Meeting Topics

[GaryP]

The Education Committee would like your input for ideas for talks at upcoming meetings. Give us your ideas on what you would like to learn. We have someone within our group that is knowledgeable on just about any topic you can imagine as it relates to this hobby. Please let us know what you would like to see offered and we'll try to line someone up to cover those topics. After we get some input, we'll try to do a poll to guage which ones to cover fist, based on your responses to the poll.

Thanks

[don-n-sa]

1. How to figure out total monthly electrical cost of our set ups.

2. Electrical safety / for livestock too

3. Do it yourself fish / invert foods

4. Break down the whole ph / alkalinity / calcium buffer balance discussion in terms that the average person can underdstand

5. The different ways / products that you can feed you corals with the advantages or disadvantages of keeping pumps and skimmers on

6. The kinds of filtration used on the modern reef tanks how they work

I have more just need to think harder

[GaryP]

Some good ones there. Thanks Don. A few were ones we were planning on covering.

We did the chemistry talk about a year ago, but I think we may want to back up and teach some basics for those folks that never had, or forgot their HS chemistry, in addition to the aquarium applications. Its hard to explain chemistry without the basics to build on. Sort of like taking algebra without know how to multiply.

[dow]

How about a talk on different types of water movement, i.e. powerheads vs. oceansmotions type things vs. return manifolds vs. surge devises vs. . . .

I'd also like to re-address the home-made food topic.

[eric]

Would there be interest in thermal issues? Being in Texas we probably all have issues with higher temps than we'd like in the summer.

Chillers/fans, humidity levels, evaporation.
Heat sources - lights, pumps.
Temperature probes, stick on/floating thermometers.

I guess I constantly think about this stuff for my tank because I sell cooling towers for a living.


Chemistry could probably be done regularly twice a year.

Hopefully make it to the March meeting

[GaryP]

What I am thinking about doing is having a workshop type meeting where there are about 4 topics covered. I have four groups in mind, each with a leader doing a hands on type workshop. DIY food and DIY supplements are two that I have in mind. A third possibility is techniques for fragging soft corals. Attendees can either wander around between groups or stay with one topic they are most interested in. Do ya'll have any other good ideas for other topics for a workshop?

[Jenn]

How about DIY projects such as wiring of lighting and plumbing of refugiums?

[StephenA]

How to clean and maintain a reef tank.

mixing saltwater correctly
saltwater storage
how much to change
system maintenance
what parts to clean and how often
What not to do!

[dow]

You know, I really like your idea of multiple topics. I hadn't thought of that before. A couple of workshop topics that come to mind are:

Working with acrylic (maybe have an ongoing series on this one where you'd demonstrate how to build a different piece of equipment each time)

Working with Glass aquariums (re-sealing, drilling, etc.)

DIY workshop (building a top-off, How to test a PVC Plumbing System, etc.)

[JimD]

GFCI/Grounding Probes fact or fiction. Household circuitry overload dangers.
Backup power supply suggestions.
In depth lighting discussion, par vs. color temp etc. etc....
ACRONYMS! What do they all mean!?
Ya know, stuff like that would benefit newcomers as well as vets.

[captexas]

Anything on electricity we would need to have a licensed electrician come and talk to us. Electricity is too dangerous of a topic both for our personal safety and due to possibility of fires to have just any DIYer give a speach. There are some inherent liability issues that can be associated with doing such a presentation.

[Shark_Bait]

stand/canopy construction...
Hmm who could teach that ???

[JimD]

lol, It doesnt take a rocket scientist to explain that a 30 amp draw wont work on a 15 amp breaker... sheesh.

[captexas]

Also, the problem we have run into with teaching acrylic fabrication is that the people who know it best don't want to help out. Which is understandable as showing everyone how to do it cuts into their income. I would advise doing some online research if you really want to get into doing any acryilic work. MACO just started an acrylic class online, unfortunately it's closed at this time.

On the stand/canopy idea, MACO is also giving a class online soon on that as well. While Pete is really good at it, it would be up to him if he wants to share his income as well, lol

I like the lighting discussion, that could be broken down into different presentations as well. One on the types of lighting - compacts, VHO, T5, and Halides. Then another one on metal halides and the different aspects of bulb performance.

I know the next meeting is on nuisance algaes, maybe we could have one on the different types of good algae.

[captexas]

Jim - yes it doesn't take a rocket scientist, but it doesn't take much for a law suit either these days. If one of us got in front of a group and told them how to wire up a light ballast and then they go home and do something wrong they could come back and sue the presentor. All it takes is one person to try to do something and get electricuted or have their house burn down and that is the end of the club. That is why a licensed/bonded electrician would be needed.

[JimD]

Then you might as well never show how to frag a zoo with a razor blade either, imagine the reprocussions there! Im speaking general information that most have learned to be accurate by experience, not how to wire a house, basic common sense items that wouldnt cause any liability, like not exceding a breakers potential. Nothing that would jeapordize maasts boundries.

[GaryP]

Jim,

I have an electrician/reefer in mind that could do that talk. He did me a favor and came over and evaluated what I was doing on the circuits feeding my tanks. I thought I was going need to add another circuit to upgrade my tank. As it turns out I didn't. That saved me a few sheckels. I'm sure he'll read this and know who I am talking about.

[NaCl_H2O]

lol, It doesnt take a rocket scientist to explain that a 30 amp draw wont work on a 15 amp breaker... sheesh.

LMAO - Yea, but I'll bet there are lots of us that have said to ourselves "What was that POP noise ... why did the lights just go out ... ooooh"

Gary - Plumbing, working with PVC, Vinyl tubing is your friend

We could make a few Dorso standpipes and give them away to participants. Maybe glue in a whole overflow from Dan, and add the plumbing right there, real time!

Lots of topics we could cover & demo related to plumbing. And everyone could get high off the PVC glue :wacko

[eric]

Has something been done on the grouping or compatibility of species? Say Indo-reef, Carib, etc.
Some of my books talk about it, but I think many others like myself put things in because they like the way they look. It's probably just me.

Not simply reef-safe, but
Should leathers be placed in tanks with SPS.
How close is *close*? (many books say don't put this close to that)

And on a completely different topic: Reef tank design

[Polkster13]

I agree that the mini-workshops should be limited in the scope of what they are trying to accomplish. Trying to do fabrication of any kind would be of limited value without a lot of time devoted to the topic and hands-on experience. There is a lot of good information and online courses on the net for those that really wish to persue these. However, if someone wants to show a simple DIY theamed presentation on something like a phyloplankton culture or something along those lines, I think there may be a lot of interest in this by our members.

[MikeDeL]

How about aquarium photography?

[::pete::]

I will be more than happy to offer a class for a basic canopy or a basic acrylic deal as long as Gary does the talking!!

[alexwolf]

i have an electrician that i know very well, he might be willing to do a talk.

[::pete::]

Before long Mike will have a tank !!!! LoL

[alexwolf]

he already does!!!! he bought a mag float from the store and thinks is the greatest invention ever!!!!

he had fun telling me how long he chased his pleco with it lol......

[GaryP]

OK, I think I have a pretty broad selection of ideas. I'm going to compile a list from this thread and send it to Chris. He and I have discussed it and I have asked him to generate a poll on the home page. The results of that poll can be used for future meeting planning for meetings later this year and next year.

There have been some excellent ideas proposed here and I appreciate your response. Please feel free to bring other ideas to me as well. I'm always ope to suggestions. A lot of times the topics of the meeting have been based on the questions that I see being posted and the practicality of their use as a topic.

Just for the record, we are planning a meeting for this summer where everyone can break up into smaller hands on type workshops. We'd like to do this at Gator's house because he has the room for such a meeting format.

[Kylaohhh]

As for the acronym's, that could be as simple as a printout for us newbies to reference or a reference page on the site. Overall, most of the topic suggestions would be wonderful. Some of the simpler things could be "taught" through printouts. Those could be kept on hand to pass out at any meeting or class for those unable to attend or can be sent in the mail. Just a suggestion. :)

[GaryP]

We're doing powerpoint presentations for a lot of meetings that we are trying to get posted on the website after we convert them to a pdf format that most people can access.

[captexas]

After looking at the first page of threads in the general reefkeeping forum, I would strongly suggest doing a presentation on reef critters - types of worms, pods, bad crabs and snails, and mites. Also, we definately need one on lighting, sometimes every other thread on there is a lighting question! :wacko

[GaryP]

I will be more than happy to offer a class for a basic canopy or a basic acrylic deal as long as Gary does the talking!!

Pete you know me well enough to know I rarely have a problem with talking. Besides I already have you down as an instructor for a workshop. You were drafted!

[MikeDeL]

How about DSB vs. Bare Bottom / pros and cons.

[don-n-sa]

How about DSB vs. Bare Bottom / pros and cons.

We would need a special extended meeting for that one...maybe 3-4 hrs...but a definite good topic.

[GaryP]

We'll also need some armed guards and some razor wire fences.

[don-n-sa]

and some people with those really huge metal drums like in the "Gong Show"

wow I am getting old >_<

[Instar]

Captexas - r U still following this thread? I saw your lawsuit thing at the beginning and wonder how we can do any of this? Fact is that is why the bylaws are filed as a matter of public record. So long as someone who has no clue of the subject and correct engineering of that subject doesn't do a presentation they are not quailified to do, there is not an issue to worry about with any of these topics.

[MikeP]

After looking at the first page of threads in the general reefkeeping forum, I would strongly suggest doing a presentation on reef critters - types of worms, pods, bad crabs and snails, and mites. Also, we definately need one on lighting, sometimes every other thread on there is a lighting question! :wacko

I'd be willing to do one on microfauna if someone else wants to give me a hand.

I can always do another fish presentation too on short notice.

[MikeDeL]

If we dont want to start a riot at a meeting talking about DSB vs Barebottom, we could have one on how to properly maintain a DSB.

[MikeDeL]

How about disease treatment.