September Meeting
Saturday, September 26, at 1:00pm
Location: Herndon, VA — hosted at GWAPA member John Gonzalez’s home
“Planted Discus & Dutch Aquascaping“
Get ready for a fantastic afternoon of planted aquariums, discus, and aquascaping inspiration at our September GWAPA meeting!
John will kick things off with a short talk about his impressive 210-gallon Planted Discus Tank, giving us a look at how he balances the needs of discus with a lush planted aquarium.
Then, we’ll dive deep into the world of Dutch Aquascaping with Tim Gross! Tim will give a detailed presentation on the history, techniques, plant selection, composition, and design principles behind the classic Dutch style. He’ll also share insights from his own experience, including his award-winning AGA Dutch Aquascaping entry from 2025.
Whether you’re a longtime Dutch-style enthusiast or have always wondered how those incredible rows of perfectly arranged plants come together, this is a talk you won’t want to miss!
Come hang out with fellow GWAPA members, check out John’s 210-gallon tank, and get inspired to try something new in your own aquarium.
About the speaker:
Tim’s passion for planted aquariums began in 1991, when he was 12 years old and received my first 10-gallon aquarium for his birthday. Inspired by Barry James’s Aquarium Plants and its beautiful examples of Dutch aquascaping, he quickly became fascinated with creating planted tanks. What began as a friendly competition with childhood friends grew into a lifelong passion for aquatic plants, aquascaping, and the aquarium hobby.
Tim has been a member of the Greater Pittsburgh Aquarium Society, Inc. (GPASI) since 2002 and served for 15 years as coordinator of its Aquatic Horticultural Awards Program (AHAP), where he became a Master Horticulturalist. He was also a founding member of the Pittsburgh Area Planted Aquarium Society (PAPAS). Since joining the Aquatic Gardeners Association (AGA) in 2006, he has competed in its international aquascaping contest since 2017, earning multiple top finishes, including First Place in Wabi-Kusa, Second Place and two First Place finishes in the Dutch category, and Top Ten and Second Place finishes in the Aquatic Garden category.
After more than three decades in the hobby, Tim continues to learn, experiment, compete, and share my enthusiasm for planted aquariums and aquascaping with others.