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Written by Administrator
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by John Glaeser and the Madison Aquarium Gardeners Club - Substrate: Freshwater aquarium plants are primarily root feeders. Therefore, provide a nutrient rich substrate. A blend of 3 parts top soil and 1 part clay, like kitty litter (unscented, non-clumping clay) or calcined clay, is a good bottom layer. This layer should be no more than approximately 1" in depth. Top this layer with some well-rinsed, fine-grained red flint aquarium gravel (or other fine gravel not containing limestone or any other stone that will dissolve in fresh water). This keeps soil from clouding up the aquarium water. Approximately 2" of fine gravel on top will do it. Instead of this soil and gravel mix, some prefer commercially available substrates such as "Eco-Complete" or "Seachem Flourite".
- Planting: Gently tuck plant cuttings and rooted specimens into top gravel layer. As plants begin acclimating, their roots will grow down into the soil. Starting with a large number of plants will help reduce the chances of algae problems. Healthy plants will dominate and subordinate opportunistic algae.
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Written by Administrator
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 The Aquatic Gardeners Association is proud to announce our 12th International Aquascaping Contest!! This event is an opportunity for all aquascapers, from the beginner hobbyist to the professional, to display and share their art with others around the world. New this year: In an effort to stimulate worldwide economic recovery, there will be NO ENTRY FEE for 2011! All that is required are 1 - 5 photos of your aquarium, a simple entry form, and a signed photo release. You can enter entirely online. We will display all entries permanently on the AGA's web site. You can also choose to have your tank entered in the 2012 Aqua Design Amano contest at the same time. - Winners will receive ribbons and cash awards.
- Closing date for entries: September 25
- Winners announced: November 18
This contest just keeps growing and growing and growing! So fluff the plants, snap those photos, and enter your aquascape in the AGA contest to share with aquatic gardeners and artists around the world! For more information visit the AGA International Aquascaping Contest website |
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Written by Ted Bier
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Lake Wingra is a North-Temperate Lakes Long Term Ecological Research (NTL-LTER) study lake, located within the City of Madison. Despite its urban location, the 139-hectare, shallow (2.7 mean depth) lake has a mostly natural shoreline, under the ownership of the University of Wisconsin Arboretum, Edgewood College, and the City of Madison. The “slow no-wake” lake receives considerable recreational activity. Small sailboats, canoes, kayaks, and swimmers pepper the lake during the summer. It also has a popular fishery with abundant panfish along with muskellunge at densities 2-4 times higher than other muskie lakes in Wisconsin. The Henry Vilas Zoo and two city parks are located on the north side of the lake; one park boasts a considerable fleet of rental boats, the other a popular swimming beach. |
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Written by David Watson
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 Recently, while pruning the plants in one of our home aquariums, a school of baby lemon tetras darted from their grassy hideout into the open to investigate the intruder. To my astonishment, they swam around my fingertips before disappearing back into the thicket. Apparently the adult lemon tetras my son and I had purchased some months prior found our tank an enticing place to spawn. Their offspring escaped from being a morsel for the resident discus, as they would in nature, by dipping and darting among the vegetation.
It’s discoveries like this that make a planted aquarium ideal for the classroom. |
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Written by David Watson
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 During back to school night this past fall, the night when students go to meet their teachers for the first time, my son made an exciting discovery. In the back of his new 5thgrade classroom sat a well-used, empty aquarium. After studying its dimensions and rubbing his fingers across the limestone caked glass, I knew exactly what he was thinking before he asked. “Maybe we could help his new teacher set up a tank like ours- a planted tank,” he whispered.
“Maybe,” I replied with some reluctance. |
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