# 2012 AGA Convention - Nov 1-4 - St. Louis



## Seattle_Aquarist (Mar 7, 2008)

The Missouri Aquarium Society, Inc. is proud to announce that we will be hosting the Aquatic Gardeners Association 2012 Convention right here in St. Louis on November 1 - 4, 2012.

The convention will be held at the Crowne Plaza Hotel St. Louis Airport. See the link to the right to reserve a room. There is a free 24-hour shuttle from the airport to the hotel.

We'll have a great lineup of *speakers*--Prof. Niels Jacobsen of the University of Copenhagen in Denmark, eminent authority on _Cryptocoryne_ species, will be the keynote speaker. Also featured will be Kris Weinhold, Brandon McLane of Florida Aquatic Nurseries, Tom Barr, and MORE! Speaker talks and bios coming soon!

This year we're going to have a *Live Aquascaping Workshop*. Under the guidance of a mentor, you can create your own nano aquascape to take home with you. Includes tank, all equipment, hardscape, and plants. (We're still negotiating the final price on this event, so stay tuned.)

Also new this year will be a *Photo Contest* - "Planted Tanks, Plants and Blooms". Winner announced and prize awarded at the Saturday Banquet.

For the first time ever, we've got two days of Field Trips. Come a day early and join us for the *Thursday Field Trip* to the St. Louis Zoo and nearby St. Louis Art Museum. At the zoo, we are trying to make arrangements for a free "behind the scenes" tour with a zoo employee who is a member of MASI. The Art Museum tour will be led by a docent who will focus on aquatic plant themes and fish/wildlife.

Thursday night, everyone is invited to a *locally-sourced wine-and-cheese reception* down the street from the hotel at Jerry Jost's business, Jost Chemical, including a tour of his spectacular fish room/laboratory with twin 90-gallon tanks that alone are worth the trip.

*Friday's Field Trip* will be to the fabulous Missouri Botanical Garden. Transportation and basic entry fees are included for both Field Trips. Lunch is on your own, but there are plenty of places to choose from.

*Friday, November 2th*, the presentations will begin in the evening and continue through Saturday afternoon. Saturday night's banquet will feature *Niels Jacobsen* speaking on his "Wanderings in the Great Forests of SE Asia," and of course the *2012 AGA Aquascaping Contest Winners*!

And finally on Sunday November 4th, there is a huge all-day *Plant Auction*. This is certainly the biggest and best plant auction in the US, with plenty of options for the beginner and advanced hobbyist. 
There will also be *vendors, raffles, t-shirts, etc. 
*

For more info: http://www.aquatic-gardeners.org/


Follow us on Facebook or Twitter @AGA2012STL.

Register by September 1st to be entered in a drawing to win a Tunze CO2 Controller, a $400 value!


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## Tex Gal (Nov 1, 2007)

This is gonna be so much fun. :cheer2: Can't wait to go! Bill and I will be there!


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## Cavan Allen (Jul 22, 2004)

I'll be there too as a speaker. These are always a whole lot of fun. Meet new people, catch up with old friends and just go all out plants for several days. Not much time for sleep!


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## BigMOCats (May 10, 2012)

More info about the aquascaping workshop! The tank is the Fluval Flora (7.5 gal). It retails for about $100, and includes the light, filter, CO2 system, glass cover, and substrate. You also get rocks, driftwood, and plants. If you are flying in, you can have your tank shipped home for about $15. There are only 18 slots for this workshop, so register EARLY if you are interested.

See you in St. Louis!!


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## Seattle_Aquarist (Mar 7, 2008)

wow, great airfares Seattle to St. Louis roundtrip $312


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## Seattle_Aquarist (Mar 7, 2008)

Less than 5 months until AGA!


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## Seattle_Aquarist (Mar 7, 2008)

Hi All,

Only 4 months until the AGA Convention in St. Louis! Tom Barr is one of the guest speakers....you are not going to want to miss this!


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## BigMOCats (May 10, 2012)

Have you made your reservations yet? Workshop tanks are already spoken for but you won't want to miss out on the great list of speakers we have attending, including Prof. Niels Jacobsen!!!!


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## Tex Gal (Nov 1, 2007)

There will be several field trips as well. So much to do, see and learn. You have to GO!!!!

We are registered. Now all I have to do is decide if we are flying or RVing out there....


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## Texex94 (Jul 29, 2004)

And, don't forget the banquet where the Aquascaping Contest winners are unveiled to the world. And, I'll be there this year to present the judges, so Erik Olsen won't have to use a mask of me to announce the contest winners!

Can't wait!!!


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## K Randall (Nov 23, 2004)

Texex94 said:


> And, don't forget the banquet where the Aquascaping Contest winners are unveiled to the world. And, I'll be there this year to present the judges, so Erik Olsen won't have to use a mask of me to announce the contest winners!
> 
> Can't wait!!!


Will the real Bailin please step forward!


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## CherylR (Aug 12, 2004)

We have nailed down the final topics for the 2012 convention speakers:

Keynote Speaker:
Prof. Niels Jacobsen of the University of Copenhagen in Denmark~Cryptocoryne: Variation & Evolution

Also Featuring:
Kris Weinhold ~ Beginner Aquascaping and Tips & Tricks
Brandon McLane of Florida Aquatic Nurseries ~ Propagating Aquatic Plants
Tom Barr ~ Light/CO2/Nutrients: putting it all together
Cavan Allen ~ Identifying & Collecting Native Species

Saturday night's banquet will feature Niels Jacobsen speaking on his "Wanderings in the Great Forests of Southeast Asia."
Hope to see you there!


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## CherylR (Aug 12, 2004)

Last day to get the early-bird price when registering for the AGA convention, and to be entered in the drawing for a Tunze CO2 regulator! http://www.aquatic-gardeners.org/convention.html


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## BigMOCats (May 10, 2012)

It’s October and time to make your hotel reservations if you haven’t already made them. It’s likely our room block will be gone soon since the rooms are filling up quickly, so don’t wait too long! There are rooms still available at this time so if you are told they are sold out, it is a computer glitch. Make sure you get the AGA rate!

The workshop and the zoo trip have already sold out!


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## AaronT (Apr 26, 2004)

So who's coming this year?


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## Seattle_Aquarist (Mar 7, 2008)

Hi AaronT,

There will be a contingent from GSAS this year!


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## BigMOCats (May 10, 2012)

Just been informed there a couple openings on the zoo tour, if you’re interested, get registered quickly, they won’t last long. Also, the cutoff day for hotel reservations is Monday, Oct. 15….if you want the AGA rate, don’t delay!!


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## Tex Gal (Nov 1, 2007)

I'm so excited about this. Can't wait to see you all again!  We have decided to stay in the hotel so we can be with you guys. I hope you make this a priority to come if it's possible for you. It's really a great time and you learn alot.


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## wet (Nov 24, 2008)

See you there. If we didn't meet in Florida, I'm the dude with long hair eyeing interesting stems at the auction.


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## AaronT (Apr 26, 2004)

wet said:


> See you there. If we didn't meet in Florida, I'm the dude with long hair eyeing interesting stems at the auction.


It'll be nice to see you again man. You've been quiet on the forums so it's nice to know you're still keeping planted tanks. I use your calculator a lot because it has a few chemicals the fertilator doesn't.


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## wet (Nov 24, 2008)

Thanks man! I'm excited to see you and the peeps again!

re: quiet, yeah, sorry. Just too much stuff with work (again) but started up properly again and crossing the 7th week on the current tank. I hope it turns out pretty good!

I am hoping to have a bunch of updates to the calculators before the convention and Plantbrain's talk by the way. Will see how that goes.

See you in St. Louis, Aaron!


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## Cavan Allen (Jul 22, 2004)

Yes, I remember you.  It will be nice to see you again. I'm really looking forward to this.


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## BigMOCats (May 10, 2012)

The AGA 2012 Convention Auction rules and label making software are up and running. You must be registered for the convention to sell at the auction, but anyone, registered or not, can buy in the auction. To register as a seller and get you sellers number contact the auction committee at: [email protected]

You can fill out the auction form online and print both the filled out form and the labels at: http://missouriaquariumsociety.com/AGA2012folder/index.html

There is still time to register for the convention, and there are still rooms left at the hotel in case you haven't yet made your plans to attend: http://www.aquatic-gardeners.org/convention.html


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## CherylR (Aug 12, 2004)

If you are bringing plants to the AGA Auction on Sunday, the best way to transport aquatic plants is wet, but with no excess, sloshy water, and packed fairly flat, with NO AIR in the bags. When you get to the hotel, you can blow them up so the leaves have room to fluff up again. The only plant that does better with enough water in the bag to cover it is Rotala Macrandra. Everything else only needs to be wet so the air inside the bag is humid. No loose water in the bag.


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## wet (Nov 24, 2008)

Excited!

What's the deal with shipping the aquascaping workshop stuff? Should some of us think about making a box run in St. Louis and having the hotel ship it for us the Monday following?


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## CherylR (Aug 12, 2004)

No, no, no, we have made better arrangements, i.e. cheaper. We have already planned for this and we will help you take care of this!

Cheryl


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## wet (Nov 24, 2008)

Awesome! Thank you


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## CherylR (Aug 12, 2004)

In case you want to check out some LFS on your own, we have posted a list of St. Louis pet stores on the convention web site.
http://www.aquatic-gardeners.org/convention.html


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## BigMOCats (May 10, 2012)

Don’t forget the Aquatic Gardeners Association Convention is this coming weekend, November 1 – 4, 2012. You can register for the talks at the door. We’ll also have a full vendor room with plenty of raffles going on all weekend, so you can come in, visit and wander around even if you’re not registered. 

As a bonus, we will have a free talk on Beginning Aquascaping on Friday at 4:00 pm. This is free of charge. 

Sunday will feature the largest aquatic plant auction in the USA beginning at 11:00 am! Anyone can attend and bid. You have to be registered for the convention to sell, but anyone can buy. As a bonus, many of the vendors will still be around on Sunday so you can see their products and ask questions.


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