March meeting thread!

[DonkeyFish]

Ok. After much background legwork, I am pleased to announce the topic of our first hands-on workshop of 2011...

Emersed setups! To include tips, tricks, how-to, a talk about species easy to convert and be successful with and what you might find nearby locally or in a garden center. We will have a number of start-up sets to use at the workshop that members can purchase and take home at the end of the day.

With the Dutch theme decided on, we thought not only was it about time for a refresher on emerged growth, but also that it may help to propagate the mass volume of plants we may need for that lush aquascape!

So bring trimmings of HC or your favorite crypt to try to flower and let's have fun!

[scientist0724]

Are we bringing our own soil, or will that be offered to us? And if we bring in our own soil, what is best for an emersed setup?

Arlene

[fredyk]

Sorry to hijack your thread, but I have alot of works in progress.
actually, I don't know if I can make the workshop, but if not, I'll be there in spirit.
here's a couple of my ermersed setups. Most of my other things had alot of die back, and hopefully will recover.
EDIT: i have deleted images and will make a post in another section.

[jcali10]

Emersed setups! To include tips, tricks, how-to, a talk about species easy to convert and be successful with and what you might find nearby locally or in a garden center. We will have a number of start-up sets to use at the workshop that members can purchase and take home at the end of the day.

Jen, what exactly would a start up set consist of? I think it's a great idea, especially since I got lost on my way to Ghazanfar's when he did the last emersed set up talk and I arrived at the end of it. Now I just foll TOMTOM.

[scientist0724]

Joe,

I've gotten a very setup for members at the meeting. The setups consist of a 2 inch deep tray and a vented dome that are plastic. We will try to provide some small pots and substrate.

Arlene

[DelawareJim]

I suspect the emersed setups will be much like what some of us are already using. The basic components are a standard 11" x 22" nursery flat for the bottom and a clear plastic humidity dome which come in varying heights that are used for starting seeds. "The powers that be" may or may not decide to use cell packs which are the thin walled 6, 9, or 12 packs that actually hold the soil and the plants. If you decide not to use the cell packs, generally round or square 3 or 4 inch plastic nursery pots (sometimes called Geranium pots or "Kord" pots (after the manuafturer)) are used. Co-incidentally, Kord pots just happen to fit a nursery flat with no wasted space.

Here's pics of some standard nursery flats and domes you can find in any garden center (hint, hint), Agway/Southern States, or HD/Lowes.





<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/15234374@N07/2247047441/" title="Grow Chamber 3 by DelawareJim, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2063/224 ... a3c0cc.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="Grow Chamber 3" /></a>

Cell packs:


Kord Pot


Cheers.
Jim

[scientist0724]

Yup, that's pretty much what I bought! Also if any of you have 2 to 4.5 inch plastic pots, please bring them in to use or share.

Arlene

[jweis]

This topic sounds great. I will be interested to learn the basics.

[Ghazanfar Ghori]

The meeting room is located in the main building - upstairs!

Past the cash registers in the 'dry goods' section and upstairs from there.

[jweis]

Thank you for a great meeting. I think my aquarium has defined a new style. It is the "See how many random plants you can put in it" style. I am really happy with all my purchases and hopefully I can get everything to grow nicely and bring some trimmings to a future meeting.

The Rotala rotunifolia is my favorite color-wise because of the pretty pink leaves (thank you Jim Michaels), and the Hygrophila Corybasa from Vikor has done a terrific job in giving me the much needed height. My kids were thrilled with the mystery snails from Ghazanfar.

Now I have to stop rearranging everything and let the plants do their thing.