I had the great pleasure of speaking at one of my favorite conferences this past weekend, Reefstock, in Denver Colorado. Even more enjoyable was spending some time with one of my favorite reefers, Steve Weast, who, among other things, built what is arguably the best home reef aquarium ever made. The typical reef geek discussions that ensued were awesome, with lots of ideas and philosophies being exchanged.
One of the things both Steve and I lamented was the direction (or lack thereof) that the reefing hobby has taken in terms of overall aesthetic and concept for reef aquariums, and the distinct lack emphasis on the husbandry and understanding of the animals that we keep.
Steve Weast's 850 gallon reef. Arguably the best reef tank of all time.
First off, I’m not saying that we have concluded that all new reef aquariums suck, that technology is evil, or that our skills are disappearing. What I am asserting is that, when you see many of todays “build” threads, a lot of what you see is an emphasis on the hardware, the accumulation of equipment and gadgets, and tremendous discussion of the mechanical complexities of the systems being presented, with the discussion of the livestock a mere afterthought. I’m personally a bit bothered by this. And no, it’s not because I’m a livestock vendor. It’s because I’m a reefer.
Strange analogy: I hate Twitter and Instagram (although we use them in our promotions.). I hate them with a passion because, despite what their pundits proffer, I firmly believe 140 characters or a simple picture is not all that a modern human can absorb, or has time to absorb these days. These are a means to an end. That’s it. A way to conveyt some simple information. But they are not a substitute for real human interaction. I believe that we are deeper than that.
This is not reef keeping. And these are not reefers.
So, likewise, I hate the trend of focusing so much on our tank gadgets and equipment in the absence of talk about concept, because I know that we are more skilled (and deeper) than that as reefers. There is way more to the hobby, but it’s taken an uncomfortable back seat of late, in my opinion. I simply don't like the “Twitterizing” of the hobby that I see these days.
I think it’s time for a wake up call to the hobby.
I mean, rarely if ever, do you hear of an aesthetic or overall reef tank concept being discussed (and no, “This is going to be an “SPS” reef” is NOT a “concept”). It seems as though we are losing a few of the finer points of the art of reefkeeping in a cloud of technology and gadgetry.
More attention seems to be paid to programming the lighting system and controller setup than the concept behind the aquarium. Some of the reefers I’ve talked to lately can tell me everything about their LED lighting system and proudly show off their advanced monitoring system, auto top off, and many reactors. It’s impressive. However, I rarely have anyone go into any elaborate detail about the idea behind the tank in question, or even the level of care required for some of the animals they keep.
What’s more (and this will get me lambasted from some quarters, but I couldn’t care less- it’s my OPINON!)- a number of the aquariums being served up as examples of today’s “aspirational” tanks on forums, in articles, and in books are, well…high-priced technological testbeds with dull aquascaping and little vision beyond the laundry list of expensive hardware and audacious construction work used to build the tank. Ouch.
Why is this?
It's really nice...but it's only part of the story.
Are we so enamored with our technology, or in some cases, our affluence- that we are no longer concerned with what we’re putting all of this stuff together for? Just throw some bucks and gadgets and we’re revered as “top shelf” reefers? Is the “journey” the goal, and the end “goal” simply to accumulate tons of gear, build the tank and then start over again? Is THIS the hobby at its current highest level?
I hope not, but if you look objectively at many of the current trends, this is what you see and hear. When was the last time you heard the terms “biotope” or “monospecific stand” used in conjunction with a tank build discussion? I’ll bet you heard “ULNS”, “remote monitoring”, "denitrator", and “auto top off” discussed, however.
It concerns me a bit. While we in the reef community seem to love bashing the “freshies”, go on almost any freshwater forum or discussion group, and you’ll hear lengthy discussions about the concept behind a planted aquarium, African Cichlid tank, or Discus aquarium. Spirited discussions ensue between freshies about topics like stocking their systems. Freshwater aquarists in general will place much greater emphasis on the overall aquarium and its inhabitants than they will on their lighting systems, filtration schematics, and gadgetry. Why is that? I mean, an “ADA” style FW planted tank requires every bit of skill that a reef system does, including some equipment for CO2 diffusion and filtration, not to mention, proper lighting- yet the FW “build thread” discussions spend the majority of the time talking about the concept being presented and the plants and fishes being used. Maybe they have a history of better examples from which to pull from? Maybe they understand something that we don’t? Dunno.
Trust me, Jeff Senske will talk way more about the concept for this tank than the equipment.
An interesting dichotomoy, if you ask me.
I’m not bashing the state of our hobby, or the reefers who are out there sharing their work. What I AM questioning is exactly what it is we are sharing, and why? Has the reef aquarium hobby become all about the hardware, the acquisition of stuff, and the bragging rights to show who has the most technological props on their tank? Have we forgotten that the main goal of this awesome technology is to make keeping our animals easier and more fulfilling, not to create a sidetrack that takes us off task. I’m not sure, but it often seems that way.
I’m not some old-school, washed-up “FirstGen” reefer longing for the macro algae and Bubble Coral reefs of the late 1980’s. I’m not a technophobe, hater of people that are into tech, or afraid of new stuff. I am an objective reefer who is just sort wondering what direction that the reef hobby is going during this “Postmodern” period. We have awesome technology at our fingertips… Some of us have the bucks to spend on lots of it. Good for you! Some of us are into the gear and tech, and do cool things with it. Cool.
However, what I’m NOT seeing and hearing a whole lot of lately in discussion forum build threads is the “soul”- the philosophical orientation, and discussions of the “art” behind what we do. My suggestion: Let’s use the wonderful technology as a means to an end, NOT a hobby of it’s own. “Tank building” is not “reefkeeping”. It’s PART of it, but it’s not he whole enchilada. The “journey” towards a beautiful reef tank and the execution of a concept is about the evolution of the overall system, NOT just the process of buying gadgets, creating complex electronics builds and showing them off to our friends.
And now, the most aggressive and painful point I want to make…A point that might anger or alienate some of you- but I feel it’s my obligation as a “bi-generational” reefer (experience from the past but with a postmodern orientation) to tell you this: Just because you are technically oriented and build a complex system does not mean you’ll be a good reefer, or that your tank will be a successful one. I get calls and questions from reefers every day that know how to use every function on their controller, but are just shockingly clueless about what it takes to keep a coral healthy, and what’s more, some of these people bring an attending attitude that is equally as frightening.
Ouch. Sorry. Just being truthful here.
I mean, if that’s your concept of the reef hobby- more power to you. You can enjoy the hobby however you want to. Yet, don’t delude yourself that this is all there is to the hobby, or that you’ve mastered it because you spent five figures on your tank build. There is so much more! If you want to really enjoy and understand this hobby, I’d suggest that you attend a local frag swap to learn the culture, enter into a discussion on a forum about a fish or coral, go diving, look at rocks, study the needs of a fish, read the first section of Sprung and Delbeek’s Volume 1, 2 and 3 of “The Reef Aquarium”, or just spend time with some freshwater hobbyists.
How about putting the "reef" back into reef keeping?
Again, although it sounds like I’m hating on you, tech heads…I’m not. I’m just telling you, from one reefer to another, to look up from your controllers and lighting instruction manuals and look at the whole reef keeping world that’s around you. There is a far more interesting, enriching world to be enjoyed, with corals, fishes, and other concepts to be learned, absorbed and enjoyed. Technology, gadgets, and sophisticated tank builds are part of the hobby- not the entire hobby. The art AND the science are NOT mutually exclusive concepts. Really. And, in all fairness, shunning modern technology just "because" is equally as short-sided...
Scary bonus discussion subtopic: Some reefers DO like to talk about their corals…however, often times it’s more like, “That’s a _______ LE that I got from ultrahotcorals.com.” Not stuff like, “That’s a really cool Acropora nasuta that has alternating colored polyps and an unusual encrusting skeleton. I grew it from a small frag…”
“Look what I got. It’s got a designer name and I spent lots of money on it and it’s rare…” .
ARRGHHGH! Come on…
I’m feeling a bit of “reef soul” coming off from this weekend, and perhaps a healthy dose of cynicism, so I put some angst in this column today. Don’t take it too personally, okay? I do want to hear your discussion, points, counterpoints, and criticisms for and against my assertions here. Let's keep it civilized, but opinions are important!
Discuss. Enlighten. Opine. Share.
And above all…
Stay Wet
Scott Fellman
Unique Corals
One of the things both Steve and I lamented was the direction (or lack thereof) that the reefing hobby has taken in terms of overall aesthetic and concept for reef aquariums, and the distinct lack emphasis on the husbandry and understanding of the animals that we keep.
Steve Weast's 850 gallon reef. Arguably the best reef tank of all time.
First off, I’m not saying that we have concluded that all new reef aquariums suck, that technology is evil, or that our skills are disappearing. What I am asserting is that, when you see many of todays “build” threads, a lot of what you see is an emphasis on the hardware, the accumulation of equipment and gadgets, and tremendous discussion of the mechanical complexities of the systems being presented, with the discussion of the livestock a mere afterthought. I’m personally a bit bothered by this. And no, it’s not because I’m a livestock vendor. It’s because I’m a reefer.
Strange analogy: I hate Twitter and Instagram (although we use them in our promotions.). I hate them with a passion because, despite what their pundits proffer, I firmly believe 140 characters or a simple picture is not all that a modern human can absorb, or has time to absorb these days. These are a means to an end. That’s it. A way to conveyt some simple information. But they are not a substitute for real human interaction. I believe that we are deeper than that.
This is not reef keeping. And these are not reefers.
So, likewise, I hate the trend of focusing so much on our tank gadgets and equipment in the absence of talk about concept, because I know that we are more skilled (and deeper) than that as reefers. There is way more to the hobby, but it’s taken an uncomfortable back seat of late, in my opinion. I simply don't like the “Twitterizing” of the hobby that I see these days.
I think it’s time for a wake up call to the hobby.
I mean, rarely if ever, do you hear of an aesthetic or overall reef tank concept being discussed (and no, “This is going to be an “SPS” reef” is NOT a “concept”). It seems as though we are losing a few of the finer points of the art of reefkeeping in a cloud of technology and gadgetry.
More attention seems to be paid to programming the lighting system and controller setup than the concept behind the aquarium. Some of the reefers I’ve talked to lately can tell me everything about their LED lighting system and proudly show off their advanced monitoring system, auto top off, and many reactors. It’s impressive. However, I rarely have anyone go into any elaborate detail about the idea behind the tank in question, or even the level of care required for some of the animals they keep.
What’s more (and this will get me lambasted from some quarters, but I couldn’t care less- it’s my OPINON!)- a number of the aquariums being served up as examples of today’s “aspirational” tanks on forums, in articles, and in books are, well…high-priced technological testbeds with dull aquascaping and little vision beyond the laundry list of expensive hardware and audacious construction work used to build the tank. Ouch.
Why is this?
It's really nice...but it's only part of the story.
Are we so enamored with our technology, or in some cases, our affluence- that we are no longer concerned with what we’re putting all of this stuff together for? Just throw some bucks and gadgets and we’re revered as “top shelf” reefers? Is the “journey” the goal, and the end “goal” simply to accumulate tons of gear, build the tank and then start over again? Is THIS the hobby at its current highest level?
I hope not, but if you look objectively at many of the current trends, this is what you see and hear. When was the last time you heard the terms “biotope” or “monospecific stand” used in conjunction with a tank build discussion? I’ll bet you heard “ULNS”, “remote monitoring”, "denitrator", and “auto top off” discussed, however.
It concerns me a bit. While we in the reef community seem to love bashing the “freshies”, go on almost any freshwater forum or discussion group, and you’ll hear lengthy discussions about the concept behind a planted aquarium, African Cichlid tank, or Discus aquarium. Spirited discussions ensue between freshies about topics like stocking their systems. Freshwater aquarists in general will place much greater emphasis on the overall aquarium and its inhabitants than they will on their lighting systems, filtration schematics, and gadgetry. Why is that? I mean, an “ADA” style FW planted tank requires every bit of skill that a reef system does, including some equipment for CO2 diffusion and filtration, not to mention, proper lighting- yet the FW “build thread” discussions spend the majority of the time talking about the concept being presented and the plants and fishes being used. Maybe they have a history of better examples from which to pull from? Maybe they understand something that we don’t? Dunno.
Trust me, Jeff Senske will talk way more about the concept for this tank than the equipment.
An interesting dichotomoy, if you ask me.
I’m not bashing the state of our hobby, or the reefers who are out there sharing their work. What I AM questioning is exactly what it is we are sharing, and why? Has the reef aquarium hobby become all about the hardware, the acquisition of stuff, and the bragging rights to show who has the most technological props on their tank? Have we forgotten that the main goal of this awesome technology is to make keeping our animals easier and more fulfilling, not to create a sidetrack that takes us off task. I’m not sure, but it often seems that way.
I’m not some old-school, washed-up “FirstGen” reefer longing for the macro algae and Bubble Coral reefs of the late 1980’s. I’m not a technophobe, hater of people that are into tech, or afraid of new stuff. I am an objective reefer who is just sort wondering what direction that the reef hobby is going during this “Postmodern” period. We have awesome technology at our fingertips… Some of us have the bucks to spend on lots of it. Good for you! Some of us are into the gear and tech, and do cool things with it. Cool.
However, what I’m NOT seeing and hearing a whole lot of lately in discussion forum build threads is the “soul”- the philosophical orientation, and discussions of the “art” behind what we do. My suggestion: Let’s use the wonderful technology as a means to an end, NOT a hobby of it’s own. “Tank building” is not “reefkeeping”. It’s PART of it, but it’s not he whole enchilada. The “journey” towards a beautiful reef tank and the execution of a concept is about the evolution of the overall system, NOT just the process of buying gadgets, creating complex electronics builds and showing them off to our friends.
And now, the most aggressive and painful point I want to make…A point that might anger or alienate some of you- but I feel it’s my obligation as a “bi-generational” reefer (experience from the past but with a postmodern orientation) to tell you this: Just because you are technically oriented and build a complex system does not mean you’ll be a good reefer, or that your tank will be a successful one. I get calls and questions from reefers every day that know how to use every function on their controller, but are just shockingly clueless about what it takes to keep a coral healthy, and what’s more, some of these people bring an attending attitude that is equally as frightening.
Ouch. Sorry. Just being truthful here.
I mean, if that’s your concept of the reef hobby- more power to you. You can enjoy the hobby however you want to. Yet, don’t delude yourself that this is all there is to the hobby, or that you’ve mastered it because you spent five figures on your tank build. There is so much more! If you want to really enjoy and understand this hobby, I’d suggest that you attend a local frag swap to learn the culture, enter into a discussion on a forum about a fish or coral, go diving, look at rocks, study the needs of a fish, read the first section of Sprung and Delbeek’s Volume 1, 2 and 3 of “The Reef Aquarium”, or just spend time with some freshwater hobbyists.
How about putting the "reef" back into reef keeping?
Again, although it sounds like I’m hating on you, tech heads…I’m not. I’m just telling you, from one reefer to another, to look up from your controllers and lighting instruction manuals and look at the whole reef keeping world that’s around you. There is a far more interesting, enriching world to be enjoyed, with corals, fishes, and other concepts to be learned, absorbed and enjoyed. Technology, gadgets, and sophisticated tank builds are part of the hobby- not the entire hobby. The art AND the science are NOT mutually exclusive concepts. Really. And, in all fairness, shunning modern technology just "because" is equally as short-sided...
Scary bonus discussion subtopic: Some reefers DO like to talk about their corals…however, often times it’s more like, “That’s a _______ LE that I got from ultrahotcorals.com.” Not stuff like, “That’s a really cool Acropora nasuta that has alternating colored polyps and an unusual encrusting skeleton. I grew it from a small frag…”
“Look what I got. It’s got a designer name and I spent lots of money on it and it’s rare…” .
ARRGHHGH! Come on…
I’m feeling a bit of “reef soul” coming off from this weekend, and perhaps a healthy dose of cynicism, so I put some angst in this column today. Don’t take it too personally, okay? I do want to hear your discussion, points, counterpoints, and criticisms for and against my assertions here. Let's keep it civilized, but opinions are important!
Discuss. Enlighten. Opine. Share.
And above all…
Stay Wet
Scott Fellman
Unique Corals
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