To all MACNA X Attendees, Speakers, and Vendors,

On  behalf of the Marine Aquarium Society of Los Angeles, and myself,  we welcome you to the tenth anniversary of the Marine Aquarium Conference of North America. 

What started out ten years ago as a small gathering of hobbyists for a couple of days in Toronto Canada has now become the greatest opportunity for all those in the aquarium hobby around the world to learn more, exchange idea’s, information and  make new friends. MACNA X marks the tenth version of this conference which has now progressed beyond three days and makes MACNA a true North American coast-to-coast conference. 

Throughout this weekend you will have the greatest opportunity to experience the state-of-the-hobby. MASLA has gathered a large number of individuals and companies to present you with the “Past and Present” aspects of the marine aquarium hobby. It should become your task to take the hobby to its next level, one that is self-sustaining and perpetual.

This has been the greatest challenge of my life. I was forewarned it would be tough but I never fathomed all that was truly involved in bringing all the facets of this conference together. I began this project two years ago and it was my intent to offer you a greater insight into the understanding of aquariums. With this goal in mind we have dedicated this conference to those around the world who desire more from this hobby. It’s the scientists whose education drives their need to understand, the biologist whose interest in untangling the complexity of the aquatic environment, and the hobbyist whose aspiration to recreate its many forms of natural beauty and to maintain a small piece of the ocean within their homes, and in our hearts.

Jacques Cousteau once said “ The most recent explorations of outer space have demonstrated that our planet Earth, our Water Planet, is the only planet in our solar system to be endowed with appreciable quantities of liquid water. Life, born in the water, must be at least as rare as water in the universe, and as such must be revered, under any of its forms, as a miracle.”

When I started this venture it was my true desire to be able to provide you with some sort of education or inspiration into the aquatic world, this “miracle” of  aqueous life. If you go home with a better understanding of aquariums then I will have accomplished my goal, and that is my gift to you, and to the hobby.

Jim Stime, Jr
President and Editor
Marine Aquarium Society of Los Angeles
September 1998

MACNA X was hosted by MASLA, 
Sponsored by MASNA, and
Produced by Aquarium Design