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Quest
2003:
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
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Q U E S T Newsletter of the Madison Aquarium Gardeners Club, 5/19/03
From: John Glaeser
[email protected]
> 233-5182
NEXT MEETING: THURSDAY EVENING, May 22, 03, 6:30 – 9:00
Science House, 1645 Linden Drive on the UW Campus
6:30 – 7:15 CHECK IN: Mingle, check library, sample pizza
7:15 – 8:00 TOPIC: Nitrogen Cycle and Filtration Systems. Gerda Harms
8:00 – 8:15 BREAK: Refreshments, plant exchange table, library, mingle.
8:10 – 8:45 FORUM: Q&A, Share a story, Website update, Business
8:45 – 9:00 Wrap up
………………………………
REVIEW: 4/24/03 Meeting
TOPIC: Video clip from last year’s AGA (Aquatic Gardeners Association) convention in Houston…. Chuck Gadd, on plants as indicators of nutrient deficiencies and excesses.
Plants tell Chuck when it’s time to feed.
Fast growing plants like Limnophila sessiliflrora (Ambulia) are expressive indicators, because they are quick to show signs of deficiencies. Moveable nutrients nitrogen, phosphorus, sulfur, iron and potassium migrate from lower areas of the plant, to growth tips. You can tell the water column is low in nutrients when you see the lower leaves get pale or tan and the new growth tips are green. Add a balanced liquid fertilizer and Limnophila will become totally green again. Floaters like Lemna minor (Duck Weed) and Limnobium spongia (Frog Bit) get a great hit of light and lots of CO2 from the air and nutrients from the water. They are good indicators, as well.
When plants become pale and fail to reflect the green part of the light spectrum, they have lost chlorophyll and the photosynthesis process slows. Chlorosis or loss of Chlorophyll isn’t just an Iron or Nitrogen thing. Other deficiencies can cause lack of chlorophyll, as well. Plants are exclaiming, “Give us a squirt of well balanced macro/micro liquid fertilizer!” Chuck prefers a well balanced premixed blend. Mixing individual nutrients is too much hassle. An unbalanced concoction could mean an excess or lack in something or other. If something goes wrong, it may be difficult to figure it out. I agree with Chuck.
My favorite is the Kent line. They use a well designed EDTA chelating system resulting in moderate release of available form nutrients, not too fast and not too slow. (Kent Freshwater Plant) contains Potassium, Copper, Iron, Manganese, Zinc. (Kent Pro-Plant) contains Nitrogen, Boron, Magnesium, sulfur. The components in these blends work together synergistically. In my experience Nitrogen is used up twice as fast as iron. For this reason I like to track utilization rates with Iron and Nitrate kits. When Iron or Nitrate indicates high or low, accompanying minerals will have the same related status. In this sense the Iron and Nitrate tests confirm relative status of the other important minerals.
Chuck mentioned magnesium is important for chlorophyll formation and Calcium for cell wall construction. Madison area water has great abundance of these minerals.
While most submerged aquatic plants get nutrients through roots and leaves, the fine leaf and fast growers obtain most of their nutrients through the leaves. Some plants need lots of root fertilization: All of the Aponogetons, (like the famous Lace Plant), Swords and Anubias. Jobe’s spikes and Iron tablets give them a boost. In my experience, the Madagascar Lacy plant is an excellent indicator for nutrient status in their immediate area. If they run out, their delicate leaves grow in stunted and contorted ways and whole sections of leaves lose chlorophyll.
Chuck’s video contains good images of plant leaves exhibiting different kinds nutrient deficiency or excess. Want to borrow the tape to get a look? Can do. Check with John.
Take a look at Chuck’s website:
http://www.csd.net~cgadd/aqua/
> It’s a nice one.
While you’re at it, see the latest in our site
https://aquarium.support/
> or just type into the Yahoo search box: Madison Aquarium Gardeners. Greg Stahl has been busy shaping this space. You’ll enjoy the illustrated account of how Winnie Bade solved the problem of small holes in her Sword plant’s new shoots.
We’re adding more images to the GALLERY . We’d like to show planted aquaria images from each of our members. With accompanying comments, this will help us get to know each other much better.
Club library listing will be posted.
Proposed experiments will be outlined. Send in your ideas for projects. In our website, consider the one Jerry Weiland has initiated…Monitoring Lake Mendota and Lake Kegonsa from now until Fall.
Here’s one to consider: Aquariums in the Classroom, a document illustrating setting up and maintaining aquariums in schools. Dave and Nathan Watson are experts in this area. As David says, “The need is out there.”
Is it true, we are “what we think and do”?
Madison Aquarium Gardeners Club Identity: Let’s value inquiry and communications. There are folks starting out with a dream of planted aquaria. If we can make a difference for them, through our collective experience, we will be doing good work………..John
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