In 2002, Al Marzouqi (Mo) from Williamsport, Pa and Larry J. Geguzis from Lock Haven, Pa invited a group of reef aquarium keepers from the surrounding areas to meet at Mo's house to trade fragments (frags) of corals.  Al Marzouqi sponsored the meeting and many of those who attended brought food and drinks to help.  At the meeting, everybody learned from each other and there was unanimous support for another meeting to be held within a few months.  At the second meeting at Mo’s house, the turnout more than doubled, drawing reefers from NY, NJ, and all over PA!  It was literally a “standing room only” affair.  It was becoming obvious that the responsibility for holding the meetings needed to be shared and a larger venue considered.  In late 2003, the name North Central Pennsylvania Aquarium Reef Society (NCPARS) was brought up, and Mo paid for a website to give everybody information about the club.  Many members helped design and modify the site.  The club continued to increase in size, and its concentration began to shift toward the sharing of information among the reefkeepers.  Far more than just “swapping frags”, the members wanted to share effective techniques on the care and propagation of their corals.  The underlying theme was to protect our oceans, and their inhabitants by eventually increasing the number and variety of captive raised corals. Mo also realized that people, who currently dont have reef aquariums, could learn about this hobby, and thereby increase the beneficial effects of the club. The club could work to teach people the principals of ocean science necessary to start and maintain healthy saltwater aquaria and how to frag corals, breed fish, etc.  After seeing that a couple of schools in the area were struggling to keep reef aquariums, Mo and his friends pitched in to help.  In most of the cases, the old systems were torn down and new systems were built.  Mo sought and received help from many of the good-hearted people in the area, and the group was able to donate most of the equipment, corals, and fish to the schools.  In 2005, the decision was made to organize a group of people to concentrate their efforts solely to reef education for schools and the public in general.  Mo and Bill MacInnis from Montoursville, PA have decided to face the challenges involved, by working hard to create reefkeeping clubs within the schools in their area.  The purpose of the school clubs is a natural extension of our original club’s goal of teaching the principals of ocean science necessary to start and maintain healthy saltwater aquaria, and, by extension, to protect our oceans and their inhabitants.  We have an opportunity today, to have a significant and positive effect on the future of our oceans.  Education is the key, and the earlier we provide that education, the greater the effect will be.  As of October 2005, Reefnest has established its own forum, and a great educational mission has begun!

REEFNEST

Phone:  (570) 337-9069
Email:  reefnest@reefnest.com  URL:  www.reefnest.com