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Big News: Jen Williams Is Coming to CCA!

Join us on Saturday, June 13, 2026, for a great talk about aquascaping by none other than Jen Williams.

Jen is an award-winning aquascaper who has earned recognition for her stunning aquascaping skills in regional, national, and international events. She will share her expertise and knowledge on how to create beautiful aquascapes for your own aquarium. Come learn something new!

We also have a great donation from Tropica that will be included in the auction. Come win some cool new plants!

Event Details

Date: Saturday, June 13, 2026

Location:
John F. Kennedy High School
1901 Randolph Rd
Wheaton-Glenmont, MD 20902

Meeting Time: 12:30 PM – 4:00 PM

Schedule

  • 12:30 PM – 1:00 PM: Set up
  • 1:00 PM – 1:30 PM: Socializing
  • 1:30 PM – 2:30 PM: Aquascaping Talk with Jen Williams
  • 2:30 PM – 2:45 PM: Break
  • 2:45 PM: Auction and raffles

Join us for an early meal and drinks with the speaker!

Also, don’t forget to submit your entries and vote for the Photo of the Month for a chance to win $10 in CCA Bucks!

Upcoming 2026 Activities

We also have some great activities lined up for the rest of 2026. Be on the lookout for a potential garage sale opportunity as well!

  • August 8: Annual Summer BBQ
  • September 12: David Snell on Photographing Fish
  • October 10: Rebecca Goldring on Puffer Fish (New)
  • November 14: TBD
  • December 12: Annual Holiday Party

Speaker Details

Jen Williams, Aquascaper

Jen Williams Jen Williams aquascaping

  • Fort Mill, SC
  • Former Oase Brand Ambassador
  • Board of Directors, Aquatic Gardeners Association (AGA), 2015–present
  • Board of Directors, Greater Washington Aquatic Plant Association (GWAPA), 2008–2024
  • Associate Editor, Amazonas magazine

Jen Williams is a well-known aquascaper through her participation in national and international events, speaking engagements, and competitions. Her passion and talent have earned her recognition as one of the most decorated aquascapers in U.S. live events.

Since 2008, Jen has won numerous awards at competitions including The Aquatic Experience, Aquafest, Aquamania, The Big Fish Deal, and Aquashella.

In addition to being an esteemed aquascaper, Jen is a dedicated fishkeeping enthusiast with a particular fondness for biotopes and native species. She has kept a diverse array of fish through the years and holds a Master Level breeding award from the Potomac Valley Aquarium Society (PVAS).

Jen served on the board of the Greater Washington Aquatic Plant Association (GWAPA) from 2007 until moving from the DC area in 2024. She has also served as a board member of the Aquatic Gardeners Association (AGA) since 2015.

She is now an Associate Editor at Amazonas magazine, where she writes a regular column that brings aquatic plants and aquascaping to a broader community of hobbyists.

Always eager to grow the hobby in the U.S., Jen enjoys traveling to clubs nationwide to give presentations, aquascaping demos, inspiration, and encouragement to future aquascapers.

A respected member of the industry with a mission to inspire and educate, Jen’s passion and enthusiasm have given her the opportunity to reach many hobbyists, both new and experienced, to help grow the community and share her love of aquascaping and fishkeeping.

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In person June 13, 2026 - CCA Group Auction @ John F. Kennedy High School: 1901 Randolph Rd, Wheaton-Glenmont, MD 20902

June 13, 2026 CCA In-person Auction

We have created an auction for the June 13, 2026 in-person CCA meeting. Users of the website must register on the CCA MyGroupAuction website: mygroupauctions.com. Sellers are encouraged to upload a photo of the fish/item to be auctioned. These items can be viewed by all registered users before the auction.

CCA's board of directors has voted to allow the use of the minimum bid space on the MY GROUP AUCTIONS (MGA) website. Specifically the BOD approved the use of the minimum bid in the following manner: Bidding for any item with a minimum bid on its label will start at that amount and proceed as normal for any auction. If the minimum bid is not met, the owner of the item will take the item back into his possession. If the owner is not present to take back his item that did not sell, the minimum bid indicated on the label will not be in effect and so there will be no minimum bid on the item.

Please try to bring something for the auction. If you can make it a donation, so much the better. It's our club. If we want to keep it healthy, we all need to play a role.

If you have any questions, please ask.

FS: Fish & spiders

I can deliver to the June meeting or tou can pick up in Damascus, MD. Please plan to pick up before the talk gets started. There are links to photos for most items in the spreadsheet. If the row is hidden, it's out of stock.
docs.google.com

Stock List - March 2026

docs.google.com docs.google.com

FS: L333 juveniles

Yellow king tiger plecos
1"-1.5"
$15 each. 6 for $80
Pickup in Damascus, MD.

Anyone producing daphnia?

Frank Cowherd used to keep the club pretty well supplied at the auctions every month, but I guess he’s retired? I’m going to try to get a culture going at home but wanted to ask if anyone in the club was working with them. Thanks!

Easiest DIY substrate for planted tanks?

First my ‘Plants Anonymous’ statement. Hi, my name is Charlie and I murder plants. I used to solely keep tanganyikans and could only keep some java fern, anubias and some vals alive. I’m trying some community tanks with rainbow fish, tetras and rams. I’ve added some plants and been 50/50 at keeping them alive. I’ve upgraded the lights on some to the LED 24/7 auto cycle and that seems to help and some LED shop lights on others which are not as great but ok. I have sand in most of the tanks, so I’ve used some ceramic pots with open bottoms and foam to hold the plants with some root tabs.

I want to take the plunge and add plant substrates with a sand or gravel cap layer. I could use some advice on the best way to do it (I believe I need to relocate fish for the process) and where to source the material. I’ve got two 75’s, two 40 breeders, eventually a 125 and a couple 10’s or 15’s. Any advice is appreciated! Thanks!

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