking of the limestone side of things as I know up north there are a lot of limestone lochs. Presumably it is the temperature which is the issue up in Sutherland??

Calcium is an element, it is chalk (calcium carbonate) which is the mineral.

[Rob Brownfield]

Arrrghhh..fair doooo's  The Calcium in my reactor is indeed Calcium Carbonate so I tend to just lump Calcium in with being a mineral. Probably because when reading about Calcium in relation to corals etc its is often referred to as a major component of "mineralisation" for coral, shells and bones.

I should know better as my partner is a Chemist !!..lol