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[A-10reefer]

SECRET SANTA QUESTIONNAIRE

1. What country are you located in? USA
2. What is one thing you always need more of? Time. Consumables, reagents, AB+, frag plugs, racks
3. What are your other hobbies/interests? Shooting, hunting, fishing, solidworks, building just about anything
4. How do you like to spend your free time, whether it's relaxing after work or on the weekends? Is there such a thing as free time with a 2yr old?!?!
5. Do you have any dietary restrictions or preferences if your Santa wants to send a treat? Nope
6. What’s your favorite candy or snack, either from your childhood or something you love to munch on now? Beef jerky, sour candy
7. What’s your favorite holiday tradition? The whole day. Presents in the morning, watching A Christmas Story, carrying on the tradition of cooking pierogi for an early dinner then left overs later on
8. Do you collect anything? Zoas, tools, star wars, aviation, militaria
9. What's your favorite color? Green
10. What size t-shirt/hoodie/socks do you wear? Large
11. What's one TV show or movie you can watch over and over again? Tropic Thunder
12. What type of music do you listen to? Mostly Hard rock, metal
13. Do you enjoy reading? If so, what types of books do you like? Mythology, Sci-fiction, Classics like The Odyssey, Dantes inferno, A tail of two cities
14. Do you play any games (board games, video games, card games, etc.)? If yes, what are your favorites? Call of duty, Mass effect, sci-fi games, rpg's
15. Are you a fan of any sports teams? Lions, Bills, Red wings
16. What’s something interesting about you that most people on R2R don’t know? I have a degree in Physics: space sciences
17. If you could travel anywhere, where would it be? Poland
18. What’s one item on your bucket list? Shark dive
19. Do you have any pets besides your reef tank? Tell us about them! I lost my best bud in March a week before his 15th birthday
20. What's your favorite fish? Harlequin tusk, a lot of the halichoeres wrasses, amd my tangs
21. Favorite coral? Zoas right now, im addicted to collecing the higher end ones. Gotta catch em all
22. Favorite invert? Harlequin shrimp, porcelain crab, anemone crab, sexy shrimp
23. Tell us about your tank(s)! What size are they? What do you keep in them? Do you have a build thread? Right now I have a custom 70g that I built.
24. Do you have any planned upgrades or tweaks you’d like to make to your tank(s)? Im actually picking up a Waterbox 7225 that im going to rebuild. Stay tuned for a new build thread.
25. What's your favorite thing to watch in your tank? My tangs, torches and watching my zoas grow
26. Are there any parts of the reef hobby you get really excited over? Advancements in equipment
27. What are some good gift ideas for you? (Some general thoughts or ideas for whoever draws your name.) Thats a hard one to answer. Anything reefing or hobby related. Really any of my interests. Im appreciative of anything
28. If you had to choose, would you rather receive something handmade or something store-bought? Either
29. Are there any specific brands or reef products you love or prefer? No
30. Would you be interested in receiving livestock? If yes, what would you be interested in? disclaimer due to the busy holiday season we recommend not shipping livestock. Yes and no. I'd be open to frags but I dont want to add any more fish or inverts to my current system
31. Are there any additional questions you wish we had asked that we didn't? (Add those questions in under these and post your answers.)

 

[mch1984]

1. What country are you located in?
   1. USA
2. What is one thing you always need more of?
   1. DI resin
3. What are your other hobbies/interests?
   1. Kayak fishing, camping, and off-roading. But mostly school work because it consumes all my time.
4. How do you like to spend your free time, whether it's relaxing after work or on the weekends?
   1. I try to make it to the lake and have some quiet time fishing. If not, its just my wife and I at home, so I like to go have a good meal with her or go see a movie.
5. Do you have any dietary restrictions or preferences if your Santa wants to send a treat?
   1. Nope
6. What’s your favorite candy or snack, either from your childhood or something you love to munch on now?
   1. Just about anything reeses or peanut butter based deserts. I also like cheesy salty snacks like cheez-its and goldfish.
7. What’s your favorite holiday tradition?
   1. Making a big breakfast and reading the story of Jesus before presents.
8. Do you collect anything?
   1. POPS and stickers, anything starwars, and lego.
9. What's your favorite color?
   1. Black or hunter green
10. What size t-shirt/hoodie/socks do you wear?
    1. 3x on most shirts/hoodies, I have a size 11 foot so whatever fits that.
11. What's one TV show or movie you can watch over and over again?
    1. All the starwars and big bang theory.
12. What type of music do you listen to?
    1. Lots of metal, favorite band is Korn.
13. Do you enjoy reading? If so, what types of books do you like?
    1. I enjoy audio books, but don't have to read anything other than textbooks.
14. Do you play any games (board games, video games, card games, etc.)? If yes, what are your favorites?
    1. Yes but not sure what my favorite is, I like them all...except sequence...I hate that one.
15. Are you a fan of any sports teams?
    1. I'm embarrassed to say, but yes, the Dallas Cowboys.
16. What’s something interesting about you that most people on R2R don’t know?
    1. At the age of 40 I have only had two jobs. Both in the same industry but after 17 years with my original company, I made a switch to a competitor. I have been with them for 5.5 years.
17. If you could travel anywhere, where would it be?
    1. I want to see Asia, not sure what part, but somewhere in Asia.
18. What’s one item on your bucket list?
    1. Bucket list is to travel to the Amazon to fish for peacock bass.
19. Do you have any pets besides your reef tank? Tell us about them!
    1. We have one dog, 11 year old mutt, a mix breed house cat who is 4, and a very young crested gecko named maple.
20. What's your favorite fish?
    1. ooooooh, thats tough. I love eels, no specific one, just eels.
21. Favorite coral?
    1. Acanthophyllia
22. Favorite invert?
    1. Cleaner shrimp, they are fun to watch.
23. Tell us about your tank(s)! What size are they? What do you keep in them? Do you have a build thread?
    1. I currently have a 40 gallon cube that is almost at the end of it's cycle. My wife has a 6.5 gallon planted. I will also be setting up a 32 gallon planted at work once our office is done. Yes I have a build thread.
24. Do you have any planned upgrades or tweaks you’d like to make to your tank(s)?
    1. Not until after I'm done with school, then I go BIGGER.
25. What's your favorite thing to watch in your tank?
    1. Since my wives is the only one with life, I'll say her endlers. They are super energetic and tiny, but beautiful fish.
26. Are there any parts of the reef hobby you get really excited over?
    1. Having coral growth because obviously noticed. My previous tank it was my Zoa's, they covered the rock I put them on and made a beautiful garden.
27. What are some good gift ideas for you? (Some general thoughts or ideas for whoever draws your name.)
    1. Anything really, I just enjoy this part of the RtoR community. If it's for the tank, just know it's still a baby and doesn't even have coral or fish yet (hopefully fish are added in the next week or so). Fishing stuff is always fun and I'm a big guy, so snacks are cool.
28. If you had to choose, would you rather receive something handmade or something store-bought?
    1. The fact that somebody is taking the time of their lives to do anything for me is all that really matters. I'll be grateful for whatever they send.
29. Are there any specific brands or reef products you love or prefer?
    1. Not really.
30. Would you be interested in receiving livestock? If yes, what would you be interested in? disclaimer due to the busy holiday season we recommend not shipping livestock
    1. Clean up crew
31. Are there any additional questions you wish we had asked that we didn't? (Add those questions in under these and post your answers.)

 

[LadyMac]

1. What country are you located in? US
2. What is one thing you always need more of? Fish food
3. What are your other hobbies/interests? Art, video games
4. How do you like to spend your free time, whether it's relaxing after work or on the weekends? Playing with the fish tanks, video games, spending time with the family
5. Do you have any dietary restrictions or preferences if your Santa wants to send a treat? Not a fan of Caramel, love mint
6. What’s your favorite candy or snack, either from your childhood or something you love to munch on now?mint chocolate chip
7. What’s your favorite holiday tradition? Sleeping in
8. Do you collect anything? Unicorns
9. What's your favorite color? Storm cloud grey
10. What size t-shirt/hoodie/socks do you wear?3x, I like em loose
11. What's one TV show or movie you can watch over and over again? The last Unicorn
12. What type of music do you listen to? Video game soundtracks, classic rock, 80s/90s alt
13. Do you enjoy reading? If so, what types of books do you like?I do! Fantasy.
14. Do you play any games (board games, video games, card games, etc.)? If yes, what are your favorites?video games, mostly legend of Zelda, some city building or sim style (majesty, zoo tycoon, ect)
15. Are you a fan of any sports teams?not really
16. What’s something interesting about you that most people on R2R don’t know?i am not sure
17. If you could travel anywhere, where would it be? Ireland
18. What’s one item on your bucket list? Nice reef rock
19. Do you have any pets besides your reef tank? Tell us about them! Yes, two aussie shep girls.
20. What's your favorite fish? Betta macrostoma for fresh. Marine would have to be the smaller wrasses
21. Favorite coral? Chalice
22. Favorite invert? Pompon crabs lol
23. Tell us about your tank(s)! What size are they? What do you keep in them? Do you have a build thread?I have a build thread currently redoing the 70 and fighting dinos in the 35.
24. Do you have any planned upgrades or tweaks you’d like to make to your tank(s)? Just getting the dinos gone and setting the 70 up.
25. What's your favorite thing to watch in your tank? Sideshow Bob and Selma, my clowns. They’re pretty active and quite entertaining.
26. Are there any parts of the reef hobby you get really excited over? I really love to watch corals move in the flow.
27. What are some good gift ideas for you? (Some general thoughts or ideas for whoever draws your name.) honestly, I’m not picky. Anything with unicorns or things that’ll help my reef and I’ll be happy.
28. If you had to choose, would you rather receive something handmade or something store-bought? Always handmade.
29. Are there any specific brands or reef products you love or prefer? Honestly I have no idea.
30. Would you be interested in receiving livestock? If yes, what would you be interested in? disclaimer due to the busy holiday season we recommend not shipping livestock I wouldn’t mind. It would have to be something that would be happy in the 35, (24x18 footprint) with the clowns, a dottyback and YWG. CUC would be ok.
31. Are there any additional questions you wish we had asked that we didn't? (Add those questions in under these and post your answers.) I think this has been mostly covered.

 

[Reef Wizard]

SECRET SANTA QUESTIONNAIRE

1. What country are you located in? USA
2. What is one thing you always need more of? Space for more fish tanks
3. What are your other hobbies/interests? Video Games/Octopuses/Lord of the Rings/Star Wars
4. How do you like to spend your free time, whether it's relaxing after work or on the weekends? Playing Video games/Caring for fish/Playing with Dog/Cat
5. Do you have any dietary restrictions or preferences if your Santa wants to send a treat? None
6. What’s your favorite candy or snack, either from your childhood or something you love to munch on now? Reese's
7. What’s your favorite holiday tradition? Hot Chocolate and Christmas Movie
8. Do you collect anything? No
9. What's your favorite color? Green
10. What size t-shirt/hoodie/socks do you wear? XL
11. What's one TV show or movie you can watch over and over again? Lord of the Rings/Star Wars
12. What type of music do you listen to? Classic Rock
13. Do you enjoy reading? If so, what types of books do you like? Fantasy/Sci-Fi/Post Apocalyptic
14. Do you play any games (board games, video games, card games, etc.)? If yes, what are your favorites? Tabletop/Video Games
15. Are you a fan of any sports teams? None
16. What’s something interesting about you that most people on R2R don’t know? I used to keep African Cichlids and Reptiles
17. If you could travel anywhere, where would it be? Engelberg Switzerland
18. What’s one item on your bucket list? To get my divers permit.
19. Do you have any pets besides your reef tank? Tell us about them! Moxie Golden Retriever Puppy/Ruby Black Cat
20. What's your favorite fish? Copper Band Butterfly
21. Favorite coral? Torch Corals
22. Favorite invert? Porcelain Crab
23. Tell us about your tank(s)! What size are they? What do you keep in them? Do you have a build thread? I have a build thread in my signature
24. Do you have any planned upgrades or tweaks you’d like to make to your tank(s)? Just getting it stocked
25. What's your favorite thing to watch in your tank? Water Movement/Fish Swimming
26. Are there any parts of the reef hobby you get really excited over? Anything to do with Octopuses
27. What are some good gift ideas for you? (Some general thoughts or ideas for whoever draws your name.) Pico Stuff, Anything Octopus related, LOTR/Star Wars
28. If you had to choose, would you rather receive something handmade or something store-bought? either one is fine
29. Are there any specific brands or reef products you love or prefer? Not particularly
30. Would you be interested in receiving livestock? If yes, what would you be interested in? disclaimer due to the busy holiday season we recommend not shipping livestock No
31. Are there any additional questions you wish we had asked that we didn't? (Add those questions in under these and post your answers.) None

 

[DTAT1987]

1. What country are you located in? United States
2. What is one thing you always need more of? Hammer coral
3. What are your other hobbies/interestsHow do you like to spend your free time, whether it's relaxing after work or on the weekends? I'm an avid outdoors man, lover hunting, fishing, rock hounding, and lapidary art especially garnets and opals.
4. Do you have any dietary restrictions or preferences if your Santa wants to send a treat? No restrictions
5. What’s your favorite candy or snack, either from your childhood or something you love to munch on now? Snickers
6. What’s your favorite holiday tradition? Putting the tree up with my kids and taking them to the lights at the park
7. Do you collect anything? I have a major addiction to rocks, opals, garnets etc, I love to cut them into gorgeous stones for jewelery
8. What's your favorite color? Teal
9. What size t-shirt/hoodie/socks do you wear. 2xl or 3xl for more baggy on hoodie, large socks, men's size 10w feet
10. What's one TV show or movie you can watch over and over again? Joe dirt
11. What type of music do you listen to? Any and all
12. Do you enjoy reading? If so, what types of books do you like? Don't really care to read
13. Do you play any games (board games, video games, card games, etc.)? If yes, what are your favorites? Not much into games
14. Are you a fan of any sports teams? Don't really watch sports
15. What’s something interesting about you that most people on R2R don’t know? I'm fairly new to reefing but I have severe adhd and dive into hobbies that always expand into more, like now I'm getting into 3d printing due to my needs/ wants for reefing and lapidary tools
16. If you could travel anywhere, where would it be? New Zealand or Australia
17. What’s one item on your bucket list? Go scuba diving
18. Do you have any pets besides your reef tank? Tell us about them! I have a female chocolate lab named Brandy and my wife and kids have a siamese cat named Ralph
19. What's your favorite fish? This is a very hard question, I love the colors of flame angels, I love my starry blenny personality and color changing, I have a male/ female scooter blenny that I love watching him dance around her like toothless the dragon off how to train your dragon.
20. Favorite coral? So far I am loving euphylia, I have frogspawn and multiple hammers. I love the looks of hammers, I also love fungia/ plate corals and how interesting they are to watch
21. Favorite invert? This is again a very hard question, I love all things weird and biodiversity but probably my spider decorator crabs or coco worm, I love my pistol shrimp and rbta as well though...
22. Tell us about your tank(s)! What size are they? What do you keep in them? Do you have a build thread? I currently have a fluval flex 32.5 set up and changed from fish only to mixed reef a couple months ago, I have a2nd one i need to setup i also have a75 I need to setup. But my current tank has a huge variety and it's probably little over stocked but everything seems to be doing good and happy..
23. Do you have any planned upgrades or tweaks you’d like to make to your tank(s)? I'd like to set my others up and some lighting upgrades to my others, I just put 2 duala pixel reefers on my current tank and the corals are loving the upgrade
24. What's your favorite thing to watch in your tank? I love it all, I love all the little inverts, and fish personality's the feather dusters, the anemones, and my corals now
25. Are there any parts of the reef hobby you get really excited over? Is pretty new to me led than 1 year so honestly all of it, I can't spend hours at the lfs, or at my tank just watching it all, my wife and kids get so annoyed...
26. What are some good gift ideas for you? (Some general thoughts or ideas for whoever draws your name.) Honestly anything I'm pretty easy going and love all things odd or new to me, I forgot to mention above I have a tube anemone as well and love that thing to buy I had to put it in a champaign glass to keep from wandering..
27. If you had to choose, would you rather receive something handmade or something store-bought? Whatever the Santa would like to give. The thoughts and giving nature are what makes this season magical!
28. Are there any specific brands or reef products you love or prefer? Not that I'm aware of yet
29. Would you be interested in receiving livestock? If yes, what would you be interested in? disclaimer due to the busy holiday season we recommend not shipping livestock I love my euphylia so far and plate corals, I have 1 orange rimmed plate I just got and 2green plates I've had a couple months. But I would love livestock if that's what Santa wants to send.
30. Are there any additional questions you wish we had asked that we didn't? (Add those questions in under these and post your answers.) Not that I'm aware of

 

[Cassian]

1. What country are you located in? USA
2. What is one thing you always need more of? Fish food, tank cleaning things, coral, hanna testing reagents, snacks
3. What are your other hobbies/interests? cosplay, violin, reptiles, art
4. How do you like to spend your free time, whether it's relaxing after work or on the weekends? I love spending time with my german shepherd, hunting, reading good fantasy books, sewing new cosplay for conventions, and of course working on my tank
5. Do you have any dietary restrictions or preferences if your Santa wants to send a treat? no restrictions!
6. What’s your favorite candy or snack, either from your childhood or something you love to munch on now? I absolutely love candy from other countries! If i cant find a strange new candy to try, i love anything milk chocolate or gummy. One if my favs is nerds clusters gummies or heath bars
7. What’s your favorite holiday tradition? I love sitting by a fire on Christmas and listening to carols
8. Do you collect anything? yes! I'm a huge collector of anything related to Titanic and Star Wars whether its movie posters, models, or antiques
9. What's your favorite color? I like blue and pretty much any dark colors like grey and black
10. What size t-shirt/hoodie/socks do you wear? men's small (or medium if 100% cotton) for t shirts, medium for hoodies, and usually medium for socks.
11. What's one TV show or movie you can watch over and over again? Arcane, Umbrella Academy, Avatar, Treasure Planet, and heck of a Boss/Hazbin Hotel
12. What type of music do you listen to? usually rock or movie sound tracks, but also some instrumental (usually violin)
13. Do you enjoy reading? If so, what types of books do you like? Yes! i love any good fantasy series. currently really into Fourth Wing but i also really like lord of the rings, dune, and maze runner
14. Do you play any games (board games, video games, card games, etc.)? If yes, what are your favorites? Yes! im a huge monopoly fan but also enjoy some video games like Ark, TF2, and Subnautica
15. Are you a fan of any sports teams? no
16. What’s something interesting about you that most people on R2R don’t know? most people dont know that i really enjoy making cosplays for conventions and that i play violin! Im also a veterinary student, which a lot of people dont know!
17. If you could travel anywhere, where would it be? New Zealand probably!
18. What’s one item on your bucket list? probably a gaming computer or an enclosure for a reptile that i want (rainbow boa)
19. Do you have any pets besides your reef tank? Tell us about them! Yes! im also really into reptiles and have three lovely snakes, a giant gecko, and i breed crested geckos. I also have two cats and a black german shepherd. Lastly, i have a horse that i enjoy riding in between my busy schedule
20. What's your favorite fish? harlequin tusk is my favorite, but the favorite that i own would be my pygmy angelfish!
21. Favorite coral? definitely a close tie between acropora and zoanthids!
22. Favorite invert? blood red fire shrimp! i love my pair
23. Tell us about your tank(s)! What size are they? What do you keep in them? Do you have a build thread? I have a 32 gallon biocube!! I do have a build thread, but i havent updated it in a while due to being busy with vet school. It should be linked in my bio! I keep a mixed reef but its lacking the reef part right now due to a crash after i had to move earlier this summer and i just havent been able to restock it yet. I currently have a clownfish pair, pygmy angelfish, two blue green reef chromis, a lawnmower blenny, pincushin urchin, and a pair of blood red fire shrimp! Ive got a few soft corals scattered around but nothing much.
24. Do you have any planned upgrades or tweaks you’d like to make to your tank(s)? I would love to rebuild my tank and integrate a sump. While the AIO aspect of the biocube is nice, its very tight and i prefer a sump for the stability of increased volume. I would love to do this soon, i just need o figure out how to drill my tank haha
25. What's your favorite thing to watch in your tank? surprisingly, probably my shrimp! they are one of my favorite things in my tank
26. Are there any parts of the reef hobby you get really excited over? yes! i love doing builds and working to make my tank better.
27. What are some good gift ideas for you? (Some general thoughts or ideas for whoever draws your name.) snacks are always great! i also love anything that can help me clean my tank because i always struggle cleaning the curved front glass. Also anything star wars, arcane, heck of a boss themed is always great!
28. If you had to choose, would you rather receive something handmade or something store-bought? Handmade things are always cool to me because im an artsy person and i appreciate the effort put into handmade things.
29. Are there any specific brands or reef products you love or prefer? i love red sea, fluval, BRS, maxspect, etc. pretty much any of the major brands that are well known and quality
30. Would you be interested in receiving livestock? If yes, what would you be interested in? disclaimer due to the busy holiday season we recommend not shipping livestock Since im trying to restock since my break down during my move, i would love livestock! fish wise, ive been wanting a Falco hawkfish for a long time or a purple firefish. as for coral, i would love any softies, acros, or LPS!!
31. Are there any additional questions you wish we had asked that we didn't? (Add those questions in under these and post your answers.) Nope!

 

[CaBrowne]

1. What country are you located in? USA
2. What is one thing you always need more of? Sweet Tea and chocolate
3. What are your other hobbies/interests? Reading, RPG video games/board games
4. How do you like to spend your free time, whether it's relaxing after work or on the weekends? Hanging out with my Husband and Daughter. Traveling to see different LFS’s (I live 3 hours from closest store). Maintenance on my Reef tank, watching TV, play video/board games, chicken tending.
5. Do you have any dietary restrictions or preferences if your Santa wants to send a treat? Not big on fruit
6. What’s your favorite candy or snack, either from your childhood or something you love to munch on now? Peppermint bark or any dark chocolate, Crunch, Old Fashioned Cinnamon hard candies, butter rum lifesavers
7. What’s your favorite holiday tradition? Picking out and decorating a real Christmas tree
8. Do you collect anything? Lapel pins (Enamel pins) of the places I’ve been, or interesting things like cats, funny things.
9. What's your favorite color? Light Teal / turquoise
10. What size t-shirt/hoodie/socks do you wear? XL in shirts, size 7 women shoe size for socks
11. What's one TV show or movie you can watch over and over again? Lord of the Rings / Hobbit
12. What type of music do you listen to? Mixture of a lot: Classic Rock (Queen, Tom Petty, Rolling Stones), Pop (Lady Gaga, Ed Sheraan), R&B (Teddy Swims, Sam Smith), Country (George Strait, Allen Jackson), Alternative Rock (Linkin Park, Breaking Benjamin). Pretty much anything other than Rap and Bluegrass
13. Do you enjoy reading? If so, what types of books do you like? YES! I love fantasy novels. True fantasy like Michael J Sullivan, Brandon Sanderson, Mercedes Lackey (Not crazy about the Romantasy craze that’s going on right now, I’ve read most of the popular ones, but I find the storylines and character building lacking. They read too much like fanfictions to me).
14. Do you play any games (board games, video games, card games, etc.)? If yes, what are your favorites? ALSO YES! I play a lot of video games such as Baulders Gate (all of them), Horizon Zero Dawn, Diablo, Dragon Age, Harvest Moon, Zelda, Pokemon. I also play a lot of cooperative board games with my family such as Gloomhaven, Frosthaven, Descent, Mansions of Madness, Oathsworn, Dead of Winter, Forgotten Waters.
15. Are you a fan of any sports teams? Not really, but I’ll say my alma mater: Louisiana Tech Bulldogs. Does picking a favorite mascot count? If so, I’ll go with the TCU horned toads
16. What’s something interesting about you that most people on R2R don’t know? I am crafty and handy, I can DIY a lot of things in the hobby.
17. If you could travel anywhere, where would it be? Back to Hawaii, loved Kauai. Also several places in Japan and Australia.
18. What’s one item on your bucket list? See above.
19. Do you have any pets besides your reef tank? Tell us about them! 4 Cats, 1 dog, 20 chickens, and a Western hognose snake.
20. What's your favorite fish? I love the look of a lot of the bigger Angel Fish like the Queen and Regal, but for one I could actually own someday: Probably an Achilles Tang.
21. Favorite coral? Euphyilla specifically Hammers
22. Favorite invert? Shrimp Love them all.
23. Tell us about your tank(s)! What size are they? What do you keep in them? Do you have a build thread? New tank is IM NUVO 200 EXT Peninsula I started this past summer. Plan to make it a mixed LPS dominate reef. Yes I have a build for it, but I need to update it. I also have a 20 gallon freshwater planted tank.
24. Do you have any planned upgrades or tweaks you’d like to make to your tank(s)? Not so much upgrades because its brand new, but I need to learn about dosing, and controllers because I never used them before on previous tanks, and I think this time around I want easier maintenance.
25. What's your favorite thing to watch in your tank? A goby pistol shrimp pair. I would say mandarin, but I don’t have one of those yet.
26. Are there any parts of the reef hobby you get really excited over? I get excited talking about my tank to non-reefers and spreading the love of the hobby. I also get excited when I can look in the tank and see that things are doing well. That feeling of knowing that what you are doing seems to be working.
27. What are some good gift ideas for you? (Some general thoughts or ideas for whoever draws your name.) I would be honestly grateful for whatever. Honestly I am more excited about in being able to send a gift to someone new and possibly making a new friend in the reefing community.
28. If you had to choose, would you rather receive something handmade or something store-bought? Either would be great
29. Are there any specific brands or reef products you love or prefer? Not particularly, all are good for different reasons. I’m not crazy about the idea of name brand things in general simply for the sake of buying big names (ie YETI, Stanley cups, Coach, etc), but most of the time in the reef hobby I’ve learned that big names also have quality backing and support for their products.
30. Would you be interested in receiving livestock? I wouldn’t turn it down because my tank is new, but I understand shipping can be terrible, especially around this time of year. If yes, what would you be interested in? Maybe just a contact for a future date of frag swapping or something like that. disclaimer due to the busy holiday season we recommend not shipping livestock
31. Are there any additional questions you wish we had asked that we didn't? (Add those questions in under these and post your answers.) Not that I can think of.

 

[ChrisQ0904]

SECRET SANTA QUESTIONNAIRE
What country are you located in? USA
What is one thing you always need more of? Roller mat 500 rolls
What are your other hobbies/interests? F1, spending time with my son, building random things
How do you like to spend your free time, whether it's relaxing after work or on the weekends? Watching the Miami Dolphins, family time, building things, playing with the dogs
Do you have any dietary restrictions or preferences if your Santa wants to send a treat? No
What’s your favorite candy or snack, either from your childhood or something you love to munch on now? Dark chocolate
What’s your favorite holiday tradition? Family dinner
Do you collect anything? No
What's your favorite color? Red
What size t-shirt/hoodie/socks do you wear? XL/XL/12
What's one TV show or movie you can watch over and over again? Harry potter
What type of music do you listen to? Rock, hip hop, r&b, salsa, merengue, country
Do you enjoy reading? If so, what types of books do you like? Audio book type of guy
Do you play any games (board games, video games, card games, etc.)? If yes, what are your favorites? No
Are you a fan of any sports teams? Miami Dolphins, Florida Gators, F1(Lewis Hamilton)
What’s something interesting about you that most people on R2R don’t know? I love to cook (mainly smoke on the traeger)
If you could travel anywhere, where would it be? Puerto Rico to see the family or Australia for fun
What’s one item on your bucket list? Dive the great barrier reef
Do you have any pets besides your reef tank? Tell us about them! 2 doggos Mouse and Loona and 11 redfoot tortoises
What's your favorite fish? Clownfish
Favorite coral? SPS
Favorite invert? Anemone
Tell us about your tank(s)! What size are they? What do you keep in them? Do you have a build thread? I have a 75g mixed reef sps dominate, yes I have a build thread, please follow lol
Do you have any planned upgrades or tweaks you’d like to make to your tank(s)? Not at the moment, was looking at the sicce submersible uv though
What's your favorite thing to watch in your tank? Hmm, that's a hard one. I guess just how everything in the tank coexists
Are there any parts of the reef hobby you get really excited over? New knowledge and good growth
What are some good gift ideas for you? (Some general thoughts or ideas for whoever draws your name.) I'm pretty open to whatever, as long as it's something cool, fun, reef related, something to share with my family/pets. Not really sure lol
If you had to choose, would you rather receive something handmade or something store-bought? Both are great
Are there any specific brands or reef products you love or prefer? Right now really loving all my tropic marin stuff
Would you be interested in receiving livestock? If yes, what would you be interested in? disclaimer due to the busy holiday season we recommend not shipping livestock. Yes, mainly interested in sps, nice mushrooms, or nice chalice.
Are there any additional questions you wish we had asked that we didn't? (Add those questions in under these and post your answers.) Happy Holidays everyone.

 

[Imrahilwjz]

SECRET SANTA QUESTIONNAIRE
What country are you located in?
USA
What is one thing you always need more of?
Food

What are your other hobbies/interests?
Reading. Growing gourmet mushrooms. Shooting. Hunting. Camping.

How do you like to spend your free time, whether it's relaxing after work or on the weekends?
With the wife and kids

Do you have any dietary restrictions or preferences if your Santa wants to send a treat?
Nope.

What’s your favorite candy or snack, either from your childhood or something you love to munch on now?
100 Grand candy bar. Popcorn.

What’s your favorite holiday tradition?
Midnight Mass

Do you collect anything?
Shot glasses. Firearms (sort of)


What's your favorite color?
Red

What size t-shirt/hoodie/socks do you wear?
Extra Large. Socks 9 to 12.

What's one TV show or movie you can watch over and over again?
Frequency. Early Edition.

What type of music do you listen to?
Irish Folk. Gaelic Storm. Traditional Country.

Do you enjoy reading? If so, what types of books do you like?
Yes. Clean Sci fi or fantasy. History. Catholic faith.

Do you play any games (board games, video games, card games, etc.)? If yes, what are your favorites?
Yes to all. Board games: Merchant of Venus, Terraforming Mars. Cranium. Video games: Solasta, Helldivers. Card games: Rummy, Pinochle, Uno.

Are you a fan of any sports teams?
Not really. I say I'm a Beaver fan, mainly to irritate Ducks fans.

What’s something interesting about you that most people on R2R don’t know?
I used to be a logger.

If you could travel anywhere, where would it be?
Spain

What’s one item on your bucket list?
Crater Lake

Do you have any pets besides your reef tank?
Yes

Tell us about them!
2 mixed breed dogs
2 cats
1 bearded dragon

What's your favorite fish?
Green Mandarinfish hands down

Favorite coral?
Pulsing Xenia

Favorite invert?
Urchins


Tell us about your tank(s)!
2 tanks and 1 sump.

What size are they?
180 gallon, 90 gallon, 50 gallon sump; eventually they'll all be connected into one system

What do you keep in them?
Thus far one Kleini butterfly, one flame hawk, crabs, snails, pincushion urchin

Do you have a build thread?
Yes, although I think I need to link it to my banner

Do you have any planned upgrades or tweaks you’d like to make to your tank(s)?
Currently just have the 180 running on top of the sump, want to lift the 90 gallon (which is on the other side of the wall) stock as a refugium, and add a 2" pipe the runs from it to the DT. Sort of a highway for pods.

What's your favorite thing to watch in your tank?
Tough call. Hawkfish mostly, but really all of it, even tunicates and pineapple sponges are cool to me. If I get a green mandarinfish or 2 it will be king.


Are there any parts of the reef hobby you get really excited over?
Getting new stock

What are some good gift ideas for you? (Some general thoughts or ideas for whoever draws your name.)
Algae grazer, frozen fish food, pod bunkers, pods, phyto,

If you had to choose, would you rather receive something handmade or something store-bought?
Handmade (but either is fine)

Are there any specific brands or reef products you love or prefer?
I like Finnex heaters, just because I've had good luck with them.


Would you be interested in receiving livestock?
No. Sounds like way too much hassle for something like this. Arranging to have someone home would be a problem.

If yes, what would you be interested in? disclaimer due to the busy holiday season we recommend not shipping livestock


Are there any additional questions you wish we had asked that we didn't? (Add those questions in under these and post your answers.)
Honestly no. You could also give a family present of some sort that I could share with my family.

 

[Marine Iguana]

SECRET SANTA QUESTIONNAIRE

1. What country are you located in? USA
2. What is one thing you always need more of? Coffee
3. What are your other hobbies/interests? Houseplants, freshwater aquariums, gardening, board games, craft beer, reading theology books
4. How do you like to spend your free time, whether it's relaxing after work or on the weekends? Doing aquarium maintenance, spending time with my wife and our friends over good food and drink
5. Do you have any dietary restrictions or preferences if your Santa wants to send a treat? Nope!
6. What’s your favorite candy or snack, either from your childhood or something you love to munch on now? My go-to snack are tortilla chips & queso
7. What’s your favorite holiday tradition? Doing an advent devotional with my wife every evening
8. Do you collect anything? Houseplants, stickers for my guitar cases
9. What's your favorite color? Yellow
10. What size t-shirt/hoodie/socks do you wear? Large
11. What's one TV show or movie you can watch over and over again? Parks & Rec
12. What type of music do you listen to? Christian Worship, Bluegrass, Folk, Alt Rock, Alt Pop
13. Do you enjoy reading? If so, what types of books do you like? Yes- christian theology books, anything Tolkien or CS Lewis
14. Do you play any games (board games, video games, card games, etc.)? If yes, what are your favorites? Yes- my favorite board games right now are Wingspan and Terraforming Mars. My favorite video games are Planet Zoo, Subnautica, Inscryption, and anything in the Pokemon franchise.
15. Are you a fan of any sports teams? Nope
16. What’s something interesting about you that most people on R2R don’t know? I won best beard and mustache at the Pennsylvania Lumberjack Festival this year
17. If you could travel anywhere, where would it be? Either Iceland or the Galápagos Islands
18. What’s one item on your bucket list?
19. Do you have any pets besides your reef tank? Tell us about them! Nope, other than a freshwater tank. My wife and I are hoping to adopt a dog this summer!
20. What's your favorite fish? Regal Angelfish
21. Favorite coral? Herpolitha
22. Favorite invert? Mantis Shrimp
23. Tell us about your tank(s)! What size are they? What do you keep in them? Do you have a build thread? I have a 150g reef that I've had running for a bit over 2 years now! It's stocked pretty light at the moment, but I'm hoping to start investing in some new coral & fish soon! Current inhabitants are a percula clown pair, 2 azure damsels, a scopas tang, and my pride and joy- a magnificent foxface named "Big Momma!" Corals are predominantly LPS. I forget if I have a build thread, if I do haven't updated it in ages.
24. Do you have any planned upgrades or tweaks you’d like to make to your tank(s)? I have a 24g aquarium ordered that should be shipped to me in a few weeks- it is going to be plumbed into the 150g tank and will be a mangrove/macroalgae display and home to a mantis shrimp!
25. What's your favorite thing to watch in your tank? My magnificent foxface named "Big Momma"
26. Are there any parts of the reef hobby you get really excited over? Weird species of coral you don't regularly see, angelfish
27. What are some good gift ideas for you? (Some general thoughts or ideas for whoever draws your name.) I will be blessed by whatever you give- maybe something that shares a bit about where you're from! Any aquarium related merch is fun too!
28. If you had to choose, would you rather receive something handmade or something store-bought? Either is fun!
29. Are there any specific brands or reef products you love or prefer? Nope!
30. Would you be interested in receiving livestock? If yes, what would you be interested in? disclaimer due to the busy holiday season we recommend not shipping livestock Yes, but totally not expected
31. Are there any additional questions you wish we had asked that we didn't? (Add those questions in under these and post your answers.) Nope!

 

[pistolperry]

SECRETSANTAQUESTIONNAIRE

1. What country are you located in? USA
2. What is one thing you always need more of? Dog food, they are eating machines.
3. What are your other hobbies/interests? Music, Gaming, Woodworking
4. How do you like to spend your free time, whether it's relaxing after work or on the weekends? Gaming with friends, working around the house, hanging out with girlfriend.
5. Do you have any dietary restrictions or preferences if your Santa wants to send a treat?
6. What’s your favorite candy or snack, either from your childhood or something you love to munch on now? Hot Tamales
7. What’s your favorite holiday tradition? Making an ornament for our tree every year.
8. Do you collect anything? Have a small vinyl collection started.
9. What's your favorite color? Black / Red
10. What size t-shirt/hoodie/socks do you wear? Medium
11. What's one TV show or movie you can watch over and over again? I'm big into any horror movies.
12. What type of music do you listen to? Top two bands are The Cure and Coheed and Cambria
13. Do you enjoy reading? If so, what types of books do you like?
14. Do you play any games (board games, video games, card games, etc.)? If yes, what are your favorites?
    I like all games really, but my top most played by far is DOTA 2
15. Are you a fan of any sports teams? Tennessee Vols
16. What’s something interesting about you that most people on R2R don’t know? Probably a lot as I am new, but my profession is a software engineer.
17. If you could travel anywhere, where would it be? Japan
18. What’s one item on your bucket list? I'd like to hit the northern lights in Iceland at some point.
19. Do you have any pets besides your reef tank? Tell us about them! I have three dogs, that all have very unique personalities.
20. What's your favorite fish? My lawnmower blenny, he is a goober.
21. Favorite coral? Zoas!
22. Favorite invert? Conch
23. Tell us about your tank(s)! What size are they? What do you keep in them? Do you have a build thread? I have a new Inifina 190.5 I'm building out (see build thread), a 25g nano, and a 30 gallon nano.
24. Do you have any planned upgrades or tweaks you’d like to make to your tank(s)? Just building out my new tank!
25. What's your favorite thing to watch in your tank? Everything, I love just watching the whole ecosystem and how everything interacts.
26. Are there any parts of the reef hobby you get really excited over? Just exploring everything as its a new hobby.
27. What are some good gift ideas for you? (Some general thoughts or ideas for whoever draws your name.) Happy just to share in the spirit of the season, happy just to be matched up and spread the love.
28. If you had to choose, would you rather receive something handmade or something store-bought? Happy with either, just looking to spread the love.
29. Are there any specific brands or reef products you love or prefer? No
30. Would you be interested in receiving livestock? If yes, what would you be interested in? Not this go around tanks aren't ready for it
31. Are there any additional questions you wish we had asked that we didn't? (Add those questions in under these and post your answers.)

 

[Reefer_kano]

.

 

[Reefer_kano]

1. What country are you located in? Pennsylvania U.S.A
2. What is one thing you always need more of? Frozen foods, pods
3. What are your other hobbies/interests? DYI projects, Working out.
4. How do you like to spend your free time, whether it's relaxing after work or on the weekends? feeding corals, looking at my Reef
5. Do you have any dietary restrictions or preferences if your Santa wants to send a treat? Nope lol
6. What’s your favorite candy or snack, either from your childhood or something you love to munch on now? Dulce de coco
7. What’s your favorite holiday tradition? family gatherings
8. Do you collect anything? hot sauce, stickers
9. What's your favorite color? BLUE
10. What size t-shirt/hoodie/socks do you wear? 2XL
11. What's one TV show or movie you can watch over and over again? Game of thrones, hells kitchen
12. What type of music do you listen to? Classic rock, Rap, reggeton
13. Do you enjoy reading? If so, what types of books do you like? Anything dogs, fish or reef related
14. Do you play any games (board games, video games, card games, etc.)? If yes, what are your favorites? Video games like CoD
15. Are you a fan of any sports teams? EAGLES!
16. What’s something interesting about you that most people on R2R don’t know? I speak 3 languages
17. If you could travel anywhere, where would it be? Thailand
18. What’s one item on your bucket list? drive a race car
19. Do you have any pets besides your reef tank? Tell us about them! Yup, 3lb chihuahua
20. What's your favorite fish? Yellow tangs
21. Favorite coral? Gonis
22. Favorite invert? Harlequin shrimp
23. Tell us about your tank(s)! What size are they? What do you keep in them? Do you have a build thread? I have a 300G system, 6'x3'x2' with a large sump. Mixed reef. My build thread seem to have been deleted.
24. Do you have any planned upgrades or tweaks you’d like to make to your tank(s)? Add more SPS and upgrade lighting
25. What's your favorite thing to watch in your tank? The gonis and fish
26. Are there any parts of the reef hobby you get really excited over? Yes, polyps extension lol
27. What are some good gift ideas for you? (Some general thoughts or ideas for whoever draws your name.) Reef/fish related art, frozen foods, pods, livestock
28. If you had to choose, would you rather receive something handmade or something store-bought? I would be happy with either
29. Are there any specific brands or reef products you love or prefer? Dinkins, red sea, tropic marin
30. Would you be interested in receiving livestock? Yes, pods, tangs, meat corals, gonis
31. Are there any additional questions you wish we had asked that we didn't? (Add those questions in under these and post your answers.) Nope

 

[KrisReef]

Now I remember why KrisReef did not join in the fun in 2023; Answer this small list of questions, tell us your sizes but we don't want to know if you have Boxers or Briefs, or Thongs, thank you.

SECRET SANTA QUESTIONNAIRE

1. What country are you located in? CONUS
2. What is one thing you always need more of? Grace
3. What are your other hobbies/interests? I sleep alot.
4. How do you like to spend your free time, whether it's relaxing after work or on the weekends? I sleep alot, and sometimes I go on vacation to places with REEFS to snorkle on!
5. Do you have any dietary restrictions or preferences if your Santa wants to send a treat? NO ladies popping out of cakes. I'm Married.
6. What’s your favorite candy or snack, either from your childhood or something you love to munch on now? Chocolates, See's MnM's, no Stauffers, thank you.
7. What’s your favorite holiday tradition? Boycotting Thanksgiving, or cutting a fresh live tree.
8. Do you collect anything? Dust & wrinkles.
9. What's your favorite color? Duh, Blue!
10. What size t-shirt/hoodie/socks do you wear? Large, Large, Large
11. What's one TV show or movie you can watch over and over again? Groundhog Day.
12. What type of music do you listen to? Live Music.
13. Do you enjoy reading? If so, what types of books do you like? The Bible.
14. Do you play any games (board games, video games, card games, etc.)? If yes, what are your favorites? My Favorite Board is Reef2Reef, and I like posting Secret Entries into old Contests.
15. Are you a fan of any sports teams? Jamacan Bobsled!
16. What’s something interesting about you that most people on R2R don’t know? My last poached coral died yesterday.
17. If you could travel anywhere, where would it be? Heaven, or any of the tropical reefs not currently experiencing difficult weather.
18. What’s one item on your bucket list? Clean the Garage.
19. Do you have any pets besides your reef tank? Tell us about them! We had chinchilla's but they chewed their way out. We have a parakeet.
20. What's your favorite fish? Seared Ahi
21. Favorite coral? The Great Barrier Reef
22. Favorite invert? Zooxanthellae
23. Tell us about your tank(s)! What size are they? What do you keep in them? Do you have a build thread? No build thread, 125 Fish tank, Blue tang, purple tang, foxface, 2XClowns & 8 Inferno anems, yellowheaded sleeper goby, filefish. Reef tank. 2 black mollies, a few burghia and many Aiptasia, and lots of corals.
24. Do you have any planned upgrades or tweaks you’d like to make to your tank(s)? One week I want to work on them the next week I want to drain them.
25. What's your favorite thing to watch in your tank? Algae and Aiptasia die!
26. Are there any parts of the reef hobby you get really excited over? Visiting LFS!
27. What are some good gift ideas for you? (Some general thoughts or ideas for whoever draws your name.) I saw on Elfster that I had asked for Algae and pods last time. I really don't need much else. & I am sorry not to be more helpful, have fun, this is supposed to be fun!
28. If you had to choose, would you rather receive something handmade or something store-bought? How come something shoplifted isn't one of the choices? I like nice things, same as everyone else. IF you make stuff and want to send it, thank you!
29. Are there any specific brands or reef products you love or prefer? Support R2R Sponsors!
30. Would you be interested in receiving livestock? If yes, what would you be interested in? disclaimer due to the busy holiday season we recommend not shipping livestock. A nice Christmas ham? If you want to send fish or corals I have a little room, just don't send anything that is not reefsafe or gets huge! Love to share "livestock without hooves."
31. Are there any additional questions you wish we had asked that we didn't? (Add those questions in under these and post your answers.)
32. How about if you have a question to ask but since you are a secret santa, you pm @Santa Claus to ask me for you. I know my answers probably were not very helpful and we can keep Santa busy relaying mail until MLK Day!

Happy Holidays Folks!

 

[mattgsa]

Ho! Ho! Ho! It's that time of year again—the season of giving, and what better way to spread holiday cheer than with our annual Reef2Reef Secret Santa Gift Exchange!

Forget socks and fruitcakes! As reefers, we know that nothing beats the joy of giving and receiving gifts that truly connect with who we are and what we love! Who else but a fellow reefer understands the excitement of getting that perfect frag or a gadget you’ve had your eye on? This exchange isn’t just about the gifts, though—it’s a chance to grow as a community, get to know one another better, and share in the holiday spirit!

So, let’s come together to spread some Christmas magic, make new reefing friends, and add a splash of joy to someone’s tank—or life! Dive into the fun and make this year’s exchange the most festive one yet!

We've made a few changes this year, so be sure to read the info below.

HOW IT WORKS

• Requirements to participate:
  
  • At least 18 years of age
  • At least 14 days as a member of R2R
  • At least 10 posts on R2R
  • Members from all over the world may participate (Please see below regarding international participation).
• Gift requirement: AT LEAST $25 value and a splash of Christmas joy! (Suggested gift range is $25-$50. More on this below.)
• How we'll match you up: Once you sign up, you'll receive a link to Elfster, the website/app we use to organize the gift exchange. Just follow the link to register so we can match you with your Secret Santa.
• The first matchup will take place on November 1st. After this, matches will happen every Monday (at least 25 people per match) until December 2nd.
• Sign up will be open through December 1st.
• Buy or make gifts and ship them by December 15th.
• Delivery tracking is mandatory and will need to be sent to @Santa Claus and/or updated in Elfster.
• Be sure to say THANK YOU when your gift is received (it's a requirement, so see below).

International Participation: We welcome international participants to be part of our Secret Santa! In order to make this possible, we're creating a separate international group for international members who want to take part! Here are the key details:

• Global Inclusion: We’re excited to include reefers from all over the world! However, while we wish that we had enough international participation to allow all participants to only send to members within their own country, that simply isn't feasible. So, please be aware of the possibility that you may need to ship internationally if you join the international group.
• Shipping Considerations: Keep in mind potential international shipping costs and timeframes when signing up.
• USA Participants in the International Group: USA participants can join the international group, but there’s no guarantee they’ll be matched with someone outside the U.S.—it depends on the number of participants and the luck of the draw.

HOW TO SIGN UP

To sign up, you will need to do these 3 things (PLEASE DO ALL 3):

• STEP 1: PM @Santa Claus with the following 3 things: YOUR NAME, EMAIL ADDRESS (the one you'll be using with Elfster is helpful), and WHETHER YOU'RE PARTICIPATING IN THE US GROUP OR INTERNATIONAL GROUP (members located outside the US are required to participate in the international group). Once I have this info, I will PM you the link to sign up on Elfster and join the gift exchange).
• STEP 2: Sign up for this year's gift exchange on Elfster. I will send you the link for the group you are signing up for.
  • Please, PLEASE, be sure your R2R username is entered on your Elfster profile (include it maybe after your First Name so it appears like a "middle name." This really does help your Secret Santa to find you on Reef2Reef and get better gift giving ideas.
• STEP 3: Post in this thread with your answers to the questionnaire (see below) IN THIS THREAD (this is our official registration thread).

IMPORTANT! If you do not do all 3 of these things, you will NOT be matched!

IMPORTANT DATES

• Registration opens: October 15th
• First Match-Up: November 1st
• Subsequent Match-Ups: Every Monday until December 2nd.
• Deadline to Sign Up: December 1st.
• Gifts Must Ship: No later than December 15th.

GIFT GUIDELINES

• Gift Value must meet or exceed $25. (Suggested gift range is $25-$50)
• Rule About Regifting: Regifting toward the minimum value is not allowed. While you can include items you already have in your gift, those items won’t count toward the $25 minimum value. Make sure any regifted items are thoughtful and suitable for the recipient.
• Shipping costs are NOT included in the gift value requirement.
• Thoughtful Gifts Wanted! Let’s make it special for your recipient! Everyone’s idea of the perfect gift is different, but please try to include something personal and thoughtful. We also ask that a $25 e-gift card not be the only thing you send—get creative!
• Your gift MUST be sent by December 15th. Now, we realize things can happen, and we're always willing to work with participants. However, if your gift has not been shipped and confirmation/tracking info sent to Santa by the deadline, you may be banned from participating in future Secret Santa exchanges on Reef2Reef.

ADDITIONAL PARTICIPATION EXPECTATIONS

• Participate with Goodwill. Secret Santa is about spreading joy and participating in good faith. We ask that all participants engage with this spirit of giving in mind and contribute to making this exchange a fun, positive experience for everyone!
• Communication is Key! If something unexpected happens and you’re unable to ship your gift on time, please reach out to @Santa Claus as soon as possible so we can work together to make arrangements. Life happens, and we understand!
• Gift expectations. Remember, while you’re welcome to go above the suggested gift range, the spirit of this exchange is about spreading joy rather than focusing on the dollar amount. So, feel free to go above and beyond to share the reefing love in your own way, but don’t worry if what you receive falls within the suggested $25–$50 range.
• Don't Forget to Say THANK YOU! Saying 'Thank You!' is part of the fun and community spirit of Secret Santa! Once you’ve received your gift, be sure to make a post or send a message to let your Secret Santa know it arrived safely and share your appreciation. Most of you do this anyway, but just to be clear, this a requirement for participating. We’ll have a dedicated "Thank You" thread where you can spread the cheer!
• Making a wishlist on Elfster may help your Santa with ideas. This is not required (if you fill out the questions listed here, you should be giving some good ideas to your Secret Santa anyhow), but we know some of you like this feature a lot. So feel free to make a wish list, but please remember that the suggested gift amount is $25-$50 (so be sure to have some good gift ideas available to your Secret Santa in that range).

Failure to abide by these guidelines may result in not being allowed future participation in Secret Santa gift exchanges. (We're really not expecting to remove anyone, but we do reserve the right to do so if a participant does not engage in the spirit of this gift exchange.)

SECRET SANTA QUESTIONNAIRE

1. What country are you located in?
2. What is one thing you always need more of?
3. What are your other hobbies/interests?
4. How do you like to spend your free time, whether it's relaxing after work or on the weekends?
5. Do you have any dietary restrictions or preferences if your Santa wants to send a treat?
6. What’s your favorite candy or snack, either from your childhood or something you love to munch on now?
7. What’s your favorite holiday tradition?
8. Do you collect anything?
9. What's your favorite color?
10. What size t-shirt/hoodie/socks do you wear?
11. What's one TV show or movie you can watch over and over again?
12. What type of music do you listen to?
13. Do you enjoy reading? If so, what types of books do you like?
14. Do you play any games (board games, video games, card games, etc.)? If yes, what are your favorites?
15. Are you a fan of any sports teams?
16. What’s something interesting about you that most people on R2R don’t know?
17. If you could travel anywhere, where would it be?
18. What’s one item on your bucket list?
19. Do you have any pets besides your reef tank? Tell us about them!
20. What's your favorite fish?
21. Favorite coral?
22. Favorite invert?
23. Tell us about your tank(s)! What size are they? What do you keep in them? Do you have a build thread?
24. Do you have any planned upgrades or tweaks you’d like to make to your tank(s)?
25. What's your favorite thing to watch in your tank?
26. Are there any parts of the reef hobby you get really excited over?
27. What are some good gift ideas for you? (Some general thoughts or ideas for whoever draws your name.)
28. If you had to choose, would you rather receive something handmade or something store-bought?
29. Are there any specific brands or reef products you love or prefer?
30. Would you be interested in receiving livestock? If yes, what would you be interested in? disclaimer due to the busy holiday season we recommend not shipping livestock
31. Are there any additional questions you wish we had asked that we didn't? (Add those questions in under these and post your answers.)

If shipping coral we ask that you notify @Santa Claus via PM when you would like 2 ship so we can notify recipient and make sure they will be able to receive it. If the recipient can't be there we will ask them for 2 other days and work out with sender. (We don't mind playing the go between here to keep it more a secret.)

Also, notice that we have a special Secret Santa forum going on! Feel free to start other threads in here to talk about everything Secret Santa related, holiday related, or just anything you want to talk with all of us other SS peeps!

Looking forward to spreading some holiday reefing cheer with you all! Happy reefing and happy holidays!

#R2RSecretSanta

1. What country are you located in? US
2. What is one thing you always need more of? Kalk
3. What are your other hobbies/interests? IT
4. How do you like to spend your free time, whether it's relaxing after work or on the weekends? I mess with the fish tank
5. Do you have any dietary restrictions or preferences if your Santa wants to send a treat? No
6. What’s your favorite candy or snack, either from your childhood or something you love to munch on now? Sneakers
7. What’s your favorite holiday tradition? Eating pie
8. Do you collect anything? Fish and Corals
9. What's your favorite color? Blue
10. What size t-shirt/hoodie/socks do you wear? XL
11. What's one TV show or movie you can watch over and over again? Star Trec TNG
12. What type of music do you listen to? Anything but Rap
13. Do you enjoy reading? If so, what types of books do you like? I don't like reading; however, I do like audiobooks
14. Do you play any games (board games, video games, card games, etc.)? If yes, what are your favorites? No
15. Are you a fan of any sports teams? No
16. What’s something interesting about you that most people on R2R don’t know? Over the years, I have spent over 6 months in the mountains backpacking. I have also hiked across the Grand Canyon.
17. If you could travel anywhere, where would it be? Australia
18. What’s one item on your bucket list? A Jem Tang
19. Do you have any pets besides your reef tank? Tell us about them! No, my daughter has Boxer, but she takes care of him.
20. What's your favorite fish? Dumasarius Tang
21. Favorite coral? Any Tenius
22. Favorite invert? I haven't found it yet
23. Tell us about your tank(s)! What size are they? What do you keep in them? Do you have a build thread? I have the 315; it has fish in it right now.
24. Do you have any planned upgrades or tweaks you’d like to make to your tank(s)? I would like to put Ozon on it.
25. What's your favorite thing to watch in your tank? I love watching the fish, I have my desk pointing right at it. It has really affected productivity.
26. Are there any parts of the reef hobby you get really excited over? When new corals show signs of growth.
27. What are some good gift ideas for you? (Some general thoughts or ideas for whoever draws your name.) I love gift cards
28. If you had to choose, would you rather receive something handmade or store-bought? Either is good with me. I have only received two hand made gifts in my life, and I value them greatly.
29. Are there any specific brands or reef products you love or prefer? No
30. Would you be interested in receiving livestock? If yes, what would you be interested in? disclaimer due to the busy holiday season we recommend not shipping livestock Yes, any cleanup crew would be great.
31. Are there any additional questions you wish we had asked that we didn't? (Add those questions in under these and post your answers.) Not that I can think of at this time.

 

[Stang67]

Santa Came!!!! I have not opened anything I didn't know if there was a thank you thread started for reveals?

 

[fishguy242]

Santa Came!!!! I have not opened anything I didn't know if there was a thank you thread started for reveals?

Yes,there is, started by Crabs, i'll link it as soon as I get a chance ,unless i see you found it...

 

[fishguy242]

R2R 2024 Secret Santa gift thread

Got my packages as well. I'm going to see how long I can refrain from tearing them open. My record to date is 1 hr 23 minutes. Wish me luck. as soon as i saw my box outside, I tore into it. I couldn't wait on mine haha

www.reef2reef.com

 

[Coral Memere]

SECRET SANTA QUESTIONNAIRE

1. What country are you located in? USA
2. What is one thing you always need more of? Should I say CORAL, like everyone else?
3. What are your other hobbies/interests? Reading, knitting, my grandkids, my pets, my family
4. How do you like to spend your free time, whether it's relaxing after work or on the weekends? How do I LIKE to spend my free time is sleeping. How i USUALLY spend my free time is futzing with the tank.
5. Do you have any dietary restrictions or preferences if your Santa wants to send a treat? No
6. What’s your favorite candy or snack, either from your childhood or something you love to munch on now? Popcorn, Reese's peanut butter cups, cheese puffs
7. What’s your favorite holiday tradition? Decorating outside
8. Do you collect anything? Coral & flamingos
9. What's your favorite color? Blue
10. What size t-shirt/hoodie/socks do you wear? XL
11. What's one TV show or movie you can watch over and over again? MASH
12. What type of music do you listen to? Jimmy Buffett or Celtic rock
13. Do you enjoy reading? If so, what types of books do you like? Scifi or mystery/crime/adventure
14. Do you play any games (board games, video games, card games, etc.)? If yes, what are your favorites? Cribbage, chutes & ladders, candy land, monopoly
15. Are you a fan of any sports teams? No
16. What’s something interesting about you that most people on R2R don’t know? I used to be a divemaster on Grand Cayman
17. If you could travel anywhere, where would it be? Great Barrier Reef
18. What’s one item on your bucket list? Dive the Great Barrier Reef (tank my husband diving, anywhere tropical)
19. Do you have any pets besides your reef tank? Tell us about them! I have 2 dogs, an old girl that our son left with us and my 5 year old. She was supposed to be a service dog, but kept growing and growing and growing. Clifford's little sister does NOT go everywhere with me. We also have 2, 10-11yo red eared slider turtles. Filthy and smelly, but they have so much personality, I love them.
20. What's your favorite fish? MY Mandarin
21. Favorite coral? Today? (Lps and softies)
22. Favorite invert? My pom pom crab I can't find.
23. Tell us about your tank(s)! What size are they? What do you keep in them? Do you have a build thread? I have a 95 and a 220 that are just holding stock until we finish the 500g build. Yes, I have a build thread under monster builds- 500g barn find- just put the first corals in yesterday!!!
24. Do you have any planned upgrades or tweaks you’d like to make to your tank(s)? I have to get the sump in, but it's going through the floor, to the basement, now, so it's a.... Project
25. What's your favorite thing to watch in your tank? Everything swaying in the current
26. Are there any parts of the reef hobby you get really excited over? When everything is healthy and growing... For that whole 10 minutes, I'm excited!
27. What are some good gift ideas for you? (Some general thoughts or ideas for whoever draws your name.) gift certificates, swag, stickers, tshirt
28. If you had to choose, would you rather receive something handmade or something store-bought? Hand made
29. Are there any specific brands or reef products you love or prefer? No
30. Would you be interested in receiving livestock? If yes, what would you be interested in? disclaimer due to the busy holiday season we recommend not shipping livestock any LPS
31. Are there any additional questions you wish we had asked that we didn't? (Add those questions in under these and post your answers.

 

[Teverson45]

Ho! Ho! Ho! It's that time of year again—the season of giving, and what better way to spread holiday cheer than with our annual Reef2Reef Secret Santa Gift Exchange!

Forget socks and fruitcakes! As reefers, we know that nothing beats the joy of giving and receiving gifts that truly connect with who we are and what we love! Who else but a fellow reefer understands the excitement of getting that perfect frag or a gadget you’ve had your eye on? This exchange isn’t just about the gifts, though—it’s a chance to grow as a community, get to know one another better, and share in the holiday spirit!

So, let’s come together to spread some Christmas magic, make new reefing friends, and add a splash of joy to someone’s tank—or life! Dive into the fun and make this year’s exchange the most festive one yet!

We've made a few changes this year, so be sure to read the info below.

HOW IT WORKS

• Requirements to participate:
  
  • At least 18 years of age
  • At least 14 days as a member of R2R
  • At least 10 posts on R2R
  • Members from all over the world may participate (Please see below regarding international participation).
• Gift requirement: AT LEAST $25 value and a splash of Christmas joy! (Suggested gift range is $25-$50. More on this below.)
• How we'll match you up: Once you sign up, you'll receive a link to Elfster, the website/app we use to organize the gift exchange. Just follow the link to register so we can match you with your Secret Santa.
• The first matchup will take place on November 1st. After this, matches will happen every Monday (at least 25 people per match) until December 2nd.
• Sign up will be open through December 1st.
• Buy or make gifts and ship them by December 15th.
• Delivery tracking is mandatory and will need to be sent to @Santa Claus and/or updated in Elfster.
• Be sure to say THANK YOU when your gift is received (it's a requirement, so see below).

International Participation: We welcome international participants to be part of our Secret Santa! In order to make this possible, we're creating a separate international group for international members who want to take part! Here are the key details:

• Global Inclusion: We’re excited to include reefers from all over the world! However, while we wish that we had enough international participation to allow all participants to only send to members within their own country, that simply isn't feasible. So, please be aware of the possibility that you may need to ship internationally if you join the international group.
• Shipping Considerations: Keep in mind potential international shipping costs and timeframes when signing up.
• USA Participants in the International Group: USA participants can join the international group, but there’s no guarantee they’ll be matched with someone outside the U.S.—it depends on the number of participants and the luck of the draw.

HOW TO SIGN UP

To sign up, you will need to do these 3 things (PLEASE DO ALL 3):

• STEP 1: PM @Santa Claus with the following 3 things: YOUR NAME, EMAIL ADDRESS (the one you'll be using with Elfster is helpful), and WHETHER YOU'RE PARTICIPATING IN THE US GROUP OR INTERNATIONAL GROUP (members located outside the US are required to participate in the international group). Once I have this info, I will PM you the link to sign up on Elfster and join the gift exchange).
• STEP 2: Sign up for this year's gift exchange on Elfster. I will send you the link for the group you are signing up for.
  • Please, PLEASE, be sure your R2R username is entered on your Elfster profile (include it maybe after your First Name so it appears like a "middle name." This really does help your Secret Santa to find you on Reef2Reef and get better gift giving ideas.
• STEP 3: Post in this thread with your answers to the questionnaire (see below) IN THIS THREAD (this is our official registration thread).

IMPORTANT! If you do not do all 3 of these things, you will NOT be matched!

IMPORTANT DATES

• Registration opens: October 15th
• First Match-Up: November 1st
• Subsequent Match-Ups: Every Monday until December 2nd.
• Deadline to Sign Up: December 1st.
• Gifts Must Ship: No later than December 15th.

GIFT GUIDELINES

• Gift Value must meet or exceed $25. (Suggested gift range is $25-$50)
• Rule About Regifting: Regifting toward the minimum value is not allowed. While you can include items you already have in your gift, those items won’t count toward the $25 minimum value. Make sure any regifted items are thoughtful and suitable for the recipient.
• Shipping costs are NOT included in the gift value requirement.
• Thoughtful Gifts Wanted! Let’s make it special for your recipient! Everyone’s idea of the perfect gift is different, but please try to include something personal and thoughtful. We also ask that a $25 e-gift card not be the only thing you send—get creative!
• Your gift MUST be sent by December 15th. Now, we realize things can happen, and we're always willing to work with participants. However, if your gift has not been shipped and confirmation/tracking info sent to Santa by the deadline, you may be banned from participating in future Secret Santa exchanges on Reef2Reef.

ADDITIONAL PARTICIPATION EXPECTATIONS

• Participate with Goodwill. Secret Santa is about spreading joy and participating in good faith. We ask that all participants engage with this spirit of giving in mind and contribute to making this exchange a fun, positive experience for everyone!
• Communication is Key! If something unexpected happens and you’re unable to ship your gift on time, please reach out to @Santa Claus as soon as possible so we can work together to make arrangements. Life happens, and we understand!
• Gift expectations. Remember, while you’re welcome to go above the suggested gift range, the spirit of this exchange is about spreading joy rather than focusing on the dollar amount. So, feel free to go above and beyond to share the reefing love in your own way, but don’t worry if what you receive falls within the suggested $25–$50 range.
• Don't Forget to Say THANK YOU! Saying 'Thank You!' is part of the fun and community spirit of Secret Santa! Once you’ve received your gift, be sure to make a post or send a message to let your Secret Santa know it arrived safely and share your appreciation. Most of you do this anyway, but just to be clear, this a requirement for participating. We’ll have a dedicated "Thank You" thread where you can spread the cheer!
• Making a wishlist on Elfster may help your Santa with ideas. This is not required (if you fill out the questions listed here, you should be giving some good ideas to your Secret Santa anyhow), but we know some of you like this feature a lot. So feel free to make a wish list, but please remember that the suggested gift amount is $25-$50 (so be sure to have some good gift ideas available to your Secret Santa in that range).

Failure to abide by these guidelines may result in not being allowed future participation in Secret Santa gift exchanges. (We're really not expecting to remove anyone, but we do reserve the right to do so if a participant does not engage in the spirit of this gift exchange.)

SECRET SANTA QUESTIONNAIRE

1. What country are you located in?
2. What is one thing you always need more of?
3. What are your other hobbies/interests?
4. How do you like to spend your free time, whether it's relaxing after work or on the weekends?
5. Do you have any dietary restrictions or preferences if your Santa wants to send a treat?
6. What’s your favorite candy or snack, either from your childhood or something you love to munch on now?
7. What’s your favorite holiday tradition?
8. Do you collect anything?
9. What's your favorite color?
10. What size t-shirt/hoodie/socks do you wear?
11. What's one TV show or movie you can watch over and over again?
12. What type of music do you listen to?
13. Do you enjoy reading? If so, what types of books do you like?
14. Do you play any games (board games, video games, card games, etc.)? If yes, what are your favorites?
15. Are you a fan of any sports teams?
16. What’s something interesting about you that most people on R2R don’t know?
17. If you could travel anywhere, where would it be?
18. What’s one item on your bucket list?
19. Do you have any pets besides your reef tank? Tell us about them!
20. What's your favorite fish?
21. Favorite coral?
22. Favorite invert?
23. Tell us about your tank(s)! What size are they? What do you keep in them? Do you have a build thread?
24. Do you have any planned upgrades or tweaks you’d like to make to your tank(s)?
25. What's your favorite thing to watch in your tank?
26. Are there any parts of the reef hobby you get really excited over?
27. What are some good gift ideas for you? (Some general thoughts or ideas for whoever draws your name.)
28. If you had to choose, would you rather receive something handmade or something store-bought?
29. Are there any specific brands or reef products you love or prefer?
30. Would you be interested in receiving livestock? If yes, what would you be interested in? disclaimer due to the busy holiday season we recommend not shipping livestock
31. Are there any additional questions you wish we had asked that we didn't? (Add those questions in under these and post your answers.)

If shipping coral we ask that you notify @Santa Claus via PM when you would like 2 ship so we can notify recipient and make sure they will be able to receive it. If the recipient can't be there we will ask them for 2 other days and work out with sender. (We don't mind playing the go between here to keep it more a secret.)

Also, notice that we have a special Secret Santa forum going on! Feel free to start other threads in here to talk about everything Secret Santa related, holiday related, or just anything you want to talk with all of us other SS peeps!

Looking forward to spreading some holiday reefing cheer with you all! Happy reefing and happy holidays!

#R2RSecretSanta

Ca

What country are you located in?
US

What is one thing you always need more of?
Salufert test kits

What are your other hobbies/interests?
Pistol shooting bird hunting

How do you like to spend your free time,Whether it's relaxing after work or on the weekends?
Bird hunting with my dogs, Working on the reef, off-roading, shooting, spending time with my wife

Do you have any dietary restrictions or preferences if your Santa wants to send a treat?
No

What’s your favorite candy or snack, either from your childhood or something you love to munch on now?
Peanut M&Ms

What’s your favorite holiday tradition?
Having my family home for Christmas

Do you collect anything?
Hot sauce

What's your favorite color?
Blue

What size t-shirt/hoodie/socks do you wear?
XxxL

What's one TV show or movie you can watch over and over again?
Young Frankenstein

What type of music do you listen to?
James Taylor, Gordon Lightfoot, Zeppelin

Do you enjoy reading? If so, what types of books do you like?
Sci-fi

Do you play any games (board games, video games, card games, etc.)? If yes, what are your favorites?
No

Are you a fan of any sports teams?
Seahawks of course

What’s something interesting about you that most people on R2R don’t know?
I'm a big ancient history buff. Pre flood ruins ect.

If you could travel anywhere, where would it be?
The great barrier reef

What’s one item on your bucket list?
Visit World Wide Coral and tour the farm.

Do you have any pets besides your reef tank? Tell us about them!
Two German Shorthairs. My hunting dogs

What's your favorite fish?
My Copperband Butterfly

Favorite coral?
My West Side Tort. Tort acro in general

Favorite invert?
My cleaner shrimp

Tell us about your tank(s)! What size are they? What do you keep in them? Do you have a build thread?
I have a build thread. My current reef is a 4ft 120. I just moved my 75 over. It's a true mixed reef.

Do you have any planned upgrades or tweaks you’d like to make to your tank(s)?
I will be adding a closed loop next

What's your favorite thing to watch in your tank?
My hammer's and frogs

Are there any parts of the reef hobby you get really excited over?
Watching coral grow and getting better colors

What are some good gift ideas for you? (Some general thoughts or ideas for whoever draws your name.)
I will love anything. I will leave it up to the giver.

If you had to choose, would you rather receive something handmade or something store-bought?
I received the most awesome hand made towel last year with a Copperband embroidery on it,

Are there any specific brands or reef products you love or prefer?
BRS three part, All for Reef, Salufert test kits

Can I still sign up for this? I love giving and receiving surprises.