Hamilton & District Aquarium Society

September Zoom Meeting

Welcome back!

Our September meeting is an opportunity for members to catch up and share what they’ve been up to since our March meeting.

Participants are encouraged to show off their aquarium or fishroom achievements or even just their favourite fishy friends.

Members will receive a notice via email, and later a link and password for the meeting itself.

During the meeting, President Mike will hold a draw for a 250g container of Northfin Bug Pro! The winner can have it delivered with no contact.

We’ve missed you and hope to see you there!

By jessbullock| September 8th, 2020|Categories: Meetings|

Club Update

September is here, and with it begins an unprecedented new year for H&DAS.

Covid-19 has had widespread repercussions on the lives of all, and our club is no exception. We remain in operation, however no in-person meetings or events will be taking place.

Our Fall Auction is cancelled, and our Spring Show & Auction will likely be as well.

We do not have nearly enough space at the church for proper social distancing, so monthly meeting will continue, however they will be conducted online via Zoom. Paid members will receive meeting information via email. Please contact us if you are a paid member and did not receive our July meeting emails so that we can ensure you receive further correspondence.

All memberships are on hold as of the March meeting until further notice; if your membership was paid and in good standing as of the March meeting it will not expire any time soon. We have contacted our retail sponsors about extending discounts to those with memberships that expire after March 2020, and are exploring means of providing updated digital memberships.

We appreciate your patience and understanding as we navigate operations during the pandemic.

We miss you all and hope our members and supporters are well and stay well.

By jessbullock| September 8th, 2020|Categories: Announcements|

President’s Message April

Hi everyone

Just a reminder that our meeting for this month is cancelled.

Some of our Local fish shops are still open; please call them to see their restrictions before visiting.

Please everyone stay safe. Only go get your essentials that you need.

Thanks
Mike Majer
President
Email president@hdas

By jessbullock| April 3rd, 2020|Categories: President's Messages|

Spring Show & Auction Announcement

In light of the current COVID-19 outbreak, and following Health Canada’s ‘Risk-informed decision-making for mass gatherings’, we have decided to cancel our Spring Show and Auction this weekend.

We understand that this is disappointing but the health and safety of all involved are our highest priorities.

By jessbullock| March 12th, 2020|Categories: Uncategorized|

President’s Message March

Happy March everyone.

Its been a busy few months for us. Some of our executive have been occupied with personal issues.

Just want to thank Peter DeSouza for an amazing presentation on Bettas. I am seeing a lot of members trying to breed bettas now, I wish them luck!

For our March 12th meeting we have Oscar Virgilio presenting on Stingrays!
Please Click the Link below for more information.
https://facebook.com/events/s/march-meeting-featuring-speake/826463064538536/?ti=cl

Saturday March 14th is our Spring Show and Auction!
All Club Proceeds will go to Australian Conservation Foundation! Please Click the link below for more information.
https://facebook.com/events/s/hdas-spring-show-auction/478845439472256/?ti=cl

Don’t forget April 25th. We have Chris Biggs as our Guest Dinner Speaker! Get your Tickets Today!
Please click the link below for more information.
https://facebook.com/events/s/an-evening-with-chris-the-mad-/192965648465735/?ti=cl

May 1st to the 3rd
CAOAC Convention!
Click the link below for more information!
https://facebook.com/events/s/down-under-in-the-great-white-/331992831052239/?ti=cl

See you Soon
Mike Majer

By jessbullock| March 9th, 2020|Categories: President's Messages|

January Meeting

H&DAS is kicking the year off with a bit of business and a bit of fun!

January is our elections month, so we will be taking a few minutes during the meeting to confirm our executive for the upcoming year.

In place of a traditional speaker, Jessica will be running a Wabi Kusa soil ball workshop! Save your plant trimmings, as we’ll be planting cuttings into pre-made substrate balls to grow out of the aquarium. Members will be supplied with materials but extra cuttings are most welcome and will help spice up the mix! Don’t forget to bring taper point tweezers if you have them, and your glasses if you need them! Youll need a display container at home – large jars, vases, terrariums etc all work.

Doors open at 7pm for set-up, meeting begins 7:30pm.
We meet downstairs at the Church of the Resurrection, 435 Mohawk Rd W, Hamilton, ON L9C 1X1

Our meeting will have the usual members draw, raffle table, donutfish, and a mini auction.

*** President Mike will be bringing a magical mystery box to test your fishy knowledge! Will it be fish? A Plant? An Invertebrate? Remember to bring your thinking caps!

Guests are welcome to come and check out a meeting for free!

Suitable plants to bring:
Most stem plants (Hygrophila, Ludwigia, Hydrocotyl, etc)
Rosette plants (small Cryptocoryne)
Bolbitis ferns
Mosses

True aquatic plants such as Hornwort, Vallisneria and Blyxa are not suitable for Wabi Kusa.

By jessbullock| January 8th, 2020|Categories: Announcements, Meetings|

An Evening with Chris ‘The Mad Aquarist’ Biggs

April 25th 2020. Madness is coming to town, and it’s name is Chris.

Hamilton & District Aquarium Society is incredibly excited to be hosting a dinner speaker event featuring The Mad Aquarist himself, Chris Biggs!
A spark of genius from the icy plains of Winnipeg, Manitoba, Chris is a Grand Master fish breeder and horticulturalist, international speaker, founding member of The Dead Fish Order, and so much more. His love for the hobby can be seen on his YouTube Channel and has kept him in high demand as a keynote speaker.

Our evening will feature two presentations by Chris, a potluck dinner, donation drive for Neighbour-2-Neighbour, door prizes, and more!

Tickets: $20 plus small potluck item or donation to Neighbour-2-Neighbour
Location: The Waterdown Legion Branch 551, 79 Hamilton St N, Waterdown, ON L0R 2H0

Contact events@hdas.ca to arrange tickets and potluck contributions.
Please inform us of any dietary restrictions or allergies; we want all of our guests to leave happy and well fed!

Tentative Schedule:

5pm Meet & Greet with Chris
6pm ‘The Florida Experience’
7pm Dinner
8pm ‘The Mad Aquarist’

For further information, follow us on Facebook or online hdas.ca/biggs

By jessbullock| October 17th, 2019|Categories: Announcements|

President’s Message October

Hello Everyone

I want to thank Zenin Skomorowski for an amazing presentation on Loaches in September. This month we have Haydn Pounder talking about quarantining your fish properly.

I hope everyone enjoyed themselves at our Fall Auction! I would like to thank my Auction Chair, Carla MacDonald, for once again putting on an amazing auction. To my fellow excutive – Thank you for all the hard work and dedication for the auction.

To all the runners, kitchen staff, and other helpers, thank you so much for your help!

To Jerry Draper and Bob Wright, our auctioneers, again an amazing job and thank you for your time.

To our sponsors..
Big Als Hamilton
Aqueon
Zoomed
Seachem
Big Als Canada
Aquarium Direct
Northfin
Finatics Aquarium

Your donations were amazing! We really appreciate your support towards H&DAS.

CAOAC Convention 2020 will be hosted by Durham Region Aquarium Society May 1st to the 3rd. It will be held in Burlington at the Holiday Inn again. This year’s theme is Thunder Down Under in the Great White North, focused on Rainbowfish. They’ve arranged a great line-up of speakers, click below for more info
https://www.facebook.com/events/331992831052239/?ti=cl

Regards
Mike Majer
President of H&DAS

Email president@hdas.ca

By jessbullock| October 17th, 2019|Categories: President's Messages|

President’s Message September

Hello everyone!
I hope everyone had an amazing Summer!

A new Season has started for H&DAS. This year we have an amazing line up of Guest Speakers! Starting on Thursday September 12th at 7:30pm sharp with our friend from the Kitchener-Waterloo Aquarium Society, Zenin Skomorowski!

Zenin will speak on the diverse members of the Loach family! Zenin keeps approximately 12 species of loaches. His most favorite Loaches are Clowns, Berdmorei and Dwarf Chain Loaches.

Doors open at 7pm for set-up, meeting begins at 7:30pm.

I will be bringing a magical mystery box to test your fishy knowledge!
Guests are welcome to come and check out a meeting for FREE!

Location at the Church of the Resurrection
435 Mohawk Road West, Hamilton, Ontario L9C1X1

https://www.facebook.com/events/516336835863708/

Saturday October 5th
Hamilton and District Aquarium Society Fall Auction

Located at the Waterdown Legion, 79 Hamilton St. N., Waterdown, Ontario L0R 2H0

Doors open at 8am for Registration.
Auction Starts at 10am Sharp!
https://www.facebook.com/events/510046293064659/

All are welcome; no entry fee

Semi-annual auction rules apply,

All entries must be submitted and tabled by 9:30 am.

The percentage breakdown will be 70% / 30% club

Only new dry goods, fish, plants, and invertebrates will be accepted.

No books or used equipment however you may rent a vendors table to sell your equipment.

Vendors tables are $25 and MUST be pre-arranged with Carla.

AUCTION CHAIRPERSON:
CARLA MacDONALD
auctions@hdas.ca

All sales final and at the decision of the auctioneers.

Cash Only

If you’re able to help us out at the Auction, please let us know! We will have a sign up sheet at our meeting.

Please make sure your membership is up to date. New memberships will be availabable at the meeting. To learn more vist our website at www.hdas.ca

Hope to see everyone there!
Regards

Mike Majer- President

email- president@hdas.ca

By jessbullock| October 17th, 2019|Categories: President's Messages|

President’s Message February

Hello Everyone

I would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone for nominating me as your new President of Hamilton and District Aquarium Society. This position is an honour and I will try my best to keep the club strong and growing with new members and having more youth involved in this great hobby.

At this time I like to thank Carla MacDonald for her dedication towards the H&DAS for the past few years. Carla will be still helping the club much as she can.
Thank you Carla!

Your 2019 Hamilton & District Aquarium Society Executives!

President- Mike Majer

1st Vice- Steve Fyfe

2nd Vice- Rob Chatelain

Treasurer- Margaret Dent

Recording Secretary- Patricia MacDougall

Past President- Carla MacDonald

I hope everyone enjoyed January’s program that I presented. Working in Retail in the hobby.What I go through on a daily basis. Our speaker this month knows what I go through because he has been there too ! It’s our friend Frank Aguirre! Frank will be presenting Technical Information Part 1, covering repairing and resealing aquariums, air pumps for fish rooms, plumbing for water pumps, and water purification.

HOME SHOW

This years Home Show is coming a very fast!
Be sure to sign up via email* or in person by the end of the February meeting on Thursday the 14th. All participants will receive a prize.

For more information visit:
http://hdas.ca/events/home-show