I. Aquaponics

II. Natural Botanicals

III. Tanganyika Shell Dwellers

Tom Brown Arena

141 Bayview Road, Ottawa

7:00 PM

At this month’s Ottawa Valley Aquarium Society presentation, Liam Epps will be delivering two short talks. He will deliver presentations on aquaponics and on natural botanicals. Jody McManus will also be presenting with a brief overview on the diminutive shell dwelling cichlids of Lake Tanganyika.

PART 1. AQUAPONICS

Presenter: Liam Epp
A biology major at Ottawa U with a specialty in wetland research and a 15-year aquatic hobbyist

Aquaponics combines hydroponics and fish-keeping. The concept is based on a simple ecological loop: the fish produce waste and the plants consume the nutrients from the fish waste, in-turn the plants purify the water to provide a healthy environment for the fish!

Aquaponics can be scaled up all the way from a betta-tank to a tilapia-greenhouse. For the aquarium hobbyist, aquaponics can take the guesswork out of watering your plants and fertilising your tank! You just feed the fish! And, it is a simple method to grow organic herbs or vegetables year-round, right in your home!

On March 26th, at Tom Brown Arena Liam will provide a brief overview of aquaponics, and describe his small 2’x2’ kitchen-based aquaponic system.

[mashshare]

PART 2. NATURAL BOTANICALS

Presenter: Liam Epp

Natural botanicals are growing in popularity within the aquarium community. While the benefits of driftwood have long been understood, other natural elements commonly found in the freshwater environment are less frequently adopted by hobbyists, and the botanicals themselves are not always easy to find.

Adding leaves, branches, cones, etc., emulates a more natural environment. This can enhance the inhabitant’s natural behaviour, improve the health of the tank’s inhabitants, and add a whole new layer to aquascaping! Liam’s presentation will discuss the benefits of natural botanicals and some of the available options.

PART 3. TANGANYIKA SHELL DWELLERS

Presenter: Jody McManus, a 30-year aquatic hobbyist with 60+ active tanks in his fishroom!

Shell dwellers are among the smallest cichlids in the world. In dangerous open waters, these cichlids are small enough to seek the protection of hiding in snail shells. These are some of the most interesting fish you can find. Sociable and minute, they are a great choice for a small tank.

Jody will take a glance into their lives and look at the twenty or so species that make up this group.

images: practicalfishkeeping.co.uk

video: Rakel Franco