The frag swap will be held Sunday, January 27th from 1-3 pm at the warehouse of Silver Stone Construction. The location is 3432 County Rd N # B, Cottage Grove, WI just off highway 12/14. The swap will open at 11 am for swapper and vendor setup. From 12-1 pm, swappers will have a chance to trade with other swappers, check out what's available from vendors etc. At 1 pm the swap will open to all and run for two hours (1-3). At 3 pm we will have a beginner's fragging demo and propagation workshop with some of the resulting frags being given away at the end (yay!). We are again going to ask for a $5 donation from swappers (families/friends being dragged along are free but the entry gets you the door prize ticket) to again split towards reef conservation, securing a space next year/renting tables and supporting the MARS website. There will be some nice door prizes (we are still looking for folks to volunteer to contact vendors on our behalf, check out this thread to see where/who we have already asked).

Vendors and swappers should contact me either via email (meisenhandler at gmail dot com) or private message on the forum to reserve space (hobbyists are free, vendors are asked to donate a reasonable door prize to the swap as an entry fee). There will be a limited number of tables and spaces though if we know you are coming, we can look into renting more tables. If you need electricity at your space, please plan on bringing an extension cord and power strip if needed. We are not currently planning on having salt water available.

More information can be found on the MARS Forum.

Thank you, look forward to seeing everyone!

You are invited to the MARS Frag Swap on Sunday, January 28 from 1 - 3 pm at Creative Comfort, 2211 Industrial Drive, Monona, WI 53716. It is open to anyone who would like to attend.

Please visit the MARS Forum for directions and further details. Free parking. A $5 donation is suggested at the door to offset MARS web site operating costs.

Coral fragging and aquarium photography demos and more! Register to win a $25 gift certificate to Drs. Foster & Smith. (Check web site for updated demos and times)

What is a "frag swap"? As corals grow in reef aquariums, they can be cut or "fragged" to make a new animal - much in the same way a houseplant is split. A frag swap is simply a place for people with reef aquariums to meet and exchange pieces of coral. It’s a good time and a good practice. By using a fragged coral, you are keeping ocean corals where they belong... in the ocean!

Contact Steve at 608-213-7879 for more information or questions.

The Madison Area Reef Society 2.0 Frag Swap was the second very sucessful frag swap. There were over 70 people who signed in and estimated to be over 100 people at the event. The group was able to raise numerous frags and almost $300 for the saltwater fish tank on display in the Sun Prairie Public Library (thanks to everyone who donated at the door)! Special thanks go to the Sun Prairie Public Library for allowing us to hold the event in their community room, Animart and Aquarium Superstore for donating raffle prizes, and everyone who helped run the event and donated corals to the fragging demo.

The Madison Area Reef Society 2005 Frag Swap was the first of what will hopefully be an annual tradition. The turnout was somewhere around 40-50 people at the Badger Road Madison Fire Department community room (which got to be very crowded). Prizes included a $50 gift certificate to Doctors Forster & Smith and 10 $10 gift certificates to Animart.

Thanks a lot to Mark and Steve for organizing the event and those who donated gifts for the raffle!