What would you like to see on the website?

[OneReef]

I know that a lot of people go to our website very infrequently, because to be quite honest, it doesn't change a whole lot. Maybe once a month when I add the new meeting time and location, and add some pictures.

So with that being said, what would you guys like to see that would make the website more interactive? I am starting up the TOTM page this week. We are adding new photos every few weeks, but outside of that, what would be helpful, fun or interesting that might get you to come check out the website around once a week?

Maybe reviewing a piece of equipment once a week? Equipment of the week? Coral of the week? Fish of the week? Trends in the hobby articles?

Ideas....Anyone?


I am going to add a tab on the website that has current info on what members are doing, similar to my thread "whats new with you?"

For example, it may say something like:

Rudolph has the club par meter and is measuring PAR on his new LED setup.
OneReef just added a new skimmer that he is testing against his old one. (not really, just an example, ha)
ducklabdad is in the process of building a new 180g tank.
MakoShark II just busted his tank wide open with a hammer by mistake and flooded his house and lost everything.
Jabo just learned how to successfully frag a single scoly
saltburns just reupped her membership with the club! YAY!
insanity ink just added a new 300g tank to his collection of 17 tanks.
pensfan05 just bred a nuclear green paly with a purple death paly and he dubbed it 'nuclear fission'


I just made some of those up for examples, but if people would PM me what they have going on right now in their reef world, I can start a page with info people can read to keep up with what their fellow members are doing.

 

[neuroslicer]

In 2012 I am going to move all official club business to an email distribution list, since not all club members regularly check Reef Central. That way we're sure important club announcements get viewed in a timely manner, or don't get overlooked entirely. The same info will still be placed on the local RC to encourage forum members to join the club. To facilitate direct communication between club members without going directly to reef central (not everyone has indicated a willingness to receive email through RC) I would like to have a members section on the club website that contains 1) member name and RC avatar name 2) email address that can be clicked on for direct contact 3) picture of club member and hopefully their tank. Even a member bio would be nice: what size tank, type (mixed, mainly SPS, etc), how long reefing, occupation... etc.

 

[Rudolph]

Jay: I see other clubs that eb and flo with interest and it is a challenge in keeping it relevant and fresh to everyone. You have disparity in our interests, even within the reefing world. While many are new and learning their way around, many are on the seasoned side and have little interest in discussing mushrooms or GSP (been there done that deal), so they may not speak up. My grandson is coming to visit in a couple of weeks so let me put it another way and practice my Dr. Seus:

We have a nice club you see,
we play with things that come from the sea.

Some say they are fish keepers,
others say they are reefers.

But we are mostly alike you see,
that is how we try to be.

Some like small tanks, some like them large,
some have tanks almost as big as a barge.

Some say they would not, should not have sticks (SPS),
when you can have something as beautiful and easy as rics.

Some want to talk about clown fish spawning,
while others are left repeatedly yawning.

Some want the latest in new trends,
some see the prices and here come the bends.

Some have lots of time to spend,
others only have time on every other weekend.

Some say things that let us now they just started,
but others say they sound mostly retarded.

Some of their tanks crashed,
now there they are trashed.

How many times do I have to shout,
I will not, should not, part it all out.

I paid $100 retail dollars they heard him holler,
but we all said, we'll give you a dollar.

But sometimes as alike we try to be,
it may only be, we collect things from the sea.

 

[OneReef]

In 2012 I am going to move all official club business to an email distribution list, since not all club members regularly check Reef Central. That way we're sure important club announcements get viewed in a timely manner, or don't get overlooked entirely. The same info will still be placed on the local RC to encourage forum members to join the club. To facilitate direct communication between club members without going directly to reef central (not everyone has indicated a willingness to receive email through RC) I would like to have a members section on the club website that contains 1) member name and RC avatar name 2) email address that can be clicked on for direct contact 3) picture of club member and hopefully their tank. Even a member bio would be nice: what size tank, type (mixed, mainly SPS, etc), how long reefing, occupation... etc.

That reminds me, I did want to add a picture of everyone in the club standing next to their tank. That would be nice to see. I can add everything you mentioned to the website. Would be nice to be able to see all of that info. Guess we can get all of it discussed at the next meeting. I am looking forward to the next meeting, since I missed the last one due to minor surgery, so it seems like I haven't been to one in a long time. I want to see everyone again and have some good discussions. One thing that we need to talk about is to have more orderly meetings. It seems like by the time everyone gets there, and everyone chats for half an hour to an hour about this and that, it feels rushed when we finally get to the actual meeting part, and don't have ample time to discuss cool things like lighting, PAR, husbandry, etc., due to all the small talk that proceeded the meeting for an hour. Maybe I am perceiving it wrong, but I think that in 2012, we can pack more into the meetings than we normally do. Just a thought.

 

[neuroslicer]

Kerry, which Jay was that poem meant for. If me, then I didn't get your point... even when you explained it via Dr. Seuss... guess I've been reading too many science journals... my kids are grown but no grand kids yet... so help me out.

 

[OneReef]

How many times do I have to shout,
I will not, should not, part it all out.

Oh so true, lol.

Nicely done! I chuckled at a few of the lines, funny stuff.

You are correct, that our interests vary within the hobby even. I think we should put more thought into the meetings this coming year, and be able to spend more time talking reef info/discussions and less time chit chatting between twosome/threesome. Its nice to see everyone and talk about whats going on in their lives and their tanks, which we should be able to do, but I don't think it should dominate the meetings like it had in the past. We need more structure and topics that everyone will be able to relate to and enjoy. I would have no problem discussing GPS and mushrooms. I actually like them, and think some of them are very pretty. I don't keep them since they grow so fast, but I like seeing them in others tanks. Maybe a meeting outline or schedule would help keep us on task and more people learning and talking at the meetings. Just a thought, but ill stop as I am rambling now, ha. I just want to make our upcoming meetings as productive and valuable as possible, so that we all learn and everyone walks away from the meeting feeling like they were glad that they came, and learned something new.

 

[neuroslicer]

Thanks for the input JP, and I agree about meeting content. So we'll be starting the official club business a half hour early for club officers (of course members are welcome to attend that part), but then the meeting topic will dominate the rest of the meeting. I'll be asking for potential topics and names and dates of potential meeting hosts (hostesses) later this month once I get the email distribution list up and running. I'm looking to schedule the details of the entire year of 2012 before the end of January. So people, start thinking about it.

 

[Rudolph]

Jay B: It was meant for OneReef (JP) as he has and is inquiring on what will bring more interest/discussions to the club.

The point was even though we have a similar hobby, we still have a large variation of what interests us. Example: If everyone is talking about SPS and no one is interested in LPS (and you have a tank full of LPS), you may not have much to add to the discussion board.

I can add illustrations if that will help...

P.S. - then again some of it was just poking fun at our hobby...

It appears OneReef was able to decipher my message...and chuckle, so my mission was accomplished.

 

[neuroslicer]

Careful, if your illustrations are good, I'll get you to design our next T-shirt!

 

[Blindside]

maybe some kind of weekly discounts from some of our sponsors, coral of the week, fish of the week with short info and pics. just a few cents

 

[insanityink2]

I am working on getting a conference mic for my digital recorder to record and upload all meetings to iTunes for podcasts and to be linked to the website.
I am gonna try to have it for the January meeting