Greeting from WAMAS!

[goblinshark]

Hello all!

My name is Ben Frable. I am from Bethesda, Maryland; right outside Washington DC. I have been keeping reefs for 3 years now and have been a predominant member of the Washington DC Area Marine Aquarist Society (WAMAS) back here in DC. Some of you might know of our club, we hosted MACNA last year. Any how, I am coming out to Seattle to attend the University of Washington in the fall. (Brief side note: I have been obsessed with marine biology since the age of 7 and will be entering the School of Aquatic and Fisheries Science at UW) So, I currently have 4 aquariums; a 46 gallon softy reef w/ 2x96w PCs on it- mated pair of ocellaris, bicolor blenny, shrimp goby and pistol, and chromis/ a 30L SPS tank w/ 250w MH over it in there i have a maxima clam, 3 Bangais and a Sunburst Basslet/ a 10 gallon mantis shrimp tank with two Neogonodactlyus wennerea in it (Does anyone here keep mantis shrimp?) and a 30 gallon FW tank.

Even though I am not bringing any of these with me to college, i will be purchasing a nanocube for my dorm room which Id like to make a mantis reef! Id love to get involved in the club while im out there, I know a lot of people that can come as speakers (my mentor Eric Borneman for example) and am always willing to participate!

Also, if anyone can tell me about LFSs or hook me up with some frags when i come out thatd be great!

Im glad I found another aquarium society out there!

 

[reedman]

Can't wait to have you out here. We have a strong club out here with a variety of experience levels. And we would welcome the guidance you can bring from a leadership perspective.

Once you get out here shoot me a PM and I'd be happy to get you involved in the club. As far as LFS go, we have several; Blue Sierra in Issaquah, Salt Water City in Bellevue, Indoor Reef in Tacoma, Shark Reef and Ocean Reef Aquatics are both only a ferry ride away. On the other side of the mountains is Aquatic Dreams (Kevin has some incredible frags). All of the sponsors for the club have corals and frags, both wild and aquacultured. Also, we have regular frag swaps as a club which gives you the oportunity to get some locally grown corals. Finally, folks like me who have corals growing faster than tanks have been known to give away coral frags at meetings to those who are starting up tanks.

An early welcome to the great northwest, the best school in the US (U-DUB..go Dawgs!), and a fine club.