This month we are having a Nano Tank Workshop!!!

October 18th*, 1:00pm at the Reston YMCA. 12196 Sunset Hills Rd, Reston, VA 20190

*Please note that the workshop is one week earlier than our regular meeting

Build a nano scape with a custom all-in-one Waterbox Aquarium that includes glass lid, Aquatop pump, and Aquatop SkyAqua light. GWAPA will provide plants, substrate, and hardscape. We will have mentors on hand to assist you in making that perfect nano scape! Space is limited, as there are only 20 tanks available, but non-participants are welcome to attend and watch. $60 for paid members $85 for non-members Reserve your spot thru PayPal “Greater Washington Aquatic Plants Association” with the tag line “Nano Tank Workshop.” Due to the popularity of this workshop, if you do not show up, your spot will be given to the next person on the waitlist. No refunds for no shows. GWAPA would like to thank the following sponsors:

* Waterbox Aquarium for the tank donations

* AquaLife for the substrate and hardscape donations

* Florida Aquatic Nurseries for the plant donations

* Splashy Fish for the room rental

Special thanks to: @Therese Neal for working with Waterbox and precuring the tanks

@Jennifer Williams for assisting us with AquaLife and transporting the tanks to us.

Register Now with Paypal!

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Cristina Jorge will be sharing her experience and tips about aquascaping nano tanks. Their compact size makes them perfect for smaller apartments, dorms, and tabletops. They are also more affordable and less intimidating to beginners but can also be a fun challenge for experience aquascapers.

Cristina is a DC local and has been working at Capitol Exotic Fish since they have opened February 2023. She has been fish keeping for about four years and discovered the concept of aquascaping about three years ago. As a visual artist, she fell in love with the idea of creating a beautiful, lively ecosystem. Nano tanks specifically stuck out to her. She personally scapes and helps teach others to scape about two to five nano tanks per month. She has also had the pleasure to converse and learn from other hobbyists over the past few years as well as share her experiences and hopefully inspire others.

Location: 11109 Timberhead Court, Reston, Va 20191
Start Time: 1 pm
Date: 09-20-2025

Austin Lushinski presented on “Low-Tech Aquascape Bowls.”

The idea for the bowls came as a way to introduce a low-maintenance and easy introduction into plant care and aquascaping for friends and colleagues. This became an approachable way to get people interested without feeling the need to invest heavily into a full aquarium setup.

My name is Austin Lushinski. I’m a Northern VA local who recently returned back to area after leaving the Air Force. I’ve had planted tanks for over 10 years, but didn’t get invested into aquascaping until I was able to settle in back home. Now I find myself wrapped up in plant-care strategies varying from different lighting and fertilization routines to optimize different types of planted aquariums. My hopes for the coming months are to create several custom aquascapes in order to submit entries for contests.