Why are local forums/clubs struggling?

[Deaf clown]

I used to work weekends therefore I NEVER went to events. Now I’m getting 1st shift during the week finally and will be able to attend to more things. But the other problem I have is I don’t want to drive more than an hour each way for a mediocre “frag fest” with corals everyone already has or buying 1/2” frags.

I’m just glad I’ve got a buddy close by who likes a lot of the same stuff I do so we can do what Sanjay and Paletta do-bank eachothers corals.

 

[Sarah24!]

Hello,

As some know or think it’s strange but this is my only form
Of social media. I don’t have or well have never had social media until this which has helped me a lot. But for some people aka me this is much easier for me. I for one am extremely shy and quite in real life. It would be hard for me to mingle and just be able to socialize. So this has really helped me out quite a bit.

Another reason is well I live in Boise lol, we don’t even have a local club here, so this is all I have. One very good aspect of this is, sometimes I get tired of waiting at my lfs for an hour or more just to get answers or get water. To keep my tank disease free I have made it where I only buy from one shop. However, I have orders things online here from here because my lfs barely even gets coral in anymore.

Another thing is I have met some amazing friendly people on here so it’s really a nice change. For those who work crazy hours like I do, this is the best place for us. I hope these never end, its part of my daily routine now lol.

Sincerely
Sarah

 

[Muttley000]

Is this a central Ohio club? O - H!
I’m a newbie and need to find a local club.

It is a state wide club and we have many members from the Columbus area, would love to see you there!

And this is another reason we aren't dead yet, we welcome new faces and still have a few people willing to take the time to seek out people in the area and invite them!

 

[Nailqueencat]

I used to be a member of an aquarium club. I had to quit because I was young, single, and female so some of the guys thought I was there to find dates. Too many guys hitting on me at the meetings and I really quit enjoying it.

Now my local reef club (I am a member) meet over an hour from my house so I don't usually go. I'm active on the site and use that to find someone to borrow stuff from or buy frags from.

I totally agree! I used to go to meets and the blokes used to ask where my other half was and what sort of tank he had!! Or they’d totally ignore me as they felt uncomfortable that I would think they were hitting on me. I couldn’t win. Having said that, I’ve met a couple of amazing guys when buying frags and they’ve been really helpful (and hopefully vice versa).

 

[Paul B]

Hello there Humble Buddy. Nice thread

This happens sometimes on my local forum. A member doesn't like another member, because the latter comes off as a know-it-all. (People probably say that about me. )

I don't think anyone says that about you. I don't anyway, well at least not out loud
Me on the other hand, I can't hardly post anything without the tang police, UG filter police, no quarantine police, anti dry food police, Supermodel police or Geezer Squad berating me for my ancient school methods. (I am well beyond Old School)

I have to pick very carefully which threads I want to open my big mouth in. I have many ideas in my bald head which I would like to impart on some Noobs but I feel it will be a many years long thread of arguments like my immunity thread became. AS you know, there is a big box and many people feel secure in it and new, or old ideas are hard to comprehend for some.

If you have been doing something for 50 or 60 years you accidently learn things which after a while seem easy. I am always being called a know it all, but if you have done something successfully a dozen times, and done it unsuccessfully two dozen times, you probably know more about it than someone who did it once and no matter how you try to tell that tale, you will be a "Know it all".

As for forums, I am not sure why many forums are receding in posts. I know me and you post a lot. I personally don't know more than one person with a salt tank semi near me and I never saw his tank. Here in New York we have a lot of aquarists but I think they are hiding or on facebook.

We do have a local group here on Long Island which I am not a member of. I have nothing against them and probably 30 years ago I attended a couple of their meetings which were fun. I am just not a joiner, the Army got me out of that. I would just like to go occasionally if I am in the mood.

I come on here (and 5 or 6 other forums) every day to search for some place to interject something in where my old opinions won't elicit too much negative talk as I don't like to argue. If I wanted to argue I would tell my wife she looks fat in those shorts. (Of course my wife is not fat but I am just reaching for something to say) But I like this forum the best by far.

I love these threads but shy away from the vast majority of them because I feel so bad for the original poster due to the fact that the hobby has grown so much since I started it in the fifties (yes, fish were invented before that) and there is so much information, which in my opinion is wrong or even harmful that I don't want to stir the pot, especially with my thoughts which are many times totally opposite from what is advocated.
(Which is why I wrote a book, no one argues with me but some people have been known to set it on fire and throw it at my house )

The vast majority of posts on all forums comes from Noobs with one or two years in the hobby and although their advice can be helpful, they may not have enough experience with that particular problem to offer helpful advice. If a doctor cured one person of acne one time by telling the patient to listen to RAP music three hours a day until the person reached 21 years of age, he may not be the ideal doctor.

Or for instance if someone has an algae problem people will say to change the water, don't change the water, shut the lights, add more light, feed less, don't feed, add hydrogen peroxide, raise the temperature, lower the temperature, use stump remover, change the bulbs add manatees etc.
Anyone would get adenoids reading all of that and may cause some people to just give up and I don't blame them.

It is very confusing. When I started it was much easier as there was no one in the hobby to give advice so you tried something, it didn't work and you tried something else. No arguments, no confusion. If I got disgusted I picked up my wooden vat I used for a tank and grew tomatoes in it.

There are some really great people on here which is why I was on here at 5:00am.
I truly like this place and I don't think I ever used the word Truly in my life.

 

[jda]

Does anybody's local club do all of the social media engagement "tricks" like the national boards do... the "like" button, badges, reminders and incentives to update your profile (build thread in this case) etc.? Ours does not do anything like this. When I was at Google, I can assure you that they spend Billions to try and figure out how to keep people engaged and participating and these are some of the things that were invented (along with the continuous stream and the active day count). I would not underestimate how important these mind tricks can be for membership and continued use.

 

[declanisadog]

Does anybody's local club do all of the social media engagement "tricks" like the national boards do... the "like" button, badges, reminders and incentives to update your profile (build thread in this case) etc.? Ours does not do anything like this. When I was at Google, I can assure you that they spend Billions to try and figure out how to keep people engaged and participating and these are some of the things that were invented (along with the continuous stream and the active day count). I would not underestimate how important these mind tricks can be for membership and continued use.

Excellent point. I have always thought that it would really only take a couple making multiple daily posts about anything and everything to get people to stat engaging again. Then I think "I could be one of those people". Then I do nothing...

 

[Surfzone]

I recently moved to California and my local club. Is all FB all the time with nothing but stuff for sale. You get the odd I need help with an issue or pics and vids of tanks. I've also only seen advertisements for one meeting at one LFS a few months ago. Whoever is in charge is either doing a poor job or just real lack of interest from the locals for help. I really hope it's the lack of local interest. I know there are a ton of reefers around otherwise there wouldn't be 5 stores in the area.

 

[ReefWithCare]

Ya that’s what I hate about FB groups - eventually it just becomes a giant ad with everyone in there interested in only selling stuff or promoting their “business”

 

[AlexStinson]

Ya that’s what I hate about FB groups - eventually it just becomes a giant ad with everyone in there interested in only selling stuff or promoting their “business”

I can't agree more. Someone started a local FB group for the club, and as far as I know without the clubs knowledge, and it seems mostly like an advertising forum for a select group of vendors, one being an admin.

 

[gcarroll]

I live in the northwest San Fernando Valley in S. Calif. The one club I know of meets on Friday nights, early in the evening, at least 60 miles from me, in Orange County. That will probably take me 1.5 to 2 hours to get to and may even take quite a long time to get home from since I have to go through downtown or drive on the infamous 405 Fwy.....on a Friday night. As it is, I drive 50 miles a day, 5 days a week, for work, on the 405.
I'd like to go to the club meetings, but not at that day and time. Everyone has different needs/situations. I see that there are quite a lot of folks in this hobby in S. Calif. who live in Orange County or the Inland Empire. When I look at the selling forum, most of the time I ignore the deals because the travel is oppressively long to where the majority of the folks live. So there must be a lot of folks not too far from the meetings, but that's not my situation.

Friday evenings does seem to be a problem for some getting to out meetings. Our club has been meeting on the 3rd Friday of each month since 1984. Kind of past the point of changing it. Our membership comes from all over the southland, we have a few members that come down from your area as well as a 3 or 4 from San Diego. We also have them from the IE and High desert. But the long distance award goes to @Scopulum Zombie who although doesn't even live in the state still shows up at special events on occasion! Our club does some special events on the weekends as well so many find the time to participate in those as well. I always say, you will get out of it what you put into it!

I recently moved to California and my local club. Is all FB all the time with nothing but stuff for sale. You get the odd I need help with an issue or pics and vids of tanks. I've also only seen advertisements for one meeting at one LFS a few months ago. Whoever is in charge is either doing a poor job or just real lack of interest from the locals for help. I really hope it's the lack of local interest. I know there are a ton of reefers around otherwise there wouldn't be 5 stores in the area.

What part of California are you in?

 

[Gareth elliott]

Not sure if this was touched on before, there is 100 posts lol. The increase in flex scheduling may also play a part. More Americans then ever before have different schedules week to week. Attending a monthly meeting is not always as easy as showing up. This may also play a part in why facebook groups have grown in popularity as the same scheduling conflicts do not apply. Not attempting a political statement [emoji23]. But this isa reason i have not any club meetings though am a member. Its not always easy to have off.

 

[Surfzone]

Friday evenings does seem to be a problem for some getting to out meetings. Our club has been meeting on the 3rd Friday of each month since 1984. Kind of past the point of changing it. Our membership comes from all over the southland, we have a few members that come down from your area as well as a 3 or 4 from San Diego. We also have them from the IE and High desert. But the long distance award goes to @Scopulum Zombie who although doesn't even live in the state still shows up at special events on occasion! Our club does some special events on the weekends as well so many find the time to participate in those as well. I always say, you will get out of it what you put into it!

What part of California are you in?

Sacramento

 

[reefwiser]

Questions I have so I can help figure out a way to get people back together and more involved in clubs:

So do you think meeting people in real life is important to you?
Do you want to know more than a few sentence answer to a question? Why or Because?
Would you like a group video chat once a week for those that can drop in?
Week nights or Weekend afternoons?
Are local frag swaps important or would you rather drive to national swaps?

Please give me some feedback.
I run the Club Presidents forum here on R2R.

 

[Gareth elliott]

Questions I have so I can help figure out a way to get people back together and more involved in clubs:

So do you think meeting people in real life is important to you?
Do you want to know more than a few sentence answer to a question? Why or Because?
Would you like a group video chat once a week for those that can drop in?
Week nights or Weekend afternoons?
Are local frag swaps important or would you rather drive to national swaps?

Please give me some feedback.
I run the Club Presidents forum here on R2R.

I think i would go to a meeting, if there was perhaps one meeting a year posted well in advance. Like its new years and post a meeting happening in June. Its easier to make sure i am off if i know i am going 4 months before the meeting happens. I hate video meetings lol. I tune out work meetings. I am very forgetful too so perhaps using email or text bursts as the meeting nears. Nor sure if this would help anyone else though [emoji23]

 

[Humblefish]

Hello there Humble Buddy. Nice thread



I don't think anyone says that about you. I don't anyway, well at least not out loud
Me on the other hand, I can't hardly post anything without the tang police, UG filter police, no quarantine police, anti dry food police, Supermodel police or Geezer Squad berating me for my ancient school methods. (I am well beyond Old School)

I have to pick very carefully which threads I want to open my big mouth in. I have many ideas in my bald head which I would like to impart on some Noobs but I feel it will be a many years long thread of arguments like my immunity thread became. AS you know, there is a big box and many people feel secure in it and new, or old ideas are hard to comprehend for some.

If you have been doing something for 50 or 60 years you accidently learn things which after a while seem easy. I am always being called a know it all, but if you have done something successfully a dozen times, and done it unsuccessfully two dozen times, you probably know more about it than someone who did it once and no matter how you try to tell that tale, you will be a "Know it all".

As for forums, I am not sure why many forums are receding in posts. I know me and you post a lot. I personally don't know more than one person with a salt tank semi near me and I never saw his tank. Here in New York we have a lot of aquarists but I think they are hiding or on facebook.

We do have a local group here on Long Island which I am not a member of. I have nothing against them and probably 30 years ago I attended a couple of their meetings which were fun. I am just not a joiner, the Army got me out of that. I would just like to go occasionally if I am in the mood.

I come on here (and 5 or 6 other forums) every day to search for some place to interject something in where my old opinions won't elicit too much negative talk as I don't like to argue. If I wanted to argue I would tell my wife she looks fat in those shorts. (Of course my wife is not fat but I am just reaching for something to say) But I like this forum the best by far.

I love these threads but shy away from the vast majority of them because I feel so bad for the original poster due to the fact that the hobby has grown so much since I started it in the fifties (yes, fish were invented before that) and there is so much information, which in my opinion is wrong or even harmful that I don't want to stir the pot, especially with my thoughts which are many times totally opposite from what is advocated.
(Which is why I wrote a book, no one argues with me but some people have been known to set it on fire and throw it at my house )

The vast majority of posts on all forums comes from Noobs with one or two years in the hobby and although their advice can be helpful, they may not have enough experience with that particular problem to offer helpful advice. If a doctor cured one person of acne one time by telling the patient to listen to RAP music three hours a day until the person reached 21 years of age, he may not be the ideal doctor.

Or for instance if someone has an algae problem people will say to change the water, don't change the water, shut the lights, add more light, feed less, don't feed, add hydrogen peroxide, raise the temperature, lower the temperature, use stump remover, change the bulbs add manatees etc.
Anyone would get adenoids reading all of that and may cause some people to just give up and I don't blame them.

It is very confusing. When I started it was much easier as there was no one in the hobby to give advice so you tried something, it didn't work and you tried something else. No arguments, no confusion. If I got disgusted I picked up my wooden vat I used for a tank and grew tomatoes in it.

There are some really great people on here which is why I was on here at 5:00am.
I truly like this place and I don't think I ever used the word Truly in my life.

Love ya, Paul!

(But only in a manly sort of way. )

 

[AlexStinson]

I think i would go to a meeting, if there was perhaps one meeting a year posted well in advance. Like its new years and post a meeting happening in June. Its easier to make sure i am off if i know i am going 4 months before the meeting happens. I hate video meetings lol. I tune out work meetings. I am very forgetful too so perhaps using email or text bursts as the meeting nears. Nor sure if this would help anyone else though [emoji23]

I think expecting a club run by hobbyist to schedule 6 months out is a bit excessive. I have worked a nontraditional schedule so I can understand the work conflicts. When we had meetings we usually scheduled them about 3 weeks out, on the weekends and tried to have them monthly but I think it was closer to 8 or 10 a year.

 

[Gareth elliott]

I think expecting a club run by hobbyist to schedule 6 months out is a bit excessive. I have worked a nontraditional schedule so I can understand the work conflicts. When we had meetings we usually scheduled them about 3 weeks out, on the weekends and tried to have them monthly but I think it was closer to 8 or 10 a year.

Didnt mean all of them, but one main meet and greet a year. Even if required additional door fees.

 

[2Wheelsonly]

I wish I could be more active with my local club but my kids ages make it hard because my weekend is jammed packed with different events and stuff and the one time I get to break away from all that I spend the time with my wife at the gym. Weekends are just a nogo for me socially.

I think social media just makes it easier for people to communicate in a busy world.

 

[Paul B]

Sacramento

Surfzone, I spoke in Sacramento a few years ago, were you there? I was the bald guy in the front.