Neptune Aquatics

Cali Kid Coral Farm Tour (poll)

Can you attend a tour of the Cali Kid Coral Facility?

  • Yes Thursday 9/5

    Votes: 1 9.1%

  • Yes Monday 9/9

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • No, but will attend RAP Anaheim

    Votes: 1 9.1%

  • No, not attending RAP

    Votes: 9 81.8%
  • Total voters
    11
I was there last year when it was scheduled around the school holidays. The timing this time is not great, and I found it too small of an event only to do this.
 

I remember seeing this video a while back. Maybe it could help shine some light. I've never personally been so can't say for certain how accurate this is compared to what you see when there in person.

Based on this video and seeing the quality of corals from their shop in concord, I would definitely wanna check them out if i was in the area. ,With the thought this is where the corals in concord come from, so maybe they have the really really fun stuff there and much more of it.

(it doesn't look large enough in video that i could see justifing a trip down there just for that.) If i was in the area for something else of course I would love to see it.

Sounds like
@Alexander1312 has been in person maybe he can indicated how it compares in person to this video of it.
 
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BAYMAC said:
If you say a few thousand people is small, and a 1/2 mile line. Its one of the largest reef only events in the US.
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I assumed personally, He wasn't refrencing the main reefing show, he was speaking only about the kali kids behind the scences grow out farm , "asking if that's small."
 
divewsharks said:
Is it small? I was planning to fly down to check it out.
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I was there on Sat and Sun, each 60-90 minutes including a longer 1 to 1 with Lou Ekes from Tropic Marin, which was plenty of time to see everything. UN gave away free Pico tanks which was exciting. For corals, I believe our CFMs are good enough.
 
BAYMAC said:
Oh sorry, I thought you were talking about RAP itself.
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Yes, I was talking about RAP, should have been more clear. Size perception is relative, but this seemed very small to me; e.g. the reptile show in San Jose (?) is bigger. I did not regret going because we did other things in LA.
 
Alexander1312 said:
Yes, I was talking about RAP, should have been more clear. Size perception is relative, but this seemed very small to me; e.g. the reptile show in San Jose (?) is bigger. I did not regret going because we did other things in LA.
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Apple to oranges

I've been to a few hundred reef/aquaria events ranging from clubs in homes, to tradeshows in Vegas. RAP is on the upper end for aquarium events in terms of attendance, and even higher in just reef events.

With more shows being held, there will be less attendance across the board. Its sad to see MACNA drop off, that was the one actual educational event that one could fly to and actually be engaged most the time you are there.

RAP you can get both dry goods and livestock. CFM is mainly coral. RAP does have presentations and a massive raffle.

BAYMAC was my response to no large local reef events. I wish BAR was able to take it over back when I tried to hand it off, but it just wasn't in the cards,
 
BAYMAC said:
Apple to oranges

I've been to a few hundred reef/aquaria events ranging from clubs in homes, to tradeshows in Vegas. RAP is on the upper end for aquarium events in terms of attendance, and even higher in just reef events.

With more shows being held, there will be less attendance across the board. Its sad to see MACNA drop off, that was the one actual educational event that one could fly to and actually be engaged most the time you are there.

RAP you can get both dry goods and livestock. CFM is mainly coral. RAP does have presentations and a massive raffle.

BAYMAC was my response to no large local reef events. I wish BAR was able to take it over back when I tried to hand it off, but it just wasn't in the cards,
Click to expand...


It would be cool if collectively as a club we could do something on that scale
 
BAYMAC said:
BAYMAC was my response to no large local reef events. I wish BAR was able to take it over back when I tried to hand it off, but it just wasn't in the cards,
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MichaelB said:
It would be cool if collectively as a club we could do something on that scale
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There have been talks about BAR reviving this next year, lead by Bruce. He’s championing it, so the more support he has the more likely it could happen.
 
MichaelB said:
It would be cool if collectively as a club we could do something on that scale
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That was what MACNA was all about

Its a more than a part time job for at least one person, and it takes quite a bit of effort across the team. After watching the MACNA clubs go about it for 15 years, I have to say, it destroys a lot of clubs BOD and there is tons of infighting. Not to mention you are competing with all other events for vendors & manufacturers. There are so many shows that those "resources" are super tight.

I'd suspect most vendors have figured out 2025 scheduling by now.
 
Invictus said:
Some event on that scale with coral vendors, hard good vendors, educational speakers, etc.
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Its kind of too late for 2025. Most vendors have their 2025 schedule worked out. I paid my memvbership to attend the BOD meeting tonight to offer some advice on this, but just in case I get tied up tonight....

As a vendor, we tended to sign up the next years event during the event, or even before, to lock in best location. Many of the other vendors did the same thing. There are more then 3x the evens now compared to back then.

This is what you are competing with for scheduling an event, and getting vendors:

CFM:
  1. Bay Area
  2. Sacramento
  3. Anaheim
  4. Las Vegas
  5. Chicago
  6. Seattle
  7. Portland

Aquashella:
  1. Dallas
  2. Chicago
  3. Daytona

RAP:
  1. California
  2. Texas
  3. New York
  4. Orlando

Industry shows:
  1. Global Pet Expo
  2. Superzoo
  3. Interzoo

Then there are dozens of club level events. There is a Facebook page, and website, for calendars of those events.
 
BAYMAC said:
Its kind of too late for 2025. Most vendors have their 2025 schedule worked out. I paid my memvbership to attend the BOD meeting tonight to offer some advice on this, but just in case I get tied up tonight....

As a vendor, we tended to sign up the next years event during the event, or even before, to lock in best location. Many of the other vendors did the same thing. There are more then 3x the evens now compared to back then.

This is what you are competing with for scheduling an event, and getting vendors:

CFM:
  1. Bay Area
  2. Sacramento
  3. Anaheim
  4. Las Vegas
  5. Chicago
  6. Seattle
  7. Portland

Aquashella:
  1. Dallas
  2. Chicago
  3. Daytona

RAP:
  1. California
  2. Texas
  3. New York
  4. Orlando

Industry shows:
  1. Global Pet Expo
  2. Superzoo
  3. Interzoo

Then there are dozens of club level events. There is a Facebook page, and website, for calendars of those events.
Click to expand...
Tagging @Bruce Spiegelman for visibility
 
BAYMAC said:
Its kind of too late for 2025. Most vendors have their 2025 schedule worked out. I paid my memvbership to attend the BOD meeting tonight to offer some advice on this, but just in case I get tied up tonight....

As a vendor, we tended to sign up the next years event during the event, or even before, to lock in best location. Many of the other vendors did the same thing. There are more then 3x the evens now compared to back then.

This is what you are competing with for scheduling an event, and getting vendors:

CFM:
  1. Bay Area
  2. Sacramento
  3. Anaheim
  4. Las Vegas
  5. Chicago
  6. Seattle
  7. Portland

Aquashella:
  1. Dallas
  2. Chicago
  3. Daytona

RAP:
  1. California
  2. Texas
  3. New York
  4. Orlando

Industry shows:
  1. Global Pet Expo
  2. Superzoo
  3. Interzoo

Then there are dozens of club level events. There is a Facebook page, and website, for calendars of those events.
Click to expand...
Keeping a optimistic mind, it wouldn't be to late for 2026, Or maybe a small scale 2025 trial run.

I won't be able to attend the entire bod meeting unfortunately because i have prior Engagement running at the same time, however I would love to hear some of your experienced based insights on the possibilites, diffculties, things to be mindful of, and general preparation required to plan and host a successful event. Hopefully there are notes that can be reviewed.

I expect many challenges and barriers to clear, I hope however as a club we could chip away at them one by one until a cool idea could one day become a reality.
 
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