Quest

2004:
1/31/04
1/25/04
1/18/04

2003:
12/31/03
12/22/03
11/4/03
10/9/03
9/19/03
9/6/03
8/23/03
8/8/03
7/13/03
7/08/03
6/21/03
6/13/03
5/19/03
5/06/03
4/20/03
3/25/03
3/23/03
2/18/03
1/5/03

2002:
11/11/02
10/11/02
10/03/02
9/1/02
8/10/02
7/14/02
7/2/02
6/4/02
4/6/02
3/14/02

2001:
6/28/01
5/31/01
4/26/01
3/29/01

2000:
11/30/00
10/24/00
9/28/00
8/21/00
7/27/00
6/22/00
5/25/00
4/20/00
3/10/00
2/24/00

Q U E S T Newsletter of the Madison Aquarium Gardeners Club 1/18/04

NEXT MEETING: Wednesday, January 28, 6:30 - 9:00 PM.
Science House, 1645 Linden Drive, UW Campus

6:30 - 7:00 Doors open and begin with Pizza, friends, exhibits, Library.

7:00 - 8:00 Mini Bottle Aquaria. Hands-on program with Paul Williams,
UW Professor Emeritus, sharing his latest experiments with diminutive planted aquatic ecosystems featuring macroscopic, microscopic, green, swimming, crawling creatures. Lots of fun!

8:00 - 8:15 Break
8:15 - 8:30 Complete Mini Bottle creations.
8:30 - 8:45 Q&A Forum plus short business meeting.
8:45 - 9:00 Check out library items, visit plant exchange table, clean up.

If you have agenda suggestions, please let me know via e-mail or phone (233-5182). Or, "catch my sleeve" at the meeting.

In the past, we've been meeting Thursdays. We're trying a Wednesday this month. So, mark January 28 on the calendar. Hope this change of meeting day will be OK. Thanks.....John

ITEM: In our website, you've noticed the first two chapters of David Watson's illustrated story, The Classroom Aquarium. David completed two last chapters and web master Greg Stahl has it. Should appear soon under OUTREACH. (http://aquarium.support/ ). Karen Randall, editor of TAG (The Aquatic Gardener) Journal is interested in having this piece or some variation of it, appear in the magazine. Stay tuned.

ITEM: Karen asked me for a high resolution image of the flowering Crinium thaianum that appeared in Birge Hall atrium aquarium. She wants to include a picture and article about it in a future TAG. I've sent her these materials and we will see.

ITEM: Naomi Delventhal is recovering from her accident. Though she'll be on crutches for a number of months, she's signed up for next semester at the UW and looks forward to getting back into the academic routine, something she dearly loves.

ITEM: Small plants and small tanks, how to make a match? Developing relatively diminutive forms of some of our common aquarium plants would be neat. Surprises me, but that's what's happening in a 15 gallon tank in a 1st and 2nd grade classroom, I set up a couple of months ago.

I didn't add sugar & yeast / CO2 inoculation, wanting to make things simple. Starting with an array of floating and submerged plants, I noticed everything got off to a good start. However, Heteranthera zosterifolia (Star Grass) got leggy, sustaining only fragile viable growth tips. After removed bottom sections and replanted growth tips several times, I noticed each time I replanted, specimens became stronger and more stocky, eventually ending up being beautiful 2 - 3 inch plants, stabilizing at around that size.

Normally Star Grass is a fast grower, stretching 18 inches to tank top in short order. Here, I figured they adapted to a lower CO2 level and did well with a lower metabolic rate. A limiting factor need not be regarded as a bad thing? Shrinking plants to fit a small container? Seems to work with Star Grass, but what about other species? Let's find out! Sounds like fun.

ITEM: What are the effects of different color spectrum bias on color and shape of certain aquatic plants? In a past meeting Aaron Glass and Warren Berg shared their observations of how individual plants can present differences in coloration when exposed to different spectrum blends of different light bulbs. Question to Aaron and Warren: Could you jot down these correlations for us? I missed taking notes last time. Thanks.

SUGGESTION: If you are observing things of special interest in your aquaria, share this with us. Our group experience is enriched by the extend to which we share, question and communicate. Help us create value. Who knows, as we share with beginners and with school aquaria projects, some of our experiences will make a difference. Sort nice having good ideas flowing through us and touching others.

See you Wednesday, January 28...........................John