[Dcuff]

I have been in and out of the hobby most of my life and now back in with the purchase of a 130 Gallon tank.
Just got it yesterday and will be putting it together over the next month.

 

[Seattle_Aquarist]

Hi Dcuff,

Welcome to TPC! This a great forum with knowledgeable folks that are happy to help....I'm glad you found us!

Did you happen to find our local aquarium club here in Seattle - the Greater Seattle Aquarium Society (GSAS)? It is a very active club with monthly meetings typically at Seattle Pacific University. We bring in local, national, and international speakers for our meetings that do talks on all aspects of our hobby including fish, plants, lighting, and equipment. Our next meeting is our annual General Auction in West Seattle on Saturday, April 23rd (we needed a bigger space than SPU could provide); there are typically great buys on plants, equipment, and fish. Check out the GSAS website here and the GSAS Facebook page here. Hope to see you at a meeting.

 

[WaterLife]

@Seattle_Aquarist Nice! Know any rare plant species that would be available at that auction?

Happen to know when the next swap meet is? (the big one, not the smaller one at the Eagle's hall in Auburn)

 

[Seattle_Aquarist]

@WaterLife,
There are usually plant species at the annual General Auction that you will not find in the tanks of LFS (unless a GSAS member sold them to the store). Here we are two weeks prior to the auction and members are already getting online and starting to register items for the auction - I think I see 8 or so 'uncommon' plants on the list so far!

The only local aquarium swap meet that I know of is the one that happens several times a year at the Auburn Eagles Hall. Otherwise there are the two big GSAS auctions (plants = fall & general = spring) and the monthly auction after the GSAS speaker presentation.