CAPE Meeting Saturday 9/24 - Connecticut Aquatic Plant Enthusiasts

asukawashere · 09-14-2011, 06:08 PM

Hey y'all! We'll be having a meeting on the 24th at 2pm. Meet up will be at my place (pm or email me if you want the address) and then we'll go on a collecting trip. Haven't quite decided where we'll be collecting; speak now if there's anything y'all feel like looking for. Also, feel free to bring plants to swap if you've got 'em.

Furthermore, the week after our meeting, on Sunday 8/2 starting at 12pm, is the Norwalk Aquarium Society fall auction in Westport, CT. All CAPE members are encouraged to attend if they're looking for good deals on hard-to-find fish, equipment, plants, and other aquatic goodies. I'll be there, of course. Currently I'm pondering the relative merits of attaching little CAPE ad stickers to each of my plants I'll be putting up for auction.

Post here to RSVP if you're attending our meeting!

Zapins · 09-15-2011, 03:09 AM

8/2 ? is that the correct date?

You guys should take pics and post them so I can pretend I went with you all. I'd love to be there

Riverboa · 09-15-2011, 05:03 AM

I will be out of the country those two weeks, so unfortunately I am going to miss both those events.

Have fun, and please post pics.

-T

asukawashere · 09-19-2011, 08:48 AM

Sorry to hear you'll be gone, Tonny, but take the opportunity to go ditch diving! Whereabouts are you traveling to?

Since I've heard nothing on the collecting front, is there something else you guys want to do? Hang out in my basement and rearrange aquascapes? Debate the relative merits of Cryptocoryne spp.?

Or would you prefer to meet the following Saturday (Oct 1) instead? That's the same day as the NAS fish show, and I'm emailing the guy in charge of that event to see if we can put up a display table showing off a small aquascape or two. Maybe we can meet there instead? Anyone want to help me with the aquascaping/materials if we get the table? I've recruited Kristina to help already but more hands are always welcome (except in a nano tank :P ).

BTW if we meet this weekend, I have to bump the time back to 4:30 pm. The library I work at just somehow roped me into working from 1-4pm at their "Country Fair and Cow Chip Raffle." Interestingly, no one actually asked me whether I was willing to work extra hours outside my contract, or else I would have told them we had a meeting planned and I couldn't. Long story. Clearly I need a new job. Sorry for the time swap.

Storms · 09-19-2011, 02:01 PM

Hey, I can make it this weekend if you're still planning on having it. My wife would also like to come, although she's not really into plants and fish as much as I am.

I'm a little confused about the NAS show - that's actually 2 weeks from Saturday if it's on the 1st. I'd definitely like to go to that as well.

Anyway, as far as swaps go I have some extra fissidens fontanus if anyone wants some, although I'm not sure what to swap it for as all my tanks are full of plants atm... I need some advice on rescaping so maybe I'll bring some pictures of my 2 tanks and pick your brains for advice... (mmmm... brains...)

Every time I browse cool journals on plantedtank.net I start dreaming of MTS high-tech Co2 setups, UG, staurogyne repens, and blyxa japonica... /sigh

Zapins · 09-19-2011, 03:16 PM

Ke also said he can come. He has a new group on google groups. People in CAPE should join. I'll post directions on how to join in a new thread.

asukawashere · 09-20-2011, 09:37 AM

Okay, if we have people coming (yay, people!) then we're on for 4:30 on Saturday 9/24. PM me if you need the address guys.

Storms, this Sat is the 24th, Oct 1st is Saturday next week

Hence, a week between the events.

I also got tentative approval from NAS to set up a display table at the show. They just have to double-check the space they have available to see what kind of room we can get. As such, I'd like to get a list of people willing to hang out at said table for a bit and do some recruiting, or to help out with the aquascaping, or whatever else. Anybody have a spare rimless tank floating around that they'd be willing to donate for the weekend? Or any plants, hardscape, lighting, or other materials? I'm thinking, depending on available materials/space, we should do 1-3 nano scapes set up on the table in question, with a flyer of some sort for the club that we can hand out. Maybe a couple of rare emersed plants in pots for people to squint at?

I dunno, gimme some more ideas guys!

Should I deploy the club funds (currently about $100) to purchase a small rimless setup to use for occasions like this?

Storms · 09-20-2011, 11:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by asukawashere

Okay, if we have people coming (yay, people!) then we're on for 4:30 on Saturday 9/24. PM me if you need the address guys.

Storms, this Sat is the 24th, Oct 1st is Saturday next week

Hence, a week between the events.

You're right, I suck at dates, but I will plan on being there Saturday at 4:30pm.

Quote:

I also got tentative approval from NAS to set up a display table at the show. They just have to double-check the space they have available to see what kind of room we can get. As such, I'd like to get a list of people willing to hang out at said table for a bit and do some recruiting, or to help out with the aquascaping, or whatever else. Anybody have a spare rimless tank floating around that they'd be willing to donate for the weekend? Or any plants, hardscape, lighting, or other materials? I'm thinking, depending on available materials/space, we should do 1-3 nano scapes set up on the table in question, with a flyer of some sort for the club that we can hand out. Maybe a couple of rare emersed plants in pots for people to squint at?

I dunno, gimme some more ideas guys!

Should I deploy the club funds (currently about $100) to purchase a small rimless setup to use for occasions like this?

I'm not sure about our availability for manning the table - I'm such a newbie I'd probably tell someone the wrong thing anyway, but I'd have fun helping with the nano-scapes or just watching and learning as you did them. At the moment I don't have any free tanks but I'm trying to talk the wife into getting me an Eheim Aquastyle 9 for my birthday in November...

Finnex 4g is also a really cool little nano-tank which has a great light and filtration system, although it's so much light for the size you probably need Co2.

asukawashere · 09-20-2011, 05:45 PM

So, today I ordered a Mr Aqua rimless 7.5 bowfront and one of those little TOM 13w mini-CFL lights. I also have a spare bag of fluval stratum that I'll use.

I still think it'd be nice to have 2 tanks with different themes - something like one Iwagumi and one nature aquarium type gig, or maybe a high light and low light, or something to show off different types of tanks people can make.

Maybe we can use part of this weekend's meeting to have a brief discussion of what should be at our table?

Storms · 09-21-2011, 05:37 AM

The TOM 13w CFL is probably good for a low-light tank on the Mr. Aqua 7.5. If you wanted to do a high-light setup, you might need a Finnex or something similar. Although what would you do about Co2? Just Excel, or get a paintball kit?

The Finnex is only about $65 after shipping for the kit, but you need another $60 for Co2 and some substrate so it starts to get pricey...

House of Fins does have some HC and dwarf hairgrass though (for probably ridiculous prices) so for about $150 you could do an Iwagumi... My wife will kill me if I get another tank right now, but it sounds fun to set it up...