I finally decided to put my money where my mouth is and join, on behalf BowTie, Inc., parent company of FAMA, one of the local aquarium clubs that meet not far from our Irvine, Calif., editorial offices. I mean, it’s the least I can do, especially considering that I’m often challenging our readers to do likewise.
So, on a recent Friday evening, I left my office and journeyed up the I-5 freeway to a Santa Ana IHOP, about 20 minutes to the north, for my first-ever aquarium society meeting, specifically the Southern California Marine Aquarium Society (SCMAS). There were probably 25 to 30 folks in attendance. One individual even had a small setup with some of his coral frags on display.
The evening included a pretty involved discussion of all the different filtration methods in use today and just how far the “science” of filtration has come in the past decade. Folks shared about their experiences and the different filtration methods, such as deep sandbeds, plenums, refugiums, protein skimmers, etc., that they employ in their own setups.
I was even briefly offered the floor to share about who I was and why I’d come to their forum. I let it be known that FAMA supports the hobbyist community wherever it might be. We do this by keeping our ears open to the latest buzz about what’s important to hobbyists, and then we tailor our features and columns to better fit their interests.
The SCMAS is very influential and has sponsored past MACNAs and now hosts Reef-a-palooza, which has grown in recent years into a two-day event. Ethan Mizer, FAMA associate editor, and I will continue to support you — the aquatic hobbyist — by doing the following:
1) Attending important national shows (ACA, IMAC, MACNA, etc.).
2) Looking for opportunities to attend local shows and local society meetings whenever possible.
3) Continuing a public discourse with hobbyists, wherever they might be, and asking them what they’d like to see in these pages.
As an editor I really enjoy all the passionate people I meet at the many aquarium events I attend each year. I found the atmosphere at the SCMAS meeting to be no less electric, as members spoke about their own involvement in the hobby.
We will be donating gift certificates for free one-year subscriptions to FAMA and AFI for every SCMAS raffle during the next 12 months. Aquarium Fish International hopes to spotlight the SCMAS plus many other clubs and societies in their planned new column, “Club Central.”
And, oh yeah, I think I’ll order one of those “Rooty Tooty Fresh and Fruity Breakfasts” at the next SCMAS meeting.