Sept 13 ARC Meeting & Frag Swap!

[mojo]

In September, the ARC is proudly hosting Ken Nedimyer. The ARC will also be hosting a club frag swap, where the room and tables will be provided for members and guests to by/sell/trade frags.

Ken Nedimyer

Ken owns and operates Sea Life Inc (www.sealifeinc.net) a marine life wholesale and on line Retail Company that has been in business since 1984. Ken has collected marine specimens since 1969, and has been an aquarist since 1966. Ken has been an active scuba diver since 1970, and has logged over 20,000 hours in the water over the last 39 years.

In 1994 Ken received permits to start the first offshore live rock aquaculture farm in the Florida Keys, and has operated it successfully since the first harvests began in 1996. In 2000, using corals that had settled on his live rock, Ken and one of his daughters began testing techniques for re-attaching branches of staghorn coral that had been broken off the rocks by sharks, turtles, and storms. Their work eventually led to a pilot coral restoration project using their reattached corals, which has since led to a large-scale coral nursery and restoration program.


In 2007, Ken formed the Coral Restoration Foundation Inc (www.coralrestoration.org ), a non profit company focused on developing simple, effective, and inexpensive coral nursery and coral restoration techniques that could be duplicated anywhere. Their offshore coral nursery has grown from five corals that settled on his rock in 1996, to over 4,000 corals in March of 2009, and expected to grow to over 7,000 corals by spring of 2010. In 2008 they planted over 200 corals back onto the reef, and are expected to plant over 500 in 2009.


In 2009, Ken received permits to start two offshore elkhorn coral nurseries, the first of their kind in the U.S., and he and volunteer divers were busy setting it up this past year. 2010 will bring new and exciting challenges for CRF along with plenty of reef restoration, outreach, and volunteer programs.


Ken's efforts and vision have led to a growing coastal conservation movement in the Florida Keys and is inspiring neighboring countries to evaluate their own marine and coastal conservation issues and challenges. Ken welcomes his two new staff to CRF, which will help expand the overall CRF goal of protecting and restoring coral reefs in the Florida Keys.


Frag Swap

We haven't had an actual frag swap in a while, so in the spirit of Ken's coral conservation talks, we're also going to do a club frag swap. Everyone is welcome (and encouraged!) to bring frags for sell or trade, or come and browse what others have.

ARC will be providing the room and the tables. We can open up the back room if we need the extra space. Sorry- we won't be supplying tanks, lighting, water, etc. I suggest using zip loc baggies or something similar. Maybe even a picture of what it looks like in your tank (or post it).

Please start a new thread if you have a number of things you will be bringing to the meeting, so that everyone has a heads up


Date: Tuesday, Sept 13
Time: 7:30pm
Location: Steve Shindell's office complex

3200 Downwood Cir Nw
Atlanta, GA 30327

Directions to Steve Shindell's office building -

From I-75 South-bound:
Take Exit #255, West Paces Ferry and Northside Parkway. Turn left off the exit ramp. You will pass under I-75. Turn right at the first light onto Northside Parkway. Go to the second light, and turn right on Howell Mill Road. Go up the hill, and turn left on the first street, Downwood Circle. Go straight on Downwood Circle into the parking deck (all the way down the road). The building will be on your left.

From I-75 North-bound:
Take Exit #255, West Paces Ferry and Northside Parkway. Turn right off the exit onto Northside Parkway. Take an immediate right onto Howell Mill Road. Go up the hill, and turn left on the first street, Downwood Circle. Go straight on Downwood Circle into the parking deck (all the way down the road). The building will be on your left.


Or MapQuest directions can be found here.

And just the usual reminder - we are guests at this medical office complex, please absolutely NO SMOKING in or around the building!

[justindville1987]

Anyone who has not been to a frag swap its a must. See you guys there.

[mojo]

Please note that this is a member frag swap - ie- members buying/selling/trading corals between themselves, not the annual February frag meeting, with corals supplied by the club. Still worthwhile going to, but just wanted to be clear...

[CarlitosReef]

Can you attend just to see? Have nothing to swap at the moment

[mojo]

Absolutely. I'd just recommend bringing cash- you'll likely see something you want, so it's a good idea to bring cash, just in case.

[hud3339]

I will be there, cash in hand

[CarlitosReef]

Originally Posted by mojo

Absolutely. I'd just recommend bringing cash- you'll likely see something you want, so it's a good idea to bring cash, just in case.

I know for sure il see something il like, but my set up is not up and running.

[hud3339]

Originally Posted by CarlitosReef

I know for sure il see something il like, but my set up is not up and running.

I can hold for you if you see something you have to have

[CarlitosReef]

Il think about it.

[Smoothie]

For what Ken stands for and what the Coral Restoration Foundation stands for I think this will be one of the most important speakers we can possibly ever have.
I hope to see alot of you guys there.

[beccamc10]

I think we may try to attend, depending o. What the surgeon says.

[Butch]

I attended a frag swap in Montgomery several weeks back and the guy I purchased some items from was able to run my debit card right on his iPhone with a plug in card reader. It was a pretty sweet setup until he dropped it in the frag tank!

[db366]

Originally Posted by Butch

I attended a frag swap in Montgomery several weeks back and the guy I purchased some items from was able to run my debit card right on his iPhone with a plug in card reader. It was a pretty sweet setup until he dropped it in the frag tank!

Yep, its called Square, its a free device and the rate is actually not too bad 3% my wife uses it at craft shows.

[CodSack]

Originally Posted by beccamc10

I think we may try to attend, depending o. What the surgeon says.

If you decide to go, we can ride up together

[LilRobb]

Originally Posted by beccamc10

I think we may try to attend, depending o. What the surgeon says.

Just spoke to your surgeon, he said it's fine...

[thediznave]

can i set up a table? i am from montgomery. thanks, dave

[mojo]

Originally Posted by thediznave

can i set up a table? i am from montgomery. thanks, dave

Sure- everyone is invited!

[CarlitosReef]

I hear there's going to be tons of good info about corals of some speakers.

[thediznave]

thanks, just wondering if i need to do anything to reserve a table. also what time would i need to come and setup. also aprox. how many people are expected. thanks again, dave

[mojo]

Tables will be first come/ first serve, and everyone is expected to share. We'll have about 20-30 tables available, so no-one can be a table hog and create their own frag fortress...

Total number of people will depend on who decides to come!

If you have something for sale, post it here or in a new thread! If you've been meaning to frag and pare down your tank, now's the time.