What do you want from your club?

Traffic has been slow and the garage sale event was not well attended. I got to wondering, what do club members really want? Maybe everyone is content with caring for their tanks and an occasional post on the forum. If so, that would be good to know. It's not enough for me. I like the social aspect of the hobby as much as having my own reef. However, I can and do get that by traveling to neighboring clubs as well.

So, I would like to know:

1) What do you like about NMRC?

2) Is there more you would like to get from NMRC?

3) Is there anything you want changed?

I think part of our dilemna is that we are spread very far apart from one another. To get a meeting in any one location, many people have to give up a day to attend because of drive time. So, is there something that would make a meeting more worth the drive? We could do classes or topics maybe. I sure would like to see some kind of meetings on our calendar. Maybe if we tried for every other month and did something a bit bigger, it would be more worth the drive?

We do have a frag tank now that we can play with. We also own a TDS meter and a handheld phosphate checker so keep those all in mind as far as club perks.

Personally I am getting a little tired of my tank. Contemplated taking it down but don't want to do that and then a year down the road get the urge and have to set it all back up again. So for now I am just doing the minimum and not changing anything. I do love to log on here and read what everyone else is up to but really have nothing to post myself.

Thanks for the response. I'm glad you're not taking it all the way down. If it were me and I was totally tiring of the hobby, I would sell off the livestock but keep the equipment for a time just in case I missed it and wanted to set back up. But, if you're willing to do the minimum for now, that's even better. Even with moving, I sold off some of my livestock and the investment to get back to just what I had before is a bit of a bummer. One thing that works for me to pump me back up about the hobby is to find a new project that's reef related.

Now, back to the club. I can see why you wouldn't participate much at this point.

I do wish we could have more meetings, but know it's really hard to get together. The fiber quild I am in has meetings once a month and who shows up shows up. We do not have specific topics, but get together for discussion. We meet from 12:00 to 4:00. Maybe if we could find a place that we could reserve ahead of time for the same date and time, that would help. What about the library or Cammie's work? Specifically I would like more info on lighting and water testing.

What I'd love....

Is to have a constantly running frag tank. Where we can go to take frags for a frag.

I'd love to see everyone more, even though I don't have as much time as others, especially on the weekends.

You know, we do have the means (almost) to have an ongoing frag tank. We just need a light. And a wililng party to maintain it which I might be willing to do if I can determine a spot for it. I'll visit with the hubby about it.

I have horrible husbandry, so not it!

(At least I'm honest)

obsessed wrote:Personally I am getting a little tired of my tank. Contemplated taking it down but don't want to do that and then a year down the road get the urge and have to set it all back up again.

My suggestion here is to plan a new tank. Freshwater aquarists do it all the time. Simply sell off the livestock and then start in a new direction, a new theme, a new biotope, a new project. OR...OR...start a second tank (another thing hobbyists do). We all know part of the fun of the hobby comes in the initial creative stages...there is NOTHING WRONG with embracing that.

Me, I like meetings as well...there is an important social exchange that occurs. What I'm finding here in Duluth is that we've all seen each others tanks, so it's centering around figuring out new projects, new places to meet etc. Honestly, I think that's where "new blood" comes in. Perhaps there should be a more concerted effort to find and invite *members* in northwestern MN?

We've tossed around project ideas before too. It's a great idea to discuss them again. I think I'll start a new post with topics and/or projects. So far, we already have testing (good one btw), lighting and ongoing frag tank which is a pretty darned good start if you ask me.

Thanks for the good discussion.

I'd like you all to move to I falls so I didn't have to drive anywhere for meetings. That seems reasonable enough to me.

GoingPostal wrote:I'd like you all to move to I falls so I didn't have to drive anywhere for meetings. That seems reasonable enough to me.

I Falls...hmmm...let me consider.....

I think you'd better move to Bemidji. There's not much here but there's a lot more than there.

GoingPostal wrote:I'd like you all to move to I falls so I didn't have to drive anywhere for meetings. That seems reasonable enough to me.

You could host a meeting soon. It seems like our turn to make the drive. Most of the Bemidji gals haven't seen your tanks yet. It's a shame, I say.

Heynow, I have! But the rest haven't. What did you ever end up doing with the big one?

I could, it'd have to be on a Sunday but I would be up for it if you guys want to make the trip. My 135 gallon is freshwater now, maybe we should try to get that crowd involved too? Not much in there but guppies, James wants piranha and I don't really care as long as something is in there to look at but not ordering them for another month or two most likely, when it's a little warmer. I still have my two nano saltwaters running.