The Asheville Marine Aquarium Society has now merged with AquaNC. This is an expanded online community forum that now includes both freshwater and saltwater enthusiasts. There are lots of changes here that I think all AMAS members will enjoy.

The focus is on Asheville and the Western North Carolina community. On a national basis, we've got Reef Central, Wet Web Media, and all the other big boards to take care of other info and issues. This will in essence be the "home town" board for local people to share info, buy/sell/trade, and make new friends.  

There are no more membership dues or fees, and no banner ads. If we require funding for outings, field trips, etc, then we will deal with the cost of those individually and when the time comes.

We have switched to a more secure and modern bulletin board system which should reduce the workload in terms of general administration and fighting spam/hackers. Because it's entirely different software, you will need to re-register here. I looked at different ways to transfer AMAS memberships and there is really no way to do it. Sorry for the inconvenience, but please register here as soon as you can. All in all, I think you will find this new board way easier to use.

Finally, I don't need to tell anyone that we face tough economic times right now. If you're reading this, you are a dedicated hobbyist who will go the extra mile to help newbies get into the hobby. Your help on this project is necessary to keep the hobby going strong in our local area. Without new aquarists, the WNC retailers that provide us with a wonderful supply of livestock, drygoods, and personal service will be gone. So please, spread the word,  post a lot, and let's get WNC's aquarium community back on its feet again.

Sincerely,
- Joe