We have had a couple ideas braught up as far as a better name for the group. Would like to get some input on this.
Ann Arbor Area Reef Club- AARC
Ann Arbor Area Reef Club- A2RC
Ann Arbor Area Reef Club- A2ARC
Ann Arbor Area Reef Club- AAARC
Ann Arbor Area Marine Aquarists- A2MA
I am leaning to- Ann Arbor Marine Aquarists- A2MA (thx clamseasquest) as it includes the FOWLR guys, and broadens the club, and I like the look.
I came up AARC initially, but am very flexible- and if there is a change, I would like to see it happen soon, before we get established as AARC.
AAARC or AAAAC-
Annarbor area reefclub or aquarium club. Aquarium club would be a little more inclusive of fresh water. Plus alphabetical listing would be one of the first. We definately should be ann arbor area AAA the rest not a big deal and i am flexible. It definately should be AnnArborArea. I dont want it to be just AnnArbor. My feeling when chris and I talked about this over a year ago was I want to stress that anyone can come and I think that If it was just AA would sound a little exclusive. Actually just usong the AA as a geogiaphical landmark.
Broadening the geographical area was my thought "Huron Valley"...it encompasses a wide area...north to brighten, west to Jackson, and east to lake Erie.
I prefer Ann Arbor Area Marine Aquarists- (A2AMA, AAAMA, A3MA.) Here are my thoughts,
I've never cared for being referred to as a "reefer", or our work product simply being referred to as an aquarium or "fish tank". Certainly no slight is intended toward freshwater or FOWLR folks, as the vast majority of us started there, eventually ending up with full-blown reefs.
In my mind, there is much more to planning/building and maintaining a successful reef tank than is typically inferred by the term reefer or fish tank. We combine multiple disciplines of engineering including electrical, mechanical, chemical, computer and networking - in addition to physics, fluid dynamics, biology...the list goes on.
Many of us spend considerable amounts of time, energy (and money) learning all that we can, often playing a roll in developing new procedures, products and best practices (i.e. look at the advancements made in the field of LED lighting - the vast majority of which were accomplished by hobbyists - not commercial providers.) We then take what we have learned and mentor those new to the hobby (obsession) along the way.
Paulo makes a valid point about the term Marine potentially excluding freshwater hobbyists. If that was a concern, you could always drop "Marine" and use Ann Arbor Area Aquarists (AAAA lands you a top spot in a phone book listing - not that I think it matters anymore.) I beleive Marine should be included in the name as it more accurately describes the vast majority of the expected content and interests of the participants.
That said, I consider myself a Marine Aquarist who happens to live in the Ann Arbor Area - hence my vote
Last edited by CalmSeasQuest; 10-28-2010 at 07:01 AM.