Frequently Asked Questions
When are the meetings and where does the club meet?
The meetings are generally held on the second Wednesday of the month from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. Sometimes, due to the wishes of the host, the meeting may land on a Saturday afternoon instead, so check the Events Calendar for the next meeting. Each announcement contains the location of the meeting linked to MapQuest to assist you with directions. The location changes from month to month, and may take place in a club member’s home or a place of business (LFS). Feel free to attend to find out what the meetings are like before you join.
What can I expect at a meeting?
A group ranging from 40 to 80 people attend from all over the metroplex, and beyond. With meetings occurring only once a month, many make it a point to attend to exchange information about aquarium care and to learn more about the hobby. Snacks and drinks are available at no charge, and your whole family is welcome to attend. A drawing for drygoods for your tank(s) is held before the meeting concludes.
How can I join? Do I bring the money to the meeting?
You can pay the annual $20 dues at the meeting or you can pay online. Visit the Membership Page to fill in your information and select the payment of your choice.
This same form can be used to renew your membership each year. Once your membership has processed, you will receive a membership card in the mail and a small icon will appear next to your posts on the message board. This avatar identifies you as a club member, and not just a visitor.
Please allow 30 days for your membership to be processed before contacting our webmaster for help. During that time, our membership coordinator Marc Levenson will add your information to the club records. Wes Parton, our webmaster, needs to know the username you use on our message board to assign the membership icon to your account.
Because some people pay with one email account and sign up to our message board with a different email account, it takes time to get all these details worked out, and we appreciate your patience during that period. Be sure to keep a printed copy of your payment in case any questions arise later.
Are there other benefits to joining the club?
Some LFS offer 10 to 15% discounts to members when they show their DFWMAS card. This is especially true if we have a meeting in their store. Feel free to check our message board to find out what stores are offering a discount.
A new members-only gallery will be installed soon for you to upload pictures to. We have forums that only members can access as well.
Is there a club newsletter?
Yes. DFWMAS generates a newsletter monthly. You can read previous newsletters by clicking the Newsletter page on the navigation menu.
How are reef clubs formed?
Reefkeepers enjoy talking with others in the same hobby and once a number of them have been located, very often a club will the be created for that area. MASNA, a non-profit organization, provides guidelines for the creation of new clubs, and assists clubs hosting the annual MACNA conference. To find out more, visit http://masna.org.
What is MACNA?
MACNA stands for the Marine Aquarium Conference of North America and it is the largest trade show and educational speaker event in the country. The event is hosted by a different club every year and features anywhere from 10 to 30 speakers or more educating hobbyists on everything there is to know in the hobby. There is also over 100 world wide vendors present displaying the most recent advances in gadgets and the best corals/fish you could hope to find. Our club hosted MACNA XIV in 2002 and had an excellent turn-out. See the current host website at http://macna.org for more information.
Who runs the club? (Board of Directors and chair members)
Our club votes annually on our BOD members and chair members. You can find the most recent list of volunteers and electees on our About Us page.
