State of the CVRC

[firefish2020]

I thought I would give you all a heads up on the past year, accomplishments, failures, etc, and plans and thoughts for 07. Sort of a state of the CVRC post.

WE started our year strong with a new meeting place and strong emphasis on education which we quickly had to abandon due to certain issues. However we were quickly back on our feet and had a new meeting place. We tried to help out a Natl. Aquarium restock there tank with many captive raised corals but were in turn away or shunned after organizing a massive restocking campaign with other reef clubs across the US.
That's quite ok as we still succeeded in a way. We learned that we have the ability to help others on a massive level if and when need be. We thank everyone who agreed to put coral on that wait list for ship out. Although it was denied, you should still be proud of yourself for wanting to make a difference. Together we can achieve greater things than alone

We also managed to save a white tip reef shark this year. I talked to a local fish store owner who agreed the best thing to do was to let us, (the CVRC) get hold of a larger aquarium to rescue the animal. Within several weeks the Shark was taken to her new home in Newport Ky where she will be on display within a few months following some serious "fattening up". If you are around that area this summer go check her out and know that YOU made that happen.

In the past year we have helped many new hobbyists acquire there first coral and make there first cut. We have helped to teach others and to show off our various inventions, techniques, and ideas. We need to NOT loose focus on our central goal. We are founded upon a simple truth. That WE are the alternatives to wild caught corals and bad advice.

Our meetings are designed to promote general and advanced care, and propagation technique theory and practice in order to teach others the way of the advanced reefer. The idea is to do it in a fun friendly manner. We conduct limited sales of our tank raised coral in order to buy a newer species or to fund our hobby in some other way. Thanks to the CVRC we have seen many different coral varieties in our area within the past several years and we will continue to see an influx of great healthy coral if all goes well.

There seems to be a misunderstanding among some individuals (recent newcomers to this hobby) I have spoken with of late questioning me as to why we (reef keepers) propagate. WE propagate in order to spread healthy strains of coral that we know will survive if given proper care and husbandry. We do not "cut up" coral toss them into grow out and simply hope for the best as one new hobbyist told me earlier this week. If this is what you think we are doing you are DEAD wrong and need to reassess your priorities. We take care of these creatures as we take care of dogs, cats, fish, all our pets in general. I personally do not believe in selling anything to anyone that I know cannot be kept alive (goniopora anyone). I hope that everyone who seeks to learn to propagate for fun or for profit remember that in the end we are responsible for the animals we give away, sell, or trade. I hope we all never loose focus of what drew each of us into the hobby in the first place and if that something is not simple love of the hobby I suggest finding a new hobby.

My only reason for agreeing to form and later lead the CVRC was to teach others what I learned and to provide a fun, friendly and free exchange of information amongst fellow reefers. I believe we have achieved that goal and we need to keep a tight focus on that goal and never loose that focus. To many reef clubs are set up as nothing more than places to make money and argue over how to spend it, the CVRC makes no money and all our prizes are donations from fellow members or particularly Jim, Barry or my family. You should be thankful that you have such places and people that are willing to give of themselves not because they have to, but because they believe in what is being done. If you have stepped forward to help a new hobbyist or answer a question. If you have given anything to this group in any way shape or form, you should be proud to call yourself a member of the CVRC family.

I invite anyone who may wish to learn about coral propagation technique to show up and ask lots of questions and take notes. There will be many venue in the coming year for those wanting to learn care techniques. There is much we need to do this year, if each of us contributes in some way the CVRC will become bigger than any of us can imagine. I invite members to step forward with information and techniques that have worked for them in the past to help those who are now starting. We should never covet information IMO we learn freely from others and should continue that learning process. This is my goal for the new year to freely teach that which I have learned from others. What will your goal(s) as a CVRC Member be in 2007?



Thank you,
Ron Lanham
CVRC President & Co-Founder

[wvdaisy]

Well said, Ron. It made something pop into mind. We should make up a list of what corals and critters that cannot survive in a captive situation, especially those that are known to show up in this area only to die. Also, the ones that should be avoided by beginners(those that need very stable tank parameters or have special needs most beginners can't provide). We could do a sticky for the CVRC on RC and maybe print out flyers to give out to anyone at the meetings who may not know what corals to avoid. Perhaps it could be posted on the CVRC website also. As we all know some LFS's and many/most online retail coral places sell corals and critters that have no business being pulled from their ocean homes. We could possibly cut down on coral mortality in the area, that would be the goal anyway.

[firefish2020]

That's a great idea but Im sure it will lead to the usual arguments of. "Well we couldnt keep acropora for years bla bla bla" . However there is a difference especially with , yep Im gona say it JIM! Im gona say the "D" word, Dendronephthya. It is true there are those hobbyists who wish to provide such creatures an appropriate home but to let on that these coral "fit in" with our usual tankmates is false and uneducated. By the way I was made aware today that a LFS is selling "Clam Coral", thats just priceless.

The CVRC has a lot of work to do in this area IMO.

[mcox33]

Okay I will bite, what is a CLAM CORAL. I don't think I've ever even heard of that one let alone seen one. Got pics anyone.??

[sixliner6]

I'm sure he's refering to Inland Reef.

[mcox33]

dah I knew that I was just curious as to what a clam coral is. Being as I have never heard anyone mention this particular coral before. LOL

[grendl]

Maybe a database of corals & their level of difficulty? Not really restrict it to SPS/LPS... But have maybe an EASY MEDIUM HARD type of breakdown, just to give local hobbyists a general idea of what each type of coral GENERALLY needs. I realize that there are going to be exceptions to the rule, but a general idea of lighting, feeding, current, etc for each type that we (you) all have experience with. Could be kept on our webpage.

[firefish2020]

I'm sure he's referring to Inland Reef.

I'm sure he is not.


I think even they know the difference between coral and clams.

But have maybe an EASY MEDIUM HARD type of breakdown, just to give local hobbyists a general idea of what each type of coral GENERALLY needs. I realize that there are going to be exceptions to the rule, but a general idea of lighting, feeding, current, etc for each type that we (you) all have experience with. Could be kept on our webpage.

That's the problem with the new hobbyists I find around this area, they want to learn but very few will buy a single book on the subject. They want to come and ask questions, which is fine but when they ask the same questions every time they see me and act as though it's the first time they heard the answer before I am just amazed. Buy a book that's what I did, I know that's what a lot of us here did as well.

As for the guide to what we should collectively keep and discourage newcomers to avoid, Im all for that. We each have varying degrees of experience so what would be easy to one may be hard for others. So easy and hard are subjective based on skill, lighting, flow, filtration , etc. Lets start with a list of things we know we can not keep alive in the most common environments and conditions that we all strive to keep our coral in.

I'll start the list others add and we will discuss till we narrow it down.



1. Dendros
2. Blue Palm
3. WC Goniopora