Auctions at meetings

[maddog10]

Make Aaron do it!

[Ghazanfar Ghori]

Make a BOD member MAN the auction table to answer questions pre meeting start.

[JMLenke]

I certainly agree that there's a wealth of information out there on the web, but few things turns people off faster than responding to all of their questions, "search the web." A huge part of GWAPA's mission is educational, and while we have to balance that between redundant teaching and no teaching at all, as the club gains new members, they join with many of the same questions. One of the board's directives this year is to gradually build up a resource for those new members to instantly go and answer a majority of their questions. The Algae resource is the first.



For the auction, saying "plant name, light requirement, co2 requirement" takes no time, and actually encourages people to bid. We don't want a super fast auction where no one bids, either because they're unsure of what's for sale.

I agree that answering with "GOOGLE" is a turn off.

I gave the search and also a link to a list with what needs each plant has. Print the list or scan the list and note what you are looking for.

or do like I do.

Ehh Ill try to grow that with no ferts and no co2, lets see what happens.

[krisw]

Make a BOD member MAN the auction table to answer questions pre meeting start.

Or better yet, a member can volunteer to man and sort the auction table. Gotta delegate!

[Judi]

Kris, I appreciate your comments. I did a lot of reading before I even came to GWAPA, and while I did learn a lot that way, there was no substitute for what I learned from the more experienced club members. For instance, sometimes I found that what I'd read on the web was not completely accurate. Had I only had that info, there are some plants I might not have even tried to grow.

I agree that it's tough balancing the needs of newer members with those of the more experienced, and I don't know what is the best way to do that. Resources like the Algae article are a great idea.

I know that we can't spend too much time on each auction item, but I don't want us going too far in the opposite direction either.

[JMLenke]

oh come on

next up is

low grow hygro it requires water and stuff

$2?

that isnt fun?

[maddog10]

Literally 2 months ago I would have been able to tell you about ANY non-plastic aquatic plant. I did learn a bit from some online research I did, but I got more from the guys explaining the plants at the auction. I now know a little about a few groups of plants (mostly stems), but I am a fast learner!

I do not know how much the other new members know or knew when they joined, but the information I gathered from 1 meeting and this forum were/are invaluable to me!

[Spine]

What if the auctions were broken into sections of like plants, say "low light, low tech" which would include the usual ferns, anubias, mosses, etc., a "medium light stem plant" to include the easiere to grow stems, and a "high tech, demanding plant category" for the exotics? That way, the basic information would only need to be disseminated once per auction?

1) Provides basic information for those requesting. Point questioner to the web for details.
2) Cuts down on repeating basic information for every bag up for bid.
3) Allows those members looking to specific plants to know when to "tune in" to the auction.

Blaise

Sound like a good idea.
Maybe we could then give each category a ID number/letter for labeling purposes (this would help in sorting out items) all 1/A go to the right side of the table 2/B in the middle etc..

I think it would also be a good idea to randomly alternate the order of the different categories at each meeting, this seem more fair to all sellers.

I don't think we should put a limit on the number of items.
If we have a good preregistration/ registration system it should be pretty much self regulating.
Lets say you want to put in 5 bags of plant X(common plant) and every one else is only putting in 2 you would probably take several bags back because you figure the aren't going to get much because the auction is saturated with that particular plant.

This also works in the reverse if it where a hard to find item you would want as many bags in the auction as possible.

[ingg]

I apologize, what I thought I was saying did not translate well.

I do not mind asking needs of specific species during auction, like ludwigis ovalis needs more light and frets than repens.

I feel sorry for the auctioneers when they need to explain for the 5th time that a stem plant will just keep growing taller, or what a rhizome plant is, or that all rotalas are a stem.

Does that make sense? The basics. It is frustrating to watch the auction get held up by those kinds of questions.

I would not ask or expect anyone to memorize all the plants, but I do not think it is too much to ask that folks gain basic knowledge at times other than when we are trying to auction off 100 items - last auction was 130+.

It is like explaining over and over that apistos are small cichlids, vs. If one in particular is a harem spawning and needs softer water.

I will be glad to help anyone go through the basics, as much as I know -outside the auction.

BTW, I did spend 30 minutes last meeting at the table answering as many questions as I could for folks prior to auction.

[Judi]

Thanks for clarifying, Dave, I think I understand a little better what you're getting at.

I liked your apisto analogy --I know very little about most cichlids, but I do at least know what an apisto is!