Share the Love & Win Tickets to Midwest Marine Conference

jimsflies · 10:54 PM

[coverattach=1]

Share the Love
& Win a Full Conference Pass to the
Midwest Marine Conference

Here's a chance to win a full conference pass to Marine Aquarium Society of Michigan's premier conference, the Midwest Marine Conference. This is a three day event from May 21 to May 23 with tons of vendors and the following speakers:

Jake Adams
John Coppolino
Michael DeGruy
Charles Delbeek
Sanjay Joshi
Richard Pyle

Full information can be found here on MASM's site.

To enter this contest it's pretty easy...share your love of reefing by simply telling us why you love reefing in this thread. The contest will run from now until April 14. The responses will be judged by the MASM Board of Directors. And a winner will be announced by April 16.

vmbfreekz33 · 03-30-2010, 02:56 PM

The number one reason I love reefing is because it gives me and my family a chance to do something together that we all can be proud of and enjoy. Also reefing has also help build friendships that never would of happened if it wasnt for getting into saltwater. there is nothing better than coming home from a hard day and just sitting down and watching your fish swim around the tank and your xenia pulsing. It's like an instant stress reliever. Our reefs are something we can be proud of. Saltwater tanks become apart of you because u always wonder if everything is doing ok and your constantly buying something new for the tank. what has made me love reefing is being able to go to the swaps and different types of meetings and learning new things about the hobby and getting to see some of the items that you may not see in your local stores.

jimsflies · 03-30-2010, 03:01 PM

There are many reasons I like reefing (e.g., gadgets, collecting, and challenge). But the reason I love reefing the most is sharing the hobby with friends. Ironically of all the hobbies I have had over the years, reefing has been the most social....forums, reef clubs, swaps, and striking up a conversation at an LFS are what keeps this hobby fun and interesting for me.

cmpenney · 03-31-2010, 01:53 PM

I am not able to win this ( Being a judge) but I thought I'd throw in just for fun!

I think it would be hard to pick just one reason why I love this hobby. The constant challenge and the need to learn new information all the time is a big one for me. There are so many ways to do things and the hobby is always evolving and changing which means you need to learn new things just to keep up. It just never gets boring.

I love the social aspect of the hobby tremendiously as well. I have met so many great people across Michigan, the country, and from that matter the world, from my involvement in reefing.

Probably the last one would be the reward of success. Bringing home these critters and seeign them grow, thrive, and reproduce, right in front of my eyes is very rewarding.

ReeferRob · 03-31-2010, 07:02 PM

Agreed, very tough to list all the reasons why I love this hobby.

Reading and feeding the soul and mind with new information. Laughing at all the know it all dummies out there too.

Meeting new friends to share ideas, trials and tribulations with. Trading and baby sitting corals and fish.

Taking corals Pete has nearly killed and nurturing them back to "Top Shelf" quality statues!!!

Scouring the weeds at the LFS for that "hidden gem"

But at the way top of the list, the look on my children's face while we gaze into the tank, and of course CaptiveReefs.com!

Tom@HaslettMI · 04-01-2010, 06:46 PM

I can't make the conference... so please consider this a "non-entry".

I love reefing because I love the ocean and living in MI a tank is a close as I can get. Additionally, as a limnologist I dig the science aspect.

Sir Patrick · 04-01-2010, 11:21 PM

Consider this a non entry also...I won last year, and would like to see someone else win!

I love this hobbie!

Its something that my dad instilled in me- fish tanks, including saltwater. Had a saltwater tank in my home since before I can remember- and I am 34 years old...It is also somthing for me, as a father, to instill into my daughter- for better or for worse...doesnt matter.

The joys or growing somthing, that not just anybody can grow.

The colors added to my house! My living room is pretty conservative contempoary ( wood and earth tones) but my tank is full of color and action- yet fits right in!

I am addicted to fragging- and not just beacause I want to...every time I frag something, I understand that that is one less coral that could have been baught and sold as a wild colected colony, passed along to another reefer.

The chalenge- and OH YES! Its a chalenge! Only a reefer can understand....There are so many ways to create a succesfull reef- But none are exactly the same as the next person. Getting there, and getting it right is all part of the fun, and challenge, presented!

This isnt just a hobbie. Its an evolving hobbie. You can "get out" or quit, for less than a year. When you come back- things have changed! Hobbies are meant to keep you busy, right? This hobbie will surely do that. Year to year, this hobbie is different, and with that difference- more time and effort (and most of the time $$$, lol) is spent in the persuit of doing well in this hobbie.

Collecting- There are many hobbies involving colecting, but this one- you cant just collect....after collecting, you still face the challenge of keeping. You cant just find somthing, purchase- and just HAVE for the rest of your life- like stamps.

The forums! Reef keeping forums are some of the geatest forums I have had the privilage of being a part of! Local, or global- they are great! I could go one for pages about this part, but I wont.

Local- I have met so many, and become freinds with alot, of people throughout my forum experiances, because of a couple forums- and found a place for me to be of service to many, due to one in particular. Local forums are a great place to share, localy, your experiances, get help in an extreme emergency, buy sell and trade, and create long and lasting freindships.

Globally- There is a wealth of knowlege globaly, that just cant begin to be described! And during digging into that wealth, there is much to be learned- and not just about reefing....not to mention those people, although far away- impact your reef!

The knowledge that you support someone (or many people) in your comunity. LFS's arent there for nothing.....they suply jobs, and spread the knowledge that breaths life into this hobbie! Everytime I spend, even a dollar, at my LFS- I know I have helped someone else get into it!

And cant not include-

Captive Reefs!!!!

I could keep going, but really want to see what others have to say!

Good luck all!