Silicon Valley Aquarium Society Meeting This Saturday, Sept 2nd

September? Wow, has this year just flown by. This month our speaker
will be Eric Olson. He'll be speaking about Planted Tanks. I know a
lot of us are very interested in keeping our fish with live plants.
They are beautiful and more healthy for our fish as well. The meeting
starts a 7pm and is in the usual location: The Round Table Pizza at
Moorpark and Saratoga near Highway 280 in San Jose.

We will also be having a plant swap before the meeting at 4:30. Bring
plants and cuttings and extra plastic bags. Everyone there will be
talking about the plants they have brought and swapping with everyone
else. If you don't have plants to bring, come anyway and bring some
home. Everyone is welcome. The last plant swap was a great deal of
fun.

The Bowl Show will be open to any kind of fish this month. Come early
for the plant swap and social time. Come early as well to check in for
the auction. The Board of Directors meets at 5:30. All members and
friends are welcome.

MEGA AUCTION NEXT MONTH!!!!

Next month in October we will have our annual Mega Auction. There will
be no speaker and we'll be auctioning all night. This event has become
the highlight of many members' year. It's been standing room only for
the last few years. Bring some stuff to auction and some money to buy
those treasures you'll find. This is our biggest fund raiser of the
year and pays for all our great speakers. It's also a great way to
sell some of your excess equipment and fish.

A few tips to make things fun and go smoothly:

* Come early if you want a seat.
* Come early to check in your auction items. We'll be there two hours
before the auction starts.
* If you arrive late your items may not be accepted into the auction
until the break or possibly not at all if we don't have time.
* If you plan to sell a large tank or fish that require special care,
please send an email to our email group describing your item. You will
generate more interest in your item and people will be able to prepare
in advance for your unusual fish.
* Fill out an auction form before you arrive at the check-in table.
Forms are available at our regular website svas.info.
* Properly and safely double-bag your fish and other livestock. We will
have bags available for sale at the September meeting for your
convenience. We will also have bags for sale in October for those who
need to rebag their fish before they are accepted for auction. Very
large fish can be brought in appropriate buckets or tanks if necessary.
* Read the article posted on the svas.info website about how to
properly bag and label your auction fish.
* Use a Sharpie Pen to mark your bags, use sticky labels, or put paper
labels between the two bags. Do not use heavy packing tape to affix
labels to your bags. We had a disaster when this happened one year and
almost all those bags sprang leaks.
* You must be a member in good standing to run a tab. Anyone
(including non-members) may pay cash for each transaction.
* Consider helping out that night. We can use runners and runner's
helpers, check-in assistants, membership table help, and lots of other
little things.
* We'll have something fun for our raffle prize, but it's a surprise!
* Please pay for all your purchases before you leave that night.
* There is no Bowl Show on Mega Auction Night.
* Most of all, have a good time.