This is what happens when you overdose phosphate..

[Plantbrain]

Tropical Fish Hobbyists is sending a person to do an article on the event.

I think I will do some PO4 smapling as it's the critical component in the Keys and our Tanks.

I will do two types of measurments:
SPR in the water column and Total PO4 in the pore water of the substrate.

We often see cases in Fw where there is no PO4, hardness etc in the surface waters, yet the plants are growing, the nutrients are coming from the substrate if they are not present in the water column.

Plants will use the water column first, then go after the substrate when the water column is limited. Macro algae with rhizoidal thallus to much lesser extent.

Therefore when considering nutrients levels, one must see if there is a limitation in the water and then other potential sources such as the pore water.

This is seldom done yet critical in interpting the horticultural aspects.

Bill, I'll get the site up, there's last years FW site still up, we will add more later in a day or two.

BTW, the Fw event is fun as the Marine version even if you don't have a fish tank at all, folks have a good time.

No one has been eaten by a gator or barracuda yet

Regards,
Tom Barr

[waterdog1]

where did you get the stargrass?

[Samala]

A few really ratty looking colonies washed up on shore at the Titusville boat ramp/marina in the Indian River Lagoon (IRL) in central-eastern Florida. That's the Atlantic side but the lagoon is a bay-type environment. Theres no provisions on collecting seagrasses that are uprooted and washing up to shore so, I took em! I also grabbed manatee grass and shoal grass in this fashion. Fish and Wildlife officers did stop to question me though, they are very serious about their seagrass there (mainly cause its manatee food and an incredibly valuable part of the ecosystem down there).

My Dad sent me Halophila baillonis (I think that's the one) which is paddlegrass that washed up on shore in the same way. That colony lasted a few weeks in a veritable seagrass ICU and withered away without growing. I think it was just on its last legs when I got it. I'm hoping to get a stronger colony this July in the Keys. :-D

>Sarah

[moosejac]

Earlier there was mention of the need to aquascape in way a that would promote the hobby. Usually when someone is aquascaping, especially in fresh planted tanks, people keep many things from the same area together, for a sort of "biotope". So what could be kept in a tank such as Sarah's sea grass tank? Fiji rock would be out of place... right?

[billsreef]

Since the South Pacific also has sea grass beds, you could do a Pacific Lagoon. However, since most sea grass available in the hobby is tropical west Atlanic in origin, Florida cultured LR or Haitian LR would be best to go for a true biotope. Condy anemones are readily available, as are rock anemones which are found in the grass beds. Also ricordea and several different gorgonians are common sold from the same area.