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Quest
2003:
8/23/03
8/8/03
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 8/8/03, Newsletter of the Madison Aquarium Gardeners Club
From: John Glaeser 233-5182
Additions to Club Library:
1. Hiscock, Peter. (2003), Encyclopedia of Aquarium Plants, Barron's.
A comprehensive exploration of aquarium plants, with practical advice
on how to grow them to perfection. The natural biology of plants. Water
quality and filtration. Choosing substrates. Selecting plants. Planting
techniques. Lighting. Feeding. Propagation. Essential maintenance.
Aquascaping. Populating with fish. Guide to 150 popular aquarium
plants. Fully illustrated with more than 250 color photos and graphics.
2. Hiscock, Peter, (2003), Aquarium Designs Inspired by Nature.
Barron's.
Part One: A practical introduction to setting up a display aquarium.
River story. How fishes live. Substrates and decor. Using plants in the
aquarium. Creating the right water conditions. Planning an aquarium.
Part Two: A world tour of fascinating Aquatic Environments. Chinese
mountain stream. Central American stream. Central American river.
Australian river. European river. European lake. Flooded Amazon forest.
Amazon acid pool. Down river Amazon. Congo white water river. West
African stream bed. Lake Malawi. A darkened cave. Southeast Asian
stream. Southeast Asian swamp. Indian river. Brackish estuary. Mangrove
swamp. 275 color photographs. 24 graphic illustrations. 23 world and
regional maps. Pretty impressive simulations in aquarium tanks of
diverse geographic freshwater aquatic ecosystems.
3. Dawes, John. (2001). Complete Encyclopedia of the Freshwater
Aquarium. Firefly Books.
Comprehensive A-Z directory of available aquarium species, detailing
distribution, size, behavior, diet, breeding characteristics and
aquarium set-up. Gallery of recommended aquarium plants. More than 500
superb full color photographs plus numerous illustrations display the
marvelous diversity of fish available in the hobby.
.......................................
So, how are things going this summer? The aquarium viewing sessions of
Birge Hall, Noland Hall, West High and Edgewood venues continues.
Attendance is small. However, Q&A exchanges have been rich.
Gleaning of Wisconsin aquatic plants from regional natural settings is
proceeding at a modest pace. On the topic of "lake weeds", here's a
good one from Sue Ellingson of the Friends of Lake Wingra organization.
Sue says:
I had a conversation with Dick Lathrop, a DNR lake researcher, about
the weeds. This is what I learned...
Eurasian water-milfoil (Myriophyllum spicatum) is not native. It's a
weed.
It grows with a thick mat of vegetation at the surface, like a rain
forest canopy, and a long stem to the ground. It blocks light from
other plants below.
Native lake plants, on the other hand, don't reach the surface in
deeper water. You can canoe or swim over them. Lake plants are
essential for lake health. They provide food and habitat for fish and
oxygenate the water.
An indigenous weevil does eat Eurasian milfoil. However, the weevil
over-winters on native plants on land--not mowed grass. There just
aren't many native plants along our shorelines anymore.
Cutting the milfoil has two harmful effects. It removes the weevils
along with the plants. And it distributes little bits of plant
material that will grow into new plants.
Over-fertilization of the lakes from runoff is one cause of algae
growing out of control. Another is that carp stir up the bottom,
preventing the nutrients from settling out. The algae also blocks
light from native lake plants. Reducing runoff and getting rid of carp
should clear up the water and give the native lake plants a good shot
at competing with the milfoil and crowding it out. Although this isn't
known for sure.
....................................
Thought this was an informed insight.
Jerry Weiland continues to collect water samples from Lake Kegonsa and
Lake Mendota every week and I do water testing. The most recent Mendota
sample had tiny, loosely dispersed, floating green specs. I checked
them out under the microscope. I think it is a Cyanophyte called
Microcystis, after establishing corroborating references via three
references:
1. Rainis &Russell, (1996). Guide to Microlife.
2. G. W. Prescott, (1954). How to Know the Freshwater Algae.
3. Lund & Lund, (1995). Freshwater Algae, Their microscoic world
explored.
That's it for now........more later............John
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