Old MARS member saying hi

P.Kelly

New member
Hey all,

I'm an old MARS member. I can say it's been too long for sure. Is anyone still around that remembers me? I know that this hobby has a high circulation rate, but also a lot of long-time hobbyists. I'm on the edge of getting a tank. It has been a little over 6 years since I shut down the last one.

Is there a Tank Tour coming up in the near future? I'd love to see what people are doing these days. I made a quick stop at a few stores in the last few days and it has been fun to see what is still the same and what has changed. I'm planning on heading out to MACNA if I can get free from work. Is anyone else going?

Is this forum the best place to communicate with MARS or has it been supplanted with a different forum?

Thanks in advance,
 
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Hello,

I dont know if we ever met, but I do remember your screen name. Biggest changes are led lights and dc pumps.

I don't think we have a tank tour scheduled, we did do some virtual tours to make it easier and show photo/ video at the meetings.

Wanted to go to Macna, but just got back from Hawaii. We went last year in San Diego though and had a blast.

Here or the mars fb group which I added you too are best.

Anthony
 
Thanks Anthony, I think you were getting into the hobby as I was getting out. The year I spent as the MARS president was a lot of work and I think it took a lot of the fun out of the hobby, but we had some great speakers, gear/frag swaps and coral auctions.

I think LED lights were just coming on the scene, but weren't established or economical. DC pumps are new for sure.

If anyone has tank videos posted on YouTube I'd love to see links.

We just came back from Cancun and the snorkeling there really put me back over the edge on wanting to set up a tank.

Thanks again,
 
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I think we are still friends on FB.

I got back in the hobby in January. The biggest change is that DC pumps and LED lights make it much less expensive to operate. My tank barely has an affect on my electric bill now. The Ocean Revive lights for $160/each work and look great. Also a lot of old but good equipment is very cheap used.

The FB forums are very active. The community is a bit different from my perspective but that might just be because I'm not as active.

Also, there are very few grown in established tanks in the area now. Mark and Tim and Robert are the only ones I'm really aware of. So many tanks have tiny crowded colonies. I have the good video camera here at the house and I'll get a new video up shortly. This is my tank when it was practically brand new. I've had some issues that I think are sorted out now, so hopefully I'll get the growth I want soon..

https://youtu.be/uCFdKOcqdRY
 
I think we are still friends on FB.

I got back in the hobby in January. The biggest change is that DC pumps and LED lights make it much less expensive to operate. My tank barely has an affect on my electric bill now. The Ocean Revive lights for $160/each work and look great. Also a lot of old but good equipment is very cheap used.

Also, there are very few grown in established tanks in the area now. Mark and Tim and Robert are the only ones I'm really aware of.

Ron, good to hear from you. Sounds like life is treating you well. Are you still running Midtown Stomp? Thanks for the video, that was fun to watch. The new project looks like fun.

Yeah, some of the tech changes are pretty cool. Some of the livestock changes have me scratching my head. I see that some reefers are even more fickle than before.

Welcome back! I've just finished the magnesium bucket thet I bought from you ~6yrs ago? :)

Quan, yeah, it was about that long ago. Good to know how long it lasts in case I buy some more! :lmao: Good to see you're still around too! I'm slowly running into people from the hobby in other places too.
 
Pete from Elk Grove? If so welcome back! I just got back in a few months ago and it's night and day:wavehand:
 
Haha.. livestock changes. Indeed. It means that a lot of very nice stuff is very cheap because it's uninteresting for some reason.

Yes, I still own Midtown Stomp. We purchased Spotlight Ballroom in West Sacramento 4 years ago. The next frag swap is actually going to be at my studio.
 
Pete from Elk Grove? If so welcome back! I just got back in a few months ago and it's night and day:wavehand:

Tan, right? Yup, we just moved out of Elk Grove this year so I probably won't run into you at your store anymore, but hopefully at a meeting or event.

Haha.. livestock changes. Indeed. It means that a lot of very nice stuff is very cheap because it's uninteresting for some reason.

Frankly I'm amazed at the prices, both high and low. Likewise, it means that the stuff I like is very reasonably priced. Someone else can buy the crazy priced mushrooms... ;)
 
I bet when you paused the hobby, never had the remote idea of mushrooms reaching for the hundreds price mark per each.
 
Yeah, I still lack any understanding of it... except to farm and sell and ship because they sell for so much online.

I saw the bounces at Your Reef before I knew what they were and if John would have offered me both for $75 I probably wouldn't have taken them. I guess he's had offers of >$1000/each. I don't get it.
 
1000 is cheap in big bounce mushroom value, there was a large one at Macna San Diego guy got offered 10,000... and turned it down!!!!
 
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