[mogurnda]

Thanks to everyone for coming to the Symposium. I am still trying to find Sarah, and hope that she hasn't fallen under something.

Overall, it was great fun for me. I enjoyed all of the talks, and learned lots from each.

For those who didn't take copious notes, and want to remember what Ed Noga had to say about diagnosis and treatment of common diseases, he has offered to let us post his powerpoint here on the site: Noga Talk. It might even be worth stickying for future reference.

dbartco - Please note that this ppt is for educational purposes, and is not to be distributed without the author's permission.

[HowardofNOVA]

Dave,
Very cool, a must PIN post!


Dave,
I changed the name for reference later.

http://www.nationalf...s/bacteria.html

[dhoch]

No one has any comments? Is everyone on vacation?

I personally liked the talks a lot... but was hoping for a bigger turnout from our crowd.

Dave

[rsaavedra]

dhoch, on Jun 28 2007, 06:54 AM, said:

but was hoping for a bigger turnout from our crowd.

I THINK the lower turn-out rate was due to members being use to attend WAMAS meetings at no cost to them and it was also an all day event so lot of people had other things to do even though people could have only come by to listen to what they were interested.

Raf

[dbartco]

please speak up. let us know know why you DIDN"T make it out.

cost?
too long?
vacation?
speakers?
location?
working?


We need some responses here to better things in the future. Would you still be interested in large meetings with multiple speakers?

[Lee Stearns]

Doug,
This is a loaded question.
I can only tell you what my priorities are from the membership in this club.
1) the web based forum to exchange ideas and ask questions
2) to meet local reefers and be able to share ideas in a personal venue
3) to trade home grown reef critters from sand fauna diversification, macro algea, all the way to corals and even fish (a subset of this is to make the hobby a bit less expensive)
4) I particularly enjoy sharing info with new start up members and schools, which I am not sure we focus as much as we should on

Way way down on my list is to attend a speakers event- Most any info that I need on any topic is available in detail way beyond my capcity to comprehend on many many different Web sites. When I go to a WAMAS event it I look forward mainly to the social and trading opportunities. When I was first starting I recieved many litte frags of various things people were keeping in their reefs, and how they cared for them. I now generally bring the freebies back to events out of sharing and obligation, because I rememeber the thrill of getting a few new critters or frags added to my mostly bare tank. What has also worked best for me is to go to one or two open house tank tours right after the WAMAS event before returning home.

Just my personal view. I know we have a large and diverse club and the officers are trying to meet all thier needs.

Regards,

[HowardofNOVA]

bump,
Looking for more feedback please?

[johnnybv]

HowardofNOVA, on Jul 13 2007, 06:17 PM, said:

bump,
Looking for more feedback please?

I had to work....But Byron convinced Dr. Noga to visit our shop, so I got his insight anyway. Great information, sometimes a bit over my head, but nontheless very helpful info! Nice to have his presentation available as well.

John

[davelin315]

Pay close attention in the presentation to how to treat the various diseases.

I had a chance to ask a question of him regarding what we typically do to treat ich (basically garlic and the ever popular cleaner shrimp). What he said was that garlic may help but there are no studies that show any curative properties and for the cleaner shrimp they cannot help the fish out because ich is embedded in the skin of the fish and is underneath it so they can't get in and get it out. I believe (although I may not remember correctly right now) that he also supported what I have thought that they may be detrimental because they bother the fish when it's already stressed out.

[Almon]

Is there a video on Ed's talk?

[lanman]

dbartco, on Jun 28 2007, 09:43 AM, said:

please speak up. let us know know why you DIDN"T make it out.

cost?
too long?
vacation?
speakers?
location?
working?
We need some responses here to better things in the future. Would you still be interested in large meetings with multiple speakers?

Cost (not important)
Too long (important)
Vacation (no - but I did have other things to do, and couldn't spend all day at the meeting)
Speakers (sounds like you had a good selection)
Location (moderately important - it as just a 'little further' than I really wanted to go)
Working (around the house)

If the meeting had been a little closer, I would have probably attended for 1 or 2 speakers. But when I scheduled the weekend, I could only afford 2-3 hours - and that was too far to drive for 2-3 hours of fun.

bob

[dschflier]

I would love to come to some of the events but scheduling is always a huge issue for me. I work in the afternoons on the weekends so the mornings are for the family. It has turned out for me that I have been able to meet many people and pick everyones brains when they come over and buy stuff. This has really been helpfull to me. Although I still would love to come to a meeting on occasion

[OUsnakebyte]

I too had to work that weekend, though I was able to escape just to hear Mitch's SECORE presentation. I then had to turn around and head back to work.

[NRehman]

Conflict with timing...however, always love to come to the meetings and try to. Would have been very interested in the disease seminar. Speaking about all the seminars, in truth, I would be more interested in some seminars than others (but that's why we are a diverse group).

[HowardofNOVA]

Thanks for the feedback, please keep it coming!!

Timing is ALWAYS an issue with this hobby and anything else for sure! :(

Anything we could have done or suggestions to increase attendance?

Was it that this was not a FREE meeting?

[lmeyer]

Cost had nothing to do with it for me. My daughter's birthday party was the next day and I was busy preparing. Otherwise I would have been there.

I always want to go to the meetings, but unscheduled days are hard to come by. I am slightly more likely to go to the ones in Montgomery County as the drive to Northern VA, but would drive further schedule permitting.

Just to add a counter-point to Lee's comments, I consider the speakers a big plus. Two of the highlights of my membership have been the presentations by Anthony Calfo and Bruce Carlson. Lee is right, I can get lots of information from the net, but meeting them was a real treat. I just wish I could attend more of the meetings!

[dschflier]

Just to add a bit more. I hate the fact that I can never get to listen to these speakers. I could talk all day to people who know what they are talking about. Each time I do, I learn so much. It may be a bit much to ask and I know the speaker wouldn't enjoy this as much but what about the possibility of setting up a video of the speakers were inorder to listen to it you have to pay a small fee and then can ask questions in a forum. i supose that is a bit to complicated of a setup but just a thought.

[Almon]

dschflier, on Sep 4 2007, 11:34 PM, said:

Just to add a bit more. I hate the fact that I can never get to listen to these speakers. I could talk all day to people who know what they are talking about. Each time I do, I learn so much. It may be a bit much to ask and I know the speaker wouldn't enjoy this as much but what about the possibility of setting up a video of the speakers were inorder to listen to it you have to pay a small fee and then can ask questions in a forum. i supose that is a bit to complicated of a setup but just a thought.

Videos were taken of the speakers for the last two meetings that I was at. Why can't we see them? I've already asked once but failed to get a repsonse from anybody. So I ask again.

Can we PLEASE see the videos taken at the meetings?

[dhoch]

I understand the want and desire to do this, but EVERYTHING TAKES TIME.

We have had trouble getting people to step up for things that they have said they would do and that leaves the officers filling in for things that others have said they would do.

Almon if you want them so badly are you willing to come devote an afternoon to taking off tape splitting into an easy to read format (i.e. splitting) and saving to a format that can be read.

Then find somewhere to upload them all too and spending the time to do it?

I for one have been extremely busy lately and have not had the time to devote to things in the club like I have in the past... it takes time and effort to run a club this size. People say they will volunteer, but when it comes to actually doing things real life get's in the way....

Dave

[Almon]

Absolutely!

I am more than happy to help.

Please let me help.

[Sharkb8]

Sorry for the late feedback, been away from the site for a bit. My two cents is the cost was totally not an issue, neither was location. So long as its near a metro station, I am definitely going to try to be there. In fact I would have LOVED to be there, but my company has a "retreat" type outting every year on this very weekend. I was even looking forward to the fact that it was an all-day event. Oh well. Really, I think it was just timing/scheduling. If people can't make it for the whole day, they can stop in and stop out. Perhaps there could be a "reduced" entry fee for part-day (1/2 day) or something to encourage people to at least come out for part of it. But really, I don't think the cost was an issue. After all, we all spend hundreds of dollars on lights and skimmers, etc. What's a couple bucks for a meeting and a good cause? Not a big issue. Further, if there were an option to chip in an extra buck to be donated to a good fish cause (conservation/education) I would have done that too (like some of the supermarkets do around here).

[jwildman]

Link to presentation is dead .. anyone have a copy of it?

Biodork, on Sep 22 2007, 09:41 AM, said:

Sorry for the late feedback, been away from the site for a bit. My two cents is the cost was totally not an issue, neither was location. So long as its near a metro station, I am definitely going to try to be there. In fact I would have LOVED to be there, but my company has a "retreat" type outting every year on this very weekend. I was even looking forward to the fact that it was an all-day event. Oh well. Really, I think it was just timing/scheduling. If people can't make it for the whole day, they can stop in and stop out. Perhaps there could be a "reduced" entry fee for part-day (1/2 day) or something to encourage people to at least come out for part of it. But really, I don't think the cost was an issue. After all, we all spend hundreds of dollars on lights and skimmers, etc. What's a couple bucks for a meeting and a good cause? Not a big issue. Further, if there were an option to chip in an extra buck to be donated to a good fish cause (conservation/education) I would have done that too (like some of the supermarkets do around here).

[Chris-]

Dead already? Hmm, thought it would have been copied to the board? Just like others, timing can be an issue. Also, alot of people have family and work all week. On the weekends, we want to come out, but, how little time we have. Maybe, like once was said, we can get someone to tape the shows, split the video and run it on the web at a cheap price. Anthony Calfo is known around the country. We (WAMAS) would not be the only ones interested in his, and others, words. With his permission, and a good donation to a worthy cause, I do not see why speakers would not mind sending the feeds out as a pay per view. Could be win win for everyone.