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Tank Set-up
Expanding Redhead Shoots
Controlling Alagal Growth
Adding Salt (5-weeks)
NOAA Motor Pool and Carpool Information
Transporting Grasses to Event

This page includes hot tips related to growing bay grass and maintaining the grow tanks. Refer back periodically, as content will be added to help answer common questions about managing the tanks. If you have any additional questions or suggested additions for this page, please contact: Alison Hammer.

Instructions for Setting up Tanks

• Read Tank Set-up Instructions (pdf, 4 pages, 116KB)
  

Time to Allow for System Set-up and Maintenance:

• 30 minutes: Assemble Bay grass growth chamber (attach and assemble lights, assemble filter, fill black tub with water, add heater, and plug in heater and filter). Assemble the growth chamber, add water, and stabilize water temperature before adding the plants.

• 30 minutes: plant turions or winter buds in trays, cover with sand, and lower into water in tub.

• Daily: check water, temperature, sponge, and algae level of growth chamber

• 1/2 day: attend NOAA Restoration Day planting event in June.
  

Selecting a Good Tank Location:

You will not be able to move this tank once it has water in it, so choose your location carefully. It should be in a visible area to enhance awareness and learning about the importance of bay grass. A good location would be on a sturdy table or lateral file cabinent near an electrical outlet. The system does not need to be located near a window, but it does need to be in a room with a stable temperature. The workshop will demonstrate what the system should look like once it’s fully assembled.

Expanding the Number of Redhead Shoots Per Tray

Here is an option only for REDHEAD tanks to try to help increase the number of rooted shoots in a tray -- NOTE: REDHEAD tanks only!!! (See list of 05 tanks if you forgot which type of grass you're growing)

• Snip grass shoots roughly in half when it gets to be about 12" long or more.

• Use a fingernail or scissors to cut (be careful not to pull on the shoot when you do this).

• Then plant the snipped half just as if it were a cutting at the start of the project, in a bare area in one of the trays.

• NOTE: You must try this prior to 3 weeks before the planting date (6/15) to be on the safe side. You want to give the clipped shoots time to grow roots before you plant them.
  

Controlling Algal Growth

By now, I'm sure most of you have quite a bit of algae growing and you're wondering what to do about it... Don't worry, algae will not pose a problem unless it gets so thick it cuts light to the plants.

There are a few things you can do to help control the algal growth:

1. Remove it with your fingers.

2. Remove it by placing dry white paper towels on the top of the water/algae, let the water and algae soak in and then slowly removed the towel pulling up the algae with it.

3. Use a fine mesh dip net from aquarium store.

4. If it gets REALLY bad, adds Maracyn, an antibiotic that is used in aquariums for fish disease (can buy at pet stores). For those of you with major algae problems, note that Peter Bergstrom tried adding Maracyn and said it worked well in knocking back filamentous algae. Please contact him directly for more information:
   Peter.Bergrstrom@noaa.gov

Do NOT use snails to control the algae because:

• Salt will be added to the tanks after 5 weeks and salt kills freshwater snails.

• We don't want to spread non-native species to the Bay or change the geographic distribution of a species in the planting area by adding those that would not naturally exist.

Instructions for Adding Salt to Tanks

After 5 weeks of growth, salt needs to be added to the water in the black tub. Dissolve the contents of the salt package in 1-2 gallons of water (a bucket works well). Let dissolved solution stand for at least an hour. Pour entire contents of bucket into system. Salinity should now be about 5 parts per thousand. After the salt has been added, you can continue to add more water as it evaporates, but do not change the water in the tub.

Car Pooling or Reserving NOAA Vehicles in Silver Spring

• NOAA employees in Silver Spring should contact the NOAA Motor Pool: (301)713-1955 or e-mail Dispatch.pool@noaa.gov directly if you would like to use one of the limited numbers of minivans or cars from the NOAA Motor Pool. The motor pool is located in SSMC 4, 8th Floor (ask for Calvin).

  • If you are travelling more than 50 miles away, provide a copy of a travel order.

  • Note: Both contractors and Federal employees can reserve vehicles with a valid driver's license.

• If you are interested in carpooling (either need a ride or have room in your vehicle), e-mail Alison Hammer
  
  

Directions for Transporting Bay Grasses

• Download transporting instructions (pdf, 1page, 20KB)

There are three main steps to transporting grasses:

1. Dismantle System
2. Drain Water
3. Move grass pans to car

1. Dismantle System

• You will need about an hour on the morning of the planting day to prepare your plants for transport. Please plan accordingly so you can get on the road no later than 8:15am!!
• Turn off everything and remove the plug from the wall.
• Disassemble the lights, powerhead, and heater. Keep the thermometer in the tub to monitor temperature throughout the day.
• Rinse any algae off the heater and filter pump.
• Return the lamps, heater, and filter pump to their boxes if you've kept them.
• Throw out the sponge filter -- it can't be reused.
• All other items need to be returned to Peter Bergstrom on planting day. Be sure to bring them with you.

2. Drain Water

• Before draining the water, put newspapers over the grass pans. Tuck long grasses under the newspaper. The wet newspapers will protect the grasses. Since redhead is used to being completely submerged in water, it will get damaged very quickly if exposed to air. The wet newspapers will protect the plants.

• Lower the water level so that there is just enough water to keep the plant parts submerged. You can do this simply by bailing out water with a bucket or by creating a siphon.

• You can siphon to a 5-gallon bucket using a piece of hosing. Then pour the bucket of water out. If you use this method, be prepared to start and stop the siphon a few times. Your system holds roughly 25 gallons of water!

3. Move grass pans to your car

• If you want to transport the grasses using only the equipment we've given you, remove the pans from the tub, put the tub in your trunk/ back hatch, place the grass pans back in the tub. (Keep the wet newspapers on the grasses throughout.)

• Then cover the entire surface with more wet newspaper. The newspaper will keep water from splashing too much. Drive GENTLY!

• You may prefer to put your grasses in something with a covered lid. Coolers and rubbermaid tubs with lids both work fine. Cover the grasses with water as above, then just snap the lid on.

• Remember that cars get hot quickly in the summer. Please keep your trunk or hatch open until you start driving so the grasses don't overheat!

• Ice may need to be added to the tub on top of the newspapers if it is a hot day or very sunny.

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