Post Reef Tour Comments/Ideas

I would like to see comments like this one:

Hey Reef Tour Hosts!!!!

I have been following this list most of the day and was able to make it to about 5 houses today( I started at 3:00pm). Thank you so much for inviting us into your homes and showing us the fruits of so many hours of labor. I would have liked to make it to more homes but unfortunatly I ran out of time. I have only been involved in the club for a little over a month and I have learned a ton from you so far. Please keep up the good work!!

If I may offer some suggestions for next year's reef tour --

I was planning on taking my parents to a few homes ( they are both huge scuba/snorkling fans ) and was unable to get in contact with them until late this afternoon because they had been out of town. It turns out that they passed a reef tour sign and didn't know that it was open to the public. I believe that if they were able to gain more info from the sign, that they would have stopped on their own. I think that if the signs were a bit more informative then many more people would show up (drenching rain or not). May be add a blurb or two about what the tour is and who can participate.

Do you think it would be a good idea to split the tour into sections? Say, North salt lake on one weekend, south salt lake on another, ogden, provo, etc. You could even go according to seasons so that every couple of months there is an event. I think that a year is a long time to remember that their is a sweet reef  tour sometime in October. Unless you are a member then you don't remember. This would provide you with better word of mouth advertizing due to the elongated time frame  and the reefers would be able to check out the other tanks as well. I would have liked to tour further north and south, but didn't have the time to get out of salt lake. I believe it was 44 houses, no way could I have seen them all. And if I decide to show my tank  next year then I will miss out on the clubs tanks at their finest.

Anyway, I had a blast and I can't wait until next year! I would like to thank everyone again for their hospitality (online and offline).
 
Sincerly,
Jeff Rasmussen

I think the handout would be a great idea, just listing some of the common traits of the tanks, I would like them to include lighting, size, filtration, tank duration(how long its been set up for), and any different nuances that the tank set up may have. Thanks to all who showed their tanks and let us intrude into their homes. you guys are great!!!

I have lots of thoughts and comments.  But I'll wait until everyone else provides their input.

Adam

I think I had additional traffic at my place because I had homemade signs in addition to the one that  everyone had, that said,  "Reef Aquarium Tour", "Public Welcome" and "Free".  with some cute little fishies on them.  My wife did a great job on these signs and I've used them for the last 2 years.  Unfortunately they got quite wet this year and will have to be redone for next year.

If someone would just build a road that didn't end in Layton that would be helpful in getting more people up north. If only I-15 wasn't a dead end ...

They keep talkin' bout indoor plumbin' and lectricity too. Luckily, we got the internet this past summer.

It's pretty nice... drive-by's include the Relief Society delivering cookies or the Avon Lady with the latest catalog... beats spraypaint and bullets.  

We only made it to maybe 6 tanks (loved them all) and made it to Marine Aquatics, (first time there) and didn't get to see everything that we wanted to,  made it home around 8-9pm.
  I agree on the north south idea, also we could have had our tank in the tour(south) and still made it to see the north tanks.

Public welcome and free also sound like good ideas.



Brian

First time I've been able to go to the Reef Tour, I've had to work that last two years. It was great! I got up and started about 9:30 and didn't finish until about 2:00. I can't believe the tanks everyone keeps, every tank was cool and unique in their own way.

I do like the idea of possibly splitting the tour up into north, central and south tours. I only made it to the Salt Lake valley tanks, and would have loved to make it up north and down south.

Thanks WMAS for such a great tour!!

Thanks for all the comments.  Please keep them coming.

Just some thoughts and info:

-We have talked about splitting the tour in to two or more sections.  We understand that it is impossible to see all the tanks on the tour.  One on the main purposes of the Reef Tour is to bring in people that have not heard of the WMAS.  This is mainly done by fliers (posted by members) and media coverage.  It is hard enough getting the media to cover the reef tour as it is.  It would be even harder to have them cover a two part event.  If you missed some houses on the reef tour, then call those people up.  Most of them would be glad to have you over to look at their tank.

I am sure the presidency will discuss all the recommendations for next years reef tour.