Articles

Fresh Water Planted Aquariums

Starting an Aquarium Club

STARTING AN AQUARIUM CLUB

by John Glaeser

Purpose, plan, action and momentum are key ingredients that help establish a new aquarium club. These were the common threads found when comparing two recently established associations. They both happen to be planted aquarium groups. San Francisco started one in late 1998. Madison, Wisconsin came on stream January 2000. The fact that they evolved differently emphasizes there is no single way to get a group started. Blending the influences of some good examples with the creative potential of your group and community seems to offer a most promising pathway for developing your own club.

Our two examples had something in common in the beginning. They both had a frustration so pronounced, the urge to confront it boldly would not be denied. To hear Dave Gomberg recall the San Francisco scenario, things became almost visceral. He was aware that a distinguished aquarist and author was planning a speaking tour which included the Pacific Northwest. Why not a stop at San Francisco? After all, lots of Bay Area hobbyist were into aquarium plants. This should have been easy. It wasn't. When Dave asked if any one of the three clubs in the area could host this expert, they had reasons not to. It became his purpose to figure out how to have her give a presentation to plant focused aquarium enthusiasts in the Bay area. We will see how this led to forming a club a little later.

So, what bugged John in Madison? The frustration could not have been more different. He saw small pet stores being put out of business because of the growing number of mega chains. Quality plants were hard to find. If he got to the stores three days after the plant delivery day the stock looked bad. No wonder. Plants in tanks with aggressive aeration of the water will not survive. The CO2 is removed! From his point of view the hobby in the community was going down hill fast. He started volunteering time at the neighborhood aquarium store to promote the idea of live planted aquariums. The store soon got an artistically composed 75 gallon show tank and two 55 gallon sales tanks all CO2 fertilized and loaded with a wide variety of healthy stock. Word of mouth did the rest and in came eager novices and experienced aquarium plant lovers alike wanting to buy plants and learn how to create algae free beautiful aquascapes. Customers said, "What this town needs is an aquarium club." Another asked, "How about one with an emphasis on aquarium plants?" We'll see if anything came from this in a moment. For now, let's pop back to Dave's dilemma and look at the surprising plan he had up the sleeve.

The first of September had come. Time was running out. Dave and aqua plant friends needed to figure a way to have this special visitor make a stop in San Francisco. With a nudge from his plant buddy Steve Dixon, Dave made what he says was an "an executive decision" on September 2, his birthday. He would guarantee the expenses of the guest's appearance. Plans and actions followed quickly. A host site was needed and the San Francisco Bay Area Aquatic Plant Society was formed and became the sponsoring organization. No stopping the momentum now. A local internet list helped identify fifteen members they needed to break even at a $20 annual membership fee. Steve Dixon's lovely home was available for the first meeting. Support was solicited from vendors and Seachem was the first with a generous gift of Flourish line fertilizers.

They got a lot done in the first meeting: selected eight officers, had a delightful guest give a wonderful presentation and took in a collection of plants to be sold to help support the society. What a turn around. Angst into blooms of happiness!

Back in Madison, though the customers could leave behind the frustrations of not being able to find good plants they still had a need unfilled. They missed having the opportunity to grow in knowledge through fellowship. John made his big decision. It took the persistent urging of one earnest plant enthusiast to push him onto the starting line. By the end of December a poster announcing the organizational meeting for the Madison Aquatic Gardeners Club was tacked up next to the show tank in Aquatic Specialties, that really neat aquarium store. The event would happen January 27th at Olbrich Gardens. John had names and numbers of over thirty people with whom he had great conversations about planted aquariums and got the word to them.

Seventeen showed up at the beautiful Olbrich Botanical Society facility to get things started. After round-the-table introductions and telling of where each was with aquarium plants, we jumped to one big brain storming session based on a list of potential goals and activities that could define a club and keep it vital. This was exhausting. Creative chaos! We obviously needed to get focused. As it happened, this indeed is what occurred during our next meeting. Having just enough formality to keep things on track is what is working for us at this time. Once folks get to know each other better and as needs for leadership in various areas become evident I think people will come forward. We will see about electing officers after a bit and collect dues at the end of the year. On going expenses relating to mailings, copying, refreshments, lending library acquisitions and research projects are being covered by a development grant to the organization.

With a history of only two meetings at this writing, Madison Aquatic Gardeners still is testing the waters. The second meeting had 20, including 9 new faces. Strong focus was formed and patterns for the future created. We had an exceptional book review presentation on the title: DYNAMIC AQUARIA, Building Living Ecosystems by Adey & Loveland. The club may have an opportunity to put some of these theories into practice soon. We have a chance to install an aquarium for the Olbrich conservatory and horticultural staff. They want to learn more about this gardening niche. Future expansion of the facility calls for a major planted aquarium venue and they want to be prepared. What a club opportunity! Building a lending library is in process, water testing service will be offered and a web site is in the works. We plan to make detailed accounting of technical discussions occurring at each meeting so those missing can keep up. Having twelve meetings a year seems right and we will try some form of open house aquarium viewings now and then. A twice a month e-mail bulletin keeps news flowing between meetings. Traditional mailings go to those without a computer. It is too early to know how things will turn out. We do expect success.

SFBAAPS has established a sure strategy to carry them forward. A nice web page with links keeps every one informed. Folks meet in the homes of members. Five formal meetings a year and five open fish rooms are on the calendar. As aquarium experts pass through their area the club is in a good position to net a few for guest presentations.

Who is that mystery guest expert?

Karen Randall. She is always most encouraging as new aquarium associations are about to form and passes on to us some excellent observations:

"If you already have a local general club start there and work with them. You will all benefit from the synergy involved. If there is no local club, or if the local club won't support the interests of the "plant people", then get a few people together in someone's living room, enjoy each other's company, and see where it goes from there. Don't get too caught up in what the group "should" be doing or what other clubs do. Keep it fun, and people will keep coming back."

And I would conclude: Talk about where you would like to go with the group. Put to paper a wish list of things you want to do and how to achieve them. Consider making some letter sized posters and club information sheets. Visit the local pet stores and garden centers and get them interested in supporting your club idea. Most won't mind displaying the poster and handing out information sheets to interested customers. As your numbers increase, some stores might even want to support the association by providing a modest discount to club card holders. There might actually be a store delighted to have your new club set up a gorgeous planted ecosystem and have you take care of it. If the local newspaper has a garden and home section perhaps they could write a small article with a picture of this unique aquatic venue at the store. This would be a way of telling readers about the joy of keeping aquariums with live plants. And yes, there is a club in town that can help people learn more about this fascinating hobby.

Beginnings can be modest . Having a manageable scale will instill an initial confidence as you look to a future. Ideas and possibilities will emerge during this incubation period and the organization will grow in many ways, naturally.

March 2000