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University of Florida Cooperative Extension Service / Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences Volume 4 Number 1 2000

Calendar ofEvents

See page 7 for more in-depth informationconcerning these workshops, courses and seminars.

A Newsletter Highlighting Aquaculture and Pond Management Programs of the University of Florida

Department of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences

Continued on page 3.

January 12General Aquaculture WorkshopIndian River Research and Education CenterDebbie Britt Pouder 850/674-3184

February 21Fisheries Management for LakesKeystone Civic Center / OdessaCarlos Fernandez 813/272-5912 x 3616

March 13Sturgeon Aquaculture WorkshopIndian River Research and Education CenterDebbie Britt Pouder 850/674-3184

April 19Baitfish Aquaculture WorkshopIndian River Research and Education CenterDebbie Britt Pouder 850/674-3184

May 6Lake, Pond & Stream DayUniversity of South Florida / TampaJohn Brenneman 941/533-0765

May 15-18Aquatic Weed & Plant Control,Fort Lauderdale Research CenterRandall Stocker 352/392-9612

Sturgeon Harvest atSam Mitchell AquacultureDemonstration FarmThe first commercialscale growout project forGulf of Mexico sturgeonwas recently completedat UF/IFAS’ Departmentof Fisheries and AquaticSciences, Sam MitchellAquaculture Demonstra-tion Farm in Blountstown.

Objectives of thisstudy were to:

1 evaluate fish growthin two tank productionsystems;

2 appraise the twosystems for applicabilityto farmers;

3 analyze the economicfeasibility of the two sys-tems; and

4 evaluate environmentalimpacts of dischargefrom the flow-throughwellwater system.

The harvest wasconducted this pastautumn and was the

culmination of 17 monthsof research. Sturgeongrowth was evaluated intwo different tank systems.

The first tank systeminvolved three 20-footdiameter f iberglasstanks that receiveddegassed, flow-through

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Student Involvement at UF

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Undergradate and graduate students are an important part of the teaching,research, and extension programs at the University of Florida. Involvement ofindividual students in these programs is highlighted in each issue ofWaterWorks.

Christy Horsburgh wasborn in Orlando, gradu-ating from Oviedo HighSchool in 1980. In 1985,she graduated from theUniversity of Florida witha bachelor’s degree inforest resources andconservation, with anemphasis on wildlifeecology. Upon graduation,Horsburgh worked as af ie ld techn ic ian inlimnology and then as aBiological Scientist atUF’s Dept. of Fisheriesand Aquaculture, con-ducting field and labresearch on many ofFlorida’s lakes and rivers.

In May 1999, Christygraduated with a Masterof Science degree fromUF/IFAS’Department ofFisheries and AquaticSciences. The main objective ofChristy’s thesis, entitled,Lake Regions of Florida:Water Chemistry andAquatic Macrophyte Data,was to provide detailedcharacter izat ion ofFlorida lakes by assem-bling additional data onwater chemistry, abundanceof aquatic macrophytes(large aquatic plants), andspecies richness. To quote, “There aresome 7,700 lakes inFlorida, and plans to as-sess and manage theselakes successfuly mustinclude their physical,chemical, and biologicaldiversity. Differences inphysiography, geology,soils, hydrology, vegeta-tion, and climate affectlake characteristics, andoccur in regional patterns.” In 1997, the U.S. En-vironmental Protection

Agency used much of theinformation Christy com-piled (as well as othermajor sources) to identify

47 distinct lake regionswithin Florida. These des-ignated lake regions werebased on patterns and/orsimilarities in geology,soils, water chemistry,hydrology and biologicalfeatures such as fish, wild-life, aquatic plants, etc. “I’ve been a rather non-traditional student—work-ing full time for FloridaLAKEWATCH (a volunteer-based water monitoringand research program)and a part-time graduatestudent,” says Horsburgh.“Part of my time is spenton data base manage-ment for LAKEWATCH.After water samples areanalyzed, I’m responsiblefor compiling the data intoa useable format for ourvolunteers as well as thegeneral public.” During summer monthsChristy works with severalundergraduate studentsconducting aquatic plantsurveys and creating

bathymetric maps ofFlorida lakes. “Since 1991 we’vecollected aquatic plantdata on 400 lakes, andbathymetric maps for150 lakes. Dr. RogerBachmann (UF/IFASCourtesy Faculty) isnow working on amanuscript using thesedata.” Christy also co-authored a handbook onaquatic plants entitledFlorida Freshwater Plants.Much of the informationcollected from summersurveys was used in thebook.

More recently, Christyhas been working tohelp citizens create alake management planfor the Tsala Apopkachain of lakes in centralFlorida. She also helps outfrom time to time on ajoint project with UF/IFAS Assistant ProfessorTom Fraser. Fraser islooking at nutrients inmotion on five riversflowing into the Gulf ofMexico: Weechi Wachi,Withlacochee, CrystalRiver, Homosassa andChasskowitzka. Says Horsburgh, “It’sgreat working in the fieldand interacting withvolunteers and students—a nice interface betweenscience and gettinginformation back to thepublic. “Floridians are con-cerned about theirwater resources. As anative Floridian andpart of LAKEWATCH, Ifeel like I can givesomething back.”

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Food & ResourceEconomics

The following UF/IFASfaculty and staff areavailable to providetechnical support andanswer questionsrelated to aquaculture,pond management,fisheries, and aquaticsciences. Feel free tocontact them withyour questions.

Agricultural &BiologicalEngin eering

County ExtensionFaculty

Center for Aquatic& Invasive Plants

Frank ChapmanReproductive Biology352/392-9617 ext 247fac@gnv.ifas.ufl.edu

Chuck CichraPond Management &Fisheries352/392-9617 ext 249fish@gnv.ifas.ufl.edu

Ruth Francis-FloydFish Health/Aquaculture352/392-9617 ext 229rff@gnv.i fas.uf l .edu

Ruth Ellen BowenFish Health352/392-9617 ext 230

Andy LazurFood & Bait Aquaculture850/674-3184aml@gnv.ifas.ufl.edu

Debbie Britt PouderFood & Bait Aquaculture850/674-3184dcb@gnv.ifas.ufl.edu

Craig WatsonResearch Coordinator813/671-5230caw@gnv.ifas.ufl.edu

Roy YanongFish Health/Aquaculture813/671-5230rpy@gnv.ifas.ufl.edu

Ken LangelandAquatic Plants352/392-9614kal@gnv.ifas.ufl.edu

Eric CurtisFish Health813/671-5230

John BrennemanPolk/Hillsborough Counties941/533-0765jsbn@gnv.ifas.ufl.edu

Chris BrooksDade County305-248-3311 ext. 230

Max GriggsEscambia County850/477-0953megs@gnv.ifas.ufl.edu

Bill MahanFranklin County850/653-9337wtm@gnv.ifas.ufl.ed

Leslie SturmerShellfish AquacultureMulti-County352/543-5075LNST@gnv.ifas.ufl.edu

Don SweatPasco County813/553-3399dsweat@seas.marine.usf.edu

Ray BucklinMariculture Engineering352/392-7728bucklin@agen.ufl.edu

Chuck AdamsMarine Economics352/392-1826 ext 223adams@fred.ifas.ufl.edu

David ZimetFreshwater Economics850/875-7125djz@gnv.ifas.ufl.edu

Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences Gainesville

Sam Mitchell Aquaculture Demonstration Farm Blountstown

TropicalAquacultureLaboratoryRuskin

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well water. The combinedeffluent (discharge) fromthese tanks was testedmonthly by an indepen-dent laboratory, to helpevaluate possible impactto the environment.

A second set of threetanks received waterfrom an adjacent, baffledpond which was used asa biofilter and allowed forzero discharge to theenvironment. Water waspumped from the inletarea of the pond to thethree culture tanks andthen gravity dischargedback to the pond. Fishfeces and uneaten feedfrom the tanks enteredthe pond to serve as nutrients for aquaticplant growth, which filtered the waterbefore it was pumped back into the tanks.

All six tanks were stocked with 400 fish,hatched in April 1998, and averaging sixgrams each. Average weight, growth rate,feed conversion, and average length werecalculated by taking monthly samples.Adjustments to the system were neces-sary throughout the growout process. Costeffectiveness for farmers was always usedas a guideline of how the changes wouldbe made.

For example, poor solids removal wasobserved while using airstones which keptsolids in suspension. This led to certain wa-ter quality problems in the tanks, includingelevated BOD (biological oxygen demand)and ammonia levels. The situation wasvastly improved by the addition of a fairlysimple and inexpensive airlift systemwhich helped circulate the water, sendingsolids toward the bottom, center drain.

In addition, as feeding levels increased,lower oxygen levels were observed andncreased water flow rates and reduction ofthe fish stocking rate were required to improveand provide adequate water quality.

Though the pond recirculating systemworked well as a biofilter, water tempera-ture extremes during parts of the yearappear to have been a major hindranceto fish growth. Water ranged from 45° F

Sturgeon Harvest at Sam Mitchell AquacultureDemonstration Farm

in the winter to 93° F in the summer. Whilethe well water treatment had a small tem-perature fluctuation and averaged about66° F.

Overall growth of the sturgeon, whencompared to species such as catfish orhybrid striped bass, was excellent. Atharvest, fish in the well water treatmentaveraged 6.25 pounds, while fish from thepond water tanks averaged 3.92 pounds.During periods of temperature extremes,

the fish showed little or nogrowth and, at times, evenlost weight.

Final data analysis andinformation generated is ex-pected to provide an initialglimpse as to the feasibilityof Gulf of Mexico sturgeonaquaculture, and serve asa basis for improvementsin culture systems, waterquality management, nutri-tion, and species selection.

Future work at the SamMitchell AquacultureDemonstration Farm sitewill evaluate modificationsthat include:

1 increased depth wherewater enters the ponds;2 incorporating aquaponics

in the culture tanks to shade water andproduce a secondary crop;3 improving pond recirculating system tomoderate water temperature extremes;4 oxygen supplementation; and5 use of non-protected sturgeon species.

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Photos by Joe Richard

(Continued from page 1)

Top: Debbie Britt Pouder releases a six-monthold Gulf of Mexico sturgeon back into the tankafter weighing it at the Sam MitchellAquaculture Demonstration Farm inBlountstown. Average weight, growth rate,feed conversion, and average length werecalculated by taking monthly samples.

Bottom: Three-month old Gulf of Mexicosturgeon is checked for size.

WaterWorks is published by the UF/IFAS Department of Fisheries andAquatic Sciences for persons interestedin Florida-based aquaculture, pondmanagement, fisheries, and aquaticscience endeavors. Subscriptions toWaterWorks are free, available uponrequest. To be added to the mailing list,see the subscription form on page 8.

Editor Joe Richard 352/392-9617 ext 228 joerich@ufl.edu

Faculty Advisor Chuck Cichra352/392-9617 ext 249

UF/IFAS Aquacultureand Pond Management Update

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Miami-DadeCountyCooperativeExtensionServiceMiami We are currently pre-paring displays for the2000 Miami-Dade CountyFair, which lasts fromMarch 16 to April 2. Thefair is one of the largestin the United States,drawing approximately800,000 visitors. Sincemany residents are un-aware of aquaculture, theplan is to showcase aquac-ulture in a manner thatentertains and informs. Large format (4' x 7')color banners, decoratedwith enlarged photo-graphs of stunning Afri-can cichlids, should drawpeople to the Ornamen-tal Aquaculture Associa-tion of South Floridabooth. A pair of 55-gallonaquariums, stocked withlocally produced Africancichlids or livebearersand plants that shouldgrab the viewer’s attention.

Facts about the tropicalfish trade in Miami-DadeCounty will be dispersedthroughout the display.Several short presenta-tions are planned, thatshow how to start a suc-cessful aquarium in thehome. Giving the audiencethe knowledge and con-fidence to plan, stock andcare for their new pets isthe goal. As a further in-

centive, they hope to giveaway a few donatedaquarium set-ups to areaschools.

Koi Pond DisplayHome gardeners in

search of that speciallook for the backyard willbe pleased to learn aboutthe new Koi pond displaywe are designing. Koisales are an importantsegment of the ornamen-tal fish trade in Miami-Dade County. Therefore,a beautifully landscapedgarden pool is being de-signed with assistanceand materials providedby Master Gardenersand several local aquac-ulture firms to showcaseKoi. Planning a garden poolcan be a challenging taskfor any gardener, but quiteoften, keeping the waterclean and the fish healthyis a major source of frus-tration. Several presenta-tions will be given onbasic pond construction,water quality and pondfish. Attendees of thesepresentations will walkaway with the knowledgethey need to successfullybuild and maintain anenchanting addition totheir backyard.

Food Fish DisplayThere are several food

fish producers in Miami-Dade County, in additionto the ornamental trade.Large banners with colorphotographs of food fishwill be hung throughoutthe Fair building.

Large photographsfeaturing different fish,will be accompanied with

facts such as, “Did youknow that several thou-sand pounds of hybidstriped bass are pro-duced annually right herein Miami-Dade County?” Clearly, our extensionservice plans on makinga big impact at the 2000Fair. Why not plan a tripand visit?

Chris Brooks305/248-3311 ext 230

ShellfishAquacultureCedar Key

Looking to the futureof shellfish aquaculture inFlorida, there are manyrisks the industry will con-tinue to face, and newchallenges to be met. A breakthrough pro-gram that can have a sig-nificant economic impacton the $13 million a yearclam culture industry isthe upcoming pilot cropinsurance program forgrowers in selectedcounties in Florida.

This program will help

to minimize environmentalrisks beyond the controlof aquatic growers byproviding the same typeof financial protection thatmany terrestrial farmershave. It will also ensurethat clam growers areable to secure creditneeded to build and ex-pand their operations.

Species Diversity New mollusc speciesand diversification in theclam industry were dis-cussed at the workshopheld near Brooksville lastautumn. Why add morespecies to the clamindustry? There areseveral reasons:

♦ Florida’s clam industryhas reached a level ofmaturation in a relativelyshort time. Clam farmersand their support busi-nesses have created aninfrastructure that needsto look at diversi f ica-t ion for sustainability.Over 450 producers arenow certified through theDACS.

♦Florida presently hasan excellent regulatoryframework related toshellfish aquaculture.State statutes, agencyattitudes and permittingpolicies are conducive todeveloping the full poten-tial of this industry.

♦ Favorable climate andnatural resources areplentiful. An extendedgrowing season and fertilecoastal waters have al-lowed for phenomenalgrowth rates and reductionof crop times to about halfof those required byproducers in other regions.

♦ Technical support toexpedite industry growthand diversification is alsoin place through presentextension programs, on-going research efforts atstate universities andother institutions, andmarketing assistancefrom both local and stateagencies, as well asprivate businesses.

Leslie Sturmer352/543-5057

Cedar Key clam farmers harvesting their crop.

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Florida Sea GrantGainesville

Bay Scallops A Florida Sea Grant-funded study focused onthe feasibility of culturingbay scallops in Florida iscompleted. The study hadthree major objectives:1 Demonstrate the tech-nical feasibility of culturingbay scallops in cages;2 determine the marketacceptability of a culturedbay scallop intended to beconsumed in whole form;and3 examine the economicfeasibility of small-scale,commercial bay scallopculture in Florida. The study found thatbay scallops can be suc-cessfully reared fromhatchery seed to marketsize (40-50 mm sizelength) in less than oneyear. However, problemsstill exist with high mortalityat the end of the growingperiod, wide range in sizesat times of harvest, andfouling on the scallopshells. Market analysisfound a latent market forwhole bay scallops (anon-traditional product in

Florida) does exist.Approximately 90 per-cent of the restaurant re-spondents indicated thatthey would buy the prod-uct (typically servedcooked on the half-shell)again at the prevailingmarket price. Respondents didindicate a concern re-garding the value asso-ciated with scallops lessthan 40 mm. In addition,the actual size of themarket for whole bayscallops in Florida is notwell understood.

Finally, the small-scale culture of bayscallops in Florida wasfound to be economi-cally feasible, but onlymarginally. However, theprof i tab i l i ty o f bayscallop culture will likelyimprove as the economiesof scale for largerfacilities are acquired,the cost of grow-outcages is reduced, andthe market is betterdeveloped. At present, no com-mercial source of seedscallops exists in Florida.Although the technologyfor producing seed scal-lops is very similar to that

used for hard clams, nodemand for seed scallopsexists.

A similar situationexisted for hard clams inFlorida less than 10 yearsago. A follow-up study hasnow been funded by theNational Sea Grant Pro-gram to examine morecost effective grow-outmethods for culturing bayscallops in Florida. This study will involveindustry people with aninterest in looking at bayscallop culture as asupplemental source ofincome. The studies haveinvolved faculty from theUniversity of Florida at St.Petersburg, the FloridaSea Grant Program, andthe Food and ResourceEconomics Departmentat UF.

Marine Tropical FishStudy

The Florida Sea Grantprogram is also fundingstudies that describe themarket for marine ornamen-tal species either collected

TropicalAquacultureLaboratoryRuskin

The new 4000square-foot hatcheryand wet lab project isunder construction, andis expected to becompleted in April.

Included is a nutritionlab, three replicatedhatcheries with seperateclimate and light controls,and a small lab formonitoring water quality.

Craig Watson813/671-5230

or cultured in Florida.These studies are

being conducted by theFood and ResourceEconomics Departmentat UF.

An initial study hasdescribed the marineornamental collectionindustry, which harvestsover 300 species of fin-fish and invertebrates forsale into the domestica n d i n t e r n a t i o n a laquarium industry. The majority of thetropical fish industry’seffort are conducted insouth Florida. However,collectors also targetmore temperate speciesthat occur throughout thestate. The study examinescollection trends for someof the key species, includ-ing angelfish, starfish,sea horses, live rock, seasnails and many others.

An additional studywill determine the keyattributes of culturedmarine ornamentals thatare most highly valued inthe market, such as size,

Brian Kiel

Construction site for the new hatchery and wet lab atthe Tropical Aquaculture Farm in Ruskin, Florida.The building is due to be complete in April.

color and hardiness. Resulting informationwill assist those attempt-ing to culture new marinespecies. They can thenfocus their efforts onattributes most highlyd e m a n d e d b y t h eaquarium market.

For more information onthe results or status ofthese projects, contact:

Chuck Adams 352/ 392-1826 ext 223

Brian Kiel

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Thinking aboutstarting a fishfarm?

There are many considerations,decisionsand expenses to consider. The mostimportant one should be based on whetheror not the enterprise can turn a profit. Fishfarming can be profitable, but it can also beexpensive. It’s generally far more complicatedthan potential producers first realize.

It has been said that fish farmers mustbe part business and sales person, biolo-gist, lawyer, manager and overall hardworker. And it’s true!

Operating costs must be figured out indetail, along with the potential profit. It takesa tremendous amount of research and a de-tailed checklist to work this out, so keep afresh battery in that calculator. Add thenumbers up and if they don’t look good, onecan always make the decision not tobecome a fish farmer. Such a decision couldsave a ton of money and effort. Not every-one is cut out for this business. There’s awell-proven adage that “the quickest wayto turn a large fortune into a small fortune isby getting into aquaculture” (and being ill-prepared). As mentioned above, careful researchshould be the first step. And when consid-ering the BIG picture, the cost of searchingthe internet, talking to other farmers, scien-tists, researchers, etc. is considerablycheaper than diving into an aquaculture“experiment.” For instance, management decisions:Do you already have suitable ponds or asite, and most of the equipment needed?Do you have financial resources (about$5,500 per acre for investment and annualproduction cost for a catfish farm)? Willcurrent interest rates and interest costs oninvestment and operating capital permit areasonable profit? As for marketing, do you know of anestablished market for your fish? How is themarket for that fish species at the time ofyear you plan to sell them? How will youharvest and transport the fish? Is there analternative marketing strategy? Then there are physical factors: Willthe soil hold water? Is there adequateground water? Can wild fish be kept out ofthe pond? Is there daily access to the pondregardless of weather, for feeding, treating

and harvesting fish? Is the pond bottom free ofobstructions? Does someone live nearby thatcan keep an eye on the place? Production questions would have toinclude the following: Are good quality feedsavailable at competitive prices? Is there a sourcefor drugs and chemicals? Are fingerlings avail-able at competitive prices? Can dependablelabor be found? Is there adequate storage forthe feed?

Fortunately, there are many valuableresources available:

Guide for Prospective Catfish FarmersCircular 874by Drs. Thomas Wellborn Jr. and Chuck CichraPublished as a guide for prospective catfishfarmers, this publication has many pertinentapplications to other aquaculture farmingendeavors. Contents include such items as

Fish Farming Checklist

making decisions on the investment,site selection, production, diseases andtreatment, and harvesting. Copies canbe ordered from the Department ofFisheries and Aquatic Sciences at UF.Ask for UF/IFAS circular 874.

The UF/ IFAS web site —provides a variety of aquaculture andpond management publications. Searchthis site for the fisheries department,aquaculture or fish.http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/index.html

Southern Regional AquacultureCenter (SRAC) —Information can be downloaded fromthis site concerning a great manyaspects of aquaculture including pondconstruction, baitfish, striped bassproduction, aeration, software, treat-ments, diseases, fee fishing, etc.http://www.msstate.edu/dept/srac/publicat.htm

Florida’s Department of Agricultureand Consumer Services (DACS) —is the state’s one stop shop for permit-ting information as well as other aspectsof aquaculture including procedures forcertification, identification of aquacultureproducts, sale of aquaculture products,registration and renewals, prohibitedacts, products, etc. Their web address is:http://www.fl-aquaculture.com

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Calendar of Events

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A recent letter was received at Waterworks, with questions about sealing a problem pond that was leaking. It was built

just above a nearby swamp, and has been losing water as fast asit is pumped in. The lake is a year old and stocked with threespecies of fish. How to stop the leakage without draining? As Dr.Cichra writes, “Having water in the pond poses a prob-lem. If the pond is dry, there are a number of clay materials that canbe tilled into the soil which is then watered and compacted. Youcan also use organic material to seal some ponds. “I have gone so far as running pigs and cows in nearby dryponds to help work their natural organic material into the pondbottom. (Ever wonder where the name ‘sheeps-foot roller camefrom?) One can also resort to plastic liners, gunite (thin concrete),etc. But these can be expensive.” A pond full of fish that leaks is a real source of irritation or worry. Tests can be made for permeability, before consideringoptions for sealing. With porous soil and gravel, sealing with natural or artificial material is a necessity. Methods of pond excavation and sealing are discussed inUF/IFAS Extension Bulletin Circulars 870 and 939.

To obtain a free copy of these publications, contact your county Extension Office, search the UF/IFAS web site athttp://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/index.html or call the Dept. of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences at 352/392-9617 ext 236.

The Joys of Pond Construction

January 12Introduction to AquacultureIndian River Research and EducationCenter / Fort Pierce

This all-day workshop from 8:30 a.m.to 3 p.m. covers the major topics thatanyone interested in aquaculture wouldneed to consider, including an overviewof species, production systems, econom-ics, marketing, water quality, fish health,nutrition, and regulations. Speakers will be from UF’s Dept. ofFisheries and Aquatic Sciences, UF’sFood and Resource Economics Depart-ment, and the Florida Department ofAgriculture and Consumer ServicesDivision of Aquaculture. Cost: $35Debbie Britt Pouder 850/674-3184St. Lucie County 561-462-1660

February 21Fisheries Management for LakesKeystone Civic Center / OdessaCovers fish ID, biology, habitat, waterquality and aquatic plant managementfor fisheries. How to become more in-volved in actively managing private lakesand ponds for fishing.Carlos Fernandez 813/272-5912

ext 3616

March 15Sturgeon AquacultureIndian River Research and EducationCenter/ Fort Pierce Overview of sturgeon culture practices,marketing, and economics. Emphasis willalso be placed on regulatory issues facingthe Florida industry. Speakers will be fromUFIFAS’ Dept. of Fisheries and AquaticSciences, Food and Resource EconomicsDepartment, and the Florida Department ofAgriculture and Consumer Services/Divisionof Aquaculture.Debbie Britt Pouder 850 / 674-3184St. Lucie County 561 / 462-1660

April 19Baitfish AquacultureIndian River Research and EducationCenter/ Fort Pierce Overview of baitfish culture, marketing,and economics. Speakers will be from UF’sDeptartment of Fisheries and AquaticSciences, UF’s Food and Resource Eco-nomics Department, and the Florida Depart-ment of Agriculture and Consumer ServicesDivision of Aquaculture.Debbie Britt Pouder 850-674-3184St. Lucie County 561/462-1660

May 6Lake, Pond & Stream DayUniversity of South Florida / TampaLAKEWATCH staff will have aquaticplant specimens available, as well asfrozen specimens of common Floridafish to help people become familiar withthem. State and enivronmental groupswill have exhibits. Desirable aquaticplants will be given away, for people whoare into aquascaping. Free use ofcanoes will be available (with a possiblerace). Lunch on the water, and a kid’sfishing derby. Water samples will bepicked up from LAKEWATCH volunteers.John Brenneman 941/533-0765

May 15-18Aquatic Weed & Plant Control,Revegetation Short CourseFort Lauderdale Research Center A four-day course covering many as-pects of controlling aquatic plants. Earnup to 24 Continuing Education Units inaquatic, right-of-way, CORE, and manyother categories toward renewal of com-mercial, public and private pesticideapplicator licenses.Randall Stocker 352-392-9612

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Editor / WaterWorksUniversity of FloridaDepartment of Fisheries and Aquatic SciencesPO Box 110600Gainesville, FL 32611-0600Phone: 352/392-9617 ext. 228 Fax: 352/846-1088E-mail: fishweb @gnv.ifas.ufl.edu

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The Institute of Food and AgriculturalSciences is an Equal EmploymentOpportunity - Affirmative ActionEmployer authorized to provideresearch, educational informationand other services only to individualsand institutions that function withoutregard to race, color, sex, age,handicap or national origin.Inclusion of material in this newsletterdoes not constitute endorsement, nordoes exclusion represent censure ofany item, organization, individual, orinstitution by the University ofFlorida/Institute of Food andAgricultural Sciences.

Department of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences

How many towns in Florida haveproblems with wastewater disposal? Orat least, could use some improve-ments? With real knowledge of the benefi-cial aspects of specific plants andanimals, wastewater can actually beconverted into a picturesque watergarden, which is exactly what happenedwhen University of Florida faculty andGainesville’s Regional Utility companycollaborated. The result was the TREEOCenter and Kanapaha Botanical Gardenponds, both located in Gainesville. Bothof which have become an attraction totourists and nature lovers. In this case, creating the aestheticequivalent of a silk purse from a sow’sear, so to speak, required a carefulbalance of vegetation and fish. Instead of the typical scenario of fishspecies such as gar and bowfin, andaquatic invasive plants such as cattailand floating algae blooms (commonitems in wastewater systems acrossthe South), an alternative was found. Planted, native vegetation now fil-ters the water, plants that include

pickerelweed, duck potato, water lilies,even American lotus.

Goldfish eat the algae and otherunwanted vegetation such as floatingduckweed.

A Wastewater Cinderella Story A defenseless fish in nature, goldfishare gradually carried away by herons,cormorants, the stray osprey, even wa-ter snakes.The last bunch of goldfish atthe TREEO ate tons of floating vegeta-tion and lasted almost two years. Theywill likely have to be restocked aftersteady attrition from predators. Fortu-nately, they’re an inexpensive solutionwith added benefits. Goldfish leave themore desirable, bigger water plantsalone — unlike the grass carp, which con-sumes virtually all the vegetation it canfind, including willow branches. The TREEO Center pond is a recir-culating system that holds 250,000gallons, with 16,000 surface feet. Itrequires 10,000 gallons daily of ad-ditional wastewater. Both the TREEO Center andKanapaha Garden ponds were designedwith the concept of using natural meansof converting undesirable wastewaterinto something practical and appealing. Who knows? In this new century,botanists and biologists may becollaborating more than ever before withengineers and hydrologists.

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