Why do we meet???

M

mflamb

New member
Several of us that have experienced reef clubs in the past are interested in changing the agenda of the reef club meetings. We would like to see reef education added to the meetings.
So my question to the "long term" members of the reef club is this: Can we add education to the meetigs, or should we go do our own thing somewhere else???
 
I'd join if there was more of an agenda. I've never seen anything on the web site or here about what the meeting was going to be about. I assumed it was kind of whatever someone wanted to talk about that is what the subject is for the month.

I'd love it if it was more education and not just looking at someone's tank. that is nice but I believe others that have nano tanks can have just as beautiful and reef education as the 1000g tanks. How, why, etc would get my interest.
 
Mflamb,

I think Education is important; however, someone has to plan the education topic. I nominate you. (-:

All kidding aside, I think it is a great idea and we should do it if it is simple DIY ideas, coral prop, fish and coral sickness, filteration techniques, etc.... We have lots of knowledge in this club and in the community we should tap it. I know there are some people in the area I would love to be able to brain drain.

Chris
 
I really don't think it would be that hard to get people to educate us each month. I think each one of us has had something happen or have a special knowledge that someone else doesn't.

I'd love to have an updated web site where we have photos of our tanks. Special DIY area etc. I have this on my web site now but it hasn't really been a priority for me so I update it every once in a while. I could get it really going and have it really full of information. I never go to the TBRC site - is it ever updated?
 
we need a club. many reasons to have one.. frag swap, idea swap, free beer, etc. Seriously though each time I have gone to a meeting and its only been twice Ive seen or met someone interesting and knowledgeable so that in itself requires we keep meeting in some capacity and the present association has a foundation of networking in place so utilizing it seems the logical thing to do. That said structuring the meetings needs to take place. One idea would be choosing the site of the next meeting and submitting ideas to the host and allowing him/her to choose a topic to discuss. I believe Ben (BENF) is hosting the next meeting although I still havent seen an officail April announcement. Ben runs a sand bed and his tank is relatively new. He can test his parameters and we can discuss why his tank tests the way it does compared to more established sand bed or BB tanks. Pretty standatd stuff.
2 part vs calcium reactor. we can demonstrate the mixing method of a 2 part. fragging soft corals is something not a lot of us (me included) do very often. Just a couple ideas

I do agree we need to have an agenda. right now it seems there isnt one..
 
Tampa Bay Reef Club â€"œ Great Start, but where can we take it?

Let me start off by saying that I am very new to the Tampa area, so I am the outsider speaking up because I care, BUT I do not want to step on the toes of those who have been here and reefing here for their entire lives. IF I am stepping on the toes of the established club, please let me know and I will back off. My intentions are noble; I hope not to hurt anyone’s feelings. Please do not take this post personally.

I have been exposed to 3 reef clubs over the last few years. These clubs were all very unique and very great at the same time. All three had a unique way of running and for each it worked real well. The Club here in Tampa is very unique, and it seems like it is more a Social Club than a Reef Club. Please do not get me wrong, I love the social aspect of this club, I think it is a strength that we need to work hard to preserve; however, this club is lacking on reefing, reefing education, and some intangible that really makes a club a club, and right now I am having a tough time putting my finger on it. What can we do to help this club take the next step up and become a great club, a club that matches up with the likes of the Atlanta Reef Club, Dallas Fort Worth Marine Aquarium Society, Pittsburg Marine Aquarium Society, or Southern California Marine Aquarium Society? What do those clubs do to keep their membership number high, meeting attendance good and their club active fun and exciting? Does this club even have the desire to change things up? I do not have the answers to those questions, but I hope that we as a group can find answers and make this club something to be proud of, and something that people around the lager community have heard about and respect.

What is the purpose of having a Marine Aquarium or Reef club? I think that there are several reasons we would want to be part of a reef club:
First, we want to find others that have the same passion for Marine Aquariums that we do.
Second, we want to find people who can help us avoid mistakes through the sharing of their experiences and knowledge
Third, we want to expose our hobby to others who may not be as experienced as we are.
Forth, we want to have a venue where we can exchange the amazing items we grow in our tanks with others who may like an opportunity to try growing them too.
Lastly, we just enjoy having the opportunities that are afford to us by being members of a larger group.

So it breaks down like this: I want to be a member of the Tampa Reef Club because I am looking for people who enjoy salt water aquariums that I can learn from, trade with, socialize with and have the opportunity to attend activities with that all revolve around our love and passion for Marine Aquariums.

I think that the club meetings need to have a little more structure. Without structure all that happens is random chaos with a couple moments of organized activity. Now I am not proposing that the meetings become as regimented as a board of directors meeting for a Fortune 500 company, but I do believe people respond well to a little structure in their lives. I would think that a great balance for a meeting would be something like this:

2:00 â€"œ Arrival and socialize
2:30 â€"œ President speaks about club business and up coming events
2:45 â€"œ Open floor for anyone to ask questions, bring up topics, suggest events, etc
3:00 â€"œ Topic discussion, either informal round table or formal presentation by a club member or a special guest
4:00 â€"œ Frag Auction
4:30 â€"œ Raffel
4:45 â€"œ Socialize

Something like that allows for a great exchange of ideas, some education, the opportunity to buy a nice piece of coral and the opportunity to win some great loot. That is a good time for the whole family.

A club is not just about its monthly meetings. A great club will have a number of members always looking to work on the next project, going on tours of local businesses, and having informal gatherings of their own. I would love to see an annual organized Frag Swap that the club could host. It may start out as just club members, and it may grow to involve the clubs in Pasco County, Orlando, Sarasota, who knows any thing could happen. How about having organized DIY Workshops, I know there have been a few, and may be more. Club member tank tours, these are great events!

The ugly side of having a grate club is that it takes a group of dedicated people to organize and work together to help the club function. That means dedicating some time every month to working on club business. Does this club have any kind of bylaws that help structure the organization? How about a Board that meets outside the normal club meeting time to work together to organize and direct the club and its possible events, speakers etc?

Does any of this sound like a good direction for the Tampa Reef Club? Am I barking up the wrong tree? DO I need to just step back and open a beer one Saturday every month and just chill out? What do you guys think, do we make an organized effort and try and make this club into a Great Reef Club, or do we just enjoy our one Saturday a month and socialize with some tank talk mixed in?



Links:

Atlanta Reef Club: http://www.atlantareefclub.org/
Dallas Fort Worth Marine Aquarium Society: http://dfwmas.org/
Pittsburg Marine Aquarium Society: http://www.pmas.org/
Southern California Marine Aquarium Society: http://www.scmas.org/
 
that wasnt so hard...

I attended the FMAS (S fl) on several occasions and they were quite a large club that typically had 40 plus at any given meeting. it was held at the Museum of Science in Miami. It was very structured with name tags for visitors and upcoming eco field trips and livestock buys on a large card table at every meeting. there was always a presentation at every meeting wheteher it be a beginners type demonstration of how and why a wet dry works to a chemical composition and reaction in seawater explanation.. There was also a library of books and magazines that were available for all members. Not necessarily needed today with internet access but an idea none the less.
What Bryan said that to me rings with the most truth is the need for dedication from members to work at making the club work... Im willing to do my part. Im no expert but I have 30 yrs of feeding fishies under my belt and I enjoy the people I have met
 
The ugly side of having a grate club is that it takes a group of dedicated people to organize and work together to help the club function. That means dedicating some time every month to working on club business.
Click to expand...

I have never been to a meeting, but if this takes off, it sounds that I will have no choice but to get involved. All I learned so far has been from reading RC, but it would be much better if I can learn in person from you all. I'm assuming that we can all learn from each other but like stated above, it will only work if we get involved. I will like volunteer to do 'club business'.
 
didnt last year they have Anthony C. as a speaker? that would be sweet to get one of the guys to visit us. Even manufacturer reps would be cool! Tell us about the latest and greatest. After all its to there benfit as well.
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9635044#post9635044 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by mflamb
I'm with Bryan.

Greg...no mutiny...just progress! [/QUOTE

Mike, I'm on board with whatever it takes.

As some of you know I have been involved in clubs for over 10 years, some large, some small and one not in my native language. I have seen alot of good and different ways of running a club.

I think some of the reasons for having the club is to:

Promote Reef Keeping, in expanding our base we can bring in more people to the hobby and the club, and have a larger pool of information and support. = Successful Reefs and Successful Reef Keepers

Education comes from the sharing of knowledge and experiences, we all can learn from each other. An active structured club brings more members and a larger pool of information. experiences and ideas. = Successful Reefs and Successful Reef Keepers

Successful Reefs and Successful Reef Keepers = higher volume of goods, better selection of dry goods and live stock = Lower Prices.
Click to expand...
 
The value of the reef club

1. I do go to socialize. I am new to Tampa and looking for friends; to do things with and share my interests (just about anything with friends)
2. I always learn something. It may not be extremely useful or vital, but I do learn something
3. I love to see other people’s aquariums (and their homes)
4. If you listen to the host’s explanation of how they take care of their aquarium, you will learn a lot â€"œ I always ask how much water they change, what supplements they use, how much carbon they use, which fish or corals are not compatible, etc.
5. If you come with a list of questions, or let the host or President know that you have those questions, they will almost certainly bring them up for a topic of conversation. In fact, we once had a conference call with a club member, who could not be at the meeting, but who had questions about the UV burns on a few of her gorgeous fish. Several people offered various solutions â€"œ it was quite interesting.
6. You get out a club (or anything for that matter) what you put into it. Send or come with a list of topics and we will try to have speakers or readings on the subjects.
7. Some of the people who attend are professionals. Their experience and insights are invaluable to me.
8. Some of the coral frags and fish raffles are incredible good deals. I got my calerpa algae for free from a very nice, friendly and knowledgeable reef keeper.
9. I trust the opinions of the people I’ve met â€"œ not just on reefs, but on all things big and small
 
Thanks Brian!
I would suggest that at the April 14 meeting:
(1.) Ben present to us a detailed explanation of his reef and his sytem, to include what equipment he chose and why, what equipment he would like to add, what corals he currently has and wants to add, what fish he currently has and wants to add, what other life he has and wants to add, his water change regime and theory, and anything else about his reef that he thinks would benefit us.
(2.) Someone make a presentation about an aspect of reefkeeping that would lead to an informative discussion. I would be more than glad to volunteer, as would Brian and Greg, I'm sure.
What do you think???
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9635702#post9635702 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by mflamb
Thanks Brian!
I would suggest that at the April 14 meeting:
(1.) Ben present to us a detailed explanation of his reef and his sytem, to include what equipment he chose and why, what equipment he would like to add, what corals he currently has and wants to add, what fish he currently has and wants to add, what other life he has and wants to add, his water change regime and theory, and anything else about his reef that he thinks would benefit us.
(2.) Someone make a presentation about an aspect of reefkeeping that would lead to an informative discussion. I would be more than glad to volunteer, as would Brian and Greg, I'm sure.
What do you think???
Click to expand...


Sounds like a solid foundation... a good tank presentation can evolve into hours of discussion, debate and lots of knowledge transfer.
 
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