June Field Trip to San Marcos (+ DFWAPC)

[davemonkey]

We are going on a FIELD TRIP!!! We have a field trip planned to the San Marcos River. We are meeting with the DFW APC. We will all meet at the San Marcos Aquarena Center at 11:00 am. That should give you time to get down there. If you are a late sleeper we will all be catching lunch around 12:30pm at the local Saltgrass Restaurant at 221 E SESSOMS DR. It's less than a mile from the aquarena and is on the river. We can even do some collecting there without even leaving the parking lot! Lunch is NOT provided by the club. You will have to pay for your own lunch. Make sure you bring your water gear. There are loads of plants if you'd like to do some natural wild collecting. That give everyone 2 chances to meet up with the group.

FINAL DECISION:

WHEN: Saturday, June 9th, 11 a.m at San Marcos Aquarena Center http://www.aquarena.txstate.edu/

WHO: Members and their families.
WHERE: San Marcos River.
WHAT: River exploration and wild collecting
HOW: Get yourself there!

You could make it a family camping get together for the weekend.

[davemonkey]

If you know for sure you will be there and how many people with you, please let me know ASAP so I can make a reservation as Saltgrass.

-Dave

[davemonkey]

Update: I made the reservations at Saltgrass. If it goes similar to last time, I figured we'd be there about 1:00 and have about 25 people (members + guests, non-members who join the tour, people who can't make it, etc...). Oh, and I specified we wanted to be seated INSIDE.

Just a reminder, HAAPS and DFWAPC will not be paying for lunch (unless otherwise specified).
I hope to see many people at the Aquarena Center at 11:00 am.

[HiepSTA]

me and a friend are going to try and make it

[fishman1]

With the plants that we collect how do we get rid of all the pests without killing the plant such as the fissidens?

[davemonkey]

HiepSTA, great, hope to see you there!

fishman1, that's a great question. A weak bleach solution will kill most pests (I use 40 parts water to 1 part bleach...sometimes even weaker...but the actual recommendation is 20:1) but can injure or kill softer-tissue plants. Potassium permanganate is supposed to be a great alternative and safer for plants, but I've never used it, don't know where to get it. When I collected Fissidens frmo teh river, there were indeed many bugs/critters in it. After a week sitting in my aquarium, the fish had picked them all out and cleaned it up. It just depends on what fish you have in that case, I guess.

So, the short answer is, I don't know. Every methods (bleach, PP, natural) has it's pros and cons. It depends on what your goal is (to sell it clean, keep it in a natural aquarium, etc...).

[Totenkampf]

i recalled seeing potassium permanganate locally while researching catalytic carbon...its not cheap:

http://www.5starfilter.com/p-512-potassium-permanganate-with-alumina-core.aspx

[davemonkey]

i recalled seeing potassium permanganate locally while researching catalytic carbon...its not cheap:

http://www.5starfilter.com/p-512-pot...mina-core.aspx

That's a more specialized product with an alumina core. The retail stuff doesn't have that. I hear it can be found at pool supply stores. I know PetsMart used to have for their dip nets to soak in (not for sale though) back in the early-mid 90's. Barber shops also use to use it (maybe they still do?) to soak their combs and shears in to kill any head-lice or germs.

Edit: looks like the specialized stuff is cheaper anyway! The first site has 2lbs for $14.00. Then it starts getting REAL expensive:

http://www.chemistrystore.com/Chemicals_G_R-Potassium_Permanganate.html

http://www.apswater.com/shopdisplayproducts.asp?id=713&cat=Pro-Pot-Perm-Potassium-Permanganate

[davemonkey]

The big weekend fast approaches! As a heads-up...especially for those who will be meeting up at the Steakhouse for lunch...the lunch reservation is for 1:00...the group name I put it in is HAAPS c/o Dave Manthei.

See ya there!

[kwc1974]

What a great trip. Had a blast as always.