Well, I guess you guys are missing me, judging by the number of pas and emails I've been receiving! Although one of my fellow vendors only half jokingly told me they're all too happy to see me taking a break...LOL!
I've sort of been conning a little "sabbatical" of sorts, spending a whole lot of time working on UC of late; dabbling in writing as the inspiration hit. Quite honestly, there are just many days I don't feel like writing of late, and rather than putting out something just for the sake of a presence, I've been kind of laying low. Which is good in a way, as business has been amazing. They say summer is slow for our industry, but to be perfectly honest, it's been so busy that at times it's hard to distinguish July 14th from November 14th, except for the weather!
And, I've been courted by a number of websites, mags, and other ventures to provide content, so it's a bit overwhelming at times, particularly when my primary focus is helping build Unique Corals into the dominant brand in its category (yes, I'm admitting it...even though we don't talk about it much, we have always had the intention of becoming the best in our category, so no secret there. Sometimes, that requires putting my energies into UC, so that we can enhance your experience and offerings. We've always been about walking the walk, so it may come as no surprise to know that we are loaded with tons of stuff. We've been propagating, growing, importing a tremendous amount of new corals, and we're completely ready for the busy hobby season this fall...suffice it to say, you'll be extremely pleased with the stuff we are going to be rolling out for months to come. We're positioned very well to keep our current and future customers quite happy! I personally enjoy the interaction we get on this forum, so I will continue to post here often!
OK, enough self-aggrandisement...Time for a BLOG!
********************************************
The inspiration for today's little piece comes from talking to a bunch of customers over the last few weeks, who have brought up the subject of "experts" and the pursuit of knowledge in the hobby. Often, when I've given talks around the country, I've been occasionally referred to as "EXPERT reefer Scott Fellman"- YIKES! It made me think about what a real "expert" is in this hobby...and the traits they possess which they won't just tell you about.
As a hardcore reefer, you’re not easily impressed, are you? I mean, there are a lot of “armchair experts” in this hobby. I’ve encountered more than a few in my time. The real “experts” in our hobby are far fewer and far less commonly encountered.
Yet, you do read a lot of wisdom from reef keeping “experts” that can make a lot of sense; really cutting through the clutter of rehashed “ideas” so prevalent everywhere nowadays. In fact, a real “expert” will not call attention to himself by calling himself an expert.
“Truly “expert” reefers seem to lead by actions, not by words.
Real "experts" can change the world through their actions.
On the other hand, truly “expert” reefers are generally not out to impress anyone.
In fact, there is a good chance that the customer standing next to you at the local fish store, gazing into the coral tank, is uber-experienced, with a setup and livestock that could blow you away- but you won’t really even recognize him/her, because he or she does little overtly to call attention to himself/herself. He has no desire to.
The revelation becomes obvious, however, when he/she asks a question, or comments on something reef-related, and is glaringly obvious when you see his/her reef!. He won’t be out there, loudly espousing the latest theories and regurgitating what you’ve read on every forum in existence. Rather, the truly “expert” reefers do things a certain way because it works for them. They often utilize methods or embrace techniques and philosophies that may leave you scratching your head- until you see the success they’ve achieved.
A truly “expert” reefer know a little about a lot of things, and maybe a lot about one or two things. As an old college professor once said, “An expert is someone who knows more and more about less and less…”
Although long a favorite easy target for abuse by the hobby faithful, you COULD make the argument that these guys are "experts" at building weird aquariums.
So-called “experts” in our field seem to display an array of surprisingly distinguishable traits that are pretty obvious, once you think about it.
One of the first things you’ll notice when talking to a real “expert” reefer is that they have one underlying personality trait: Patience. Yup, they realize that successful reef aquariums aren’t built in days, weeks, or even months…They take years, and even then, these successful tanks are still considered a “work in progress” by their owners. The true “expert” reefer knows that there are no shortcuts to success.
When you check out the “expert” reefer’s tank, odd are that you won’t see it equipped with the very latest gadgetry that you read about on line. Rather, it will generally be equipped with high-quality, high performance gear from reputable manufacturers…and many times, it won’t even be the latest model. That’s because a lot of expert reefers understand one truth: Get the best equipment you can afford, maintain it well, and utilize it to its full potential before you swap it out for the next brand-spanking-new gadget. That’s not to say that the “expert” only uses last year’s gear and never upgrades or doesn’t have “gear head” tendencies. What it does mean is that the expert reefer understands that the equipment he/she selects can do certain things for his/her aquarium, and sees no reason to change up just because this year’s model has an additional novel feature…Unless the feature solves some issue that the expert has been grappling with.
Most “expert” reefers stick to the basics- and stick to them well…We’re talking water changes, careful stocking, environmental control, etc. They are generally not running off on tangents just because they read that someone in France is using _______ to make their Acros grow better. They’ll study the problem, and make gradual changes as necessary to achieve the desired result. You just won’t see them rush off, headless, in a frantic attempt to solve some problem by looking for the instant miracle.
Julian Sprung is the most humble of reefers, yet his diverse aquarium gives him away- he's an "expert" reefer for sure.
You’ll find that almost every “expert” reefer will avoid shopping for the “trendy named corals” like the plague. You’ll rarely see him/her namedropping and begging about the microchip-sized frag of that hot “LE” Acro or Acan. Rather, you’ll hear them go on and on about the coral that he or she likes, and find out that the reason it’s in his/her tank is because he or she loves the coral! It’s the way things should be- keep corals that you like because you like them- not because everyone will think that you’re cool because you paid $600 for a 1/2” frag of some “trendy” coral (that, in reality, is probably available from multiple vendors that just haven't named the darned thing yet and don't realize that they have this month’s “flavor of the month.”). Expert reefers just know that money doesn’t buy happiness, success, or “street creed” in the reefing scene. It just buys stuff.
It's called a "Strawberry Shortcake" to us...To the expert, it's just a coral that he or she likes.
The real “expert” reefer makes it a point to understand the needs of each coral before it ends up in his or her tank. Sure, they will make mistake along the way, but most “expert” reefers will seldom make the same mistake twice- especially if it cost the lives of some treasured livestock. A simple, short, sweet lesson that is always appreciated.
The real “expert” realizes that “stuff” just happens in reef keeping…Corals develop STN, RTN, or “anomolous” bleaching conditions…Equipment fails, accidents happen with additives, et., etc., etc.- He or she knows that you need to insure yourself against loss with backup parts, reduncacies in your system design, and with frags of prized colonies “vetted out” to other reefers- just in case the unthinkable happens.
"Experts" always have a backup plan.
In a similar vein, the real power of “paying it forward” becomes obvious in situations like that, believe me. Ever noticed that when something disastrous happens to a generous “expert” reefer that fellow reefers come out of the woodwork to help? It’s not just because the reefer is well known- it’s because he or she has taken the time to cultivate relationships and friendships with other reefers- to nurture them and assist with their developing hobby. The realization that we don’t exist in a vacuum has helped more than one reefer move from rank beginner to “expert”, believe me.
The “expert” reefer also knows that just being consistent and steadfast in maintenance and husbandry can make up for a lot of mistakes- and that you will make a lot of mistakes in reef keeping. It’s inevitable. The “expert” learns from mistakes, rather than quits because of them.
In the end, the “expert” reefer has an array of skills honed from years of experience in the reef keeping game- the product of numerous successes, jarring failures, and lessons learned by getting his or her hands wet. In short, an “expert” reefer is a hobbyist who has done far more than he or she has talked about, and who continues to push forward the boundaries of modern reef keeping.
Today's very brief, and hopefully, very useful-to-remember lesson.
Until next time...(soon, I promise)
Stay Wet.
Scott Fellman
Unique Corals
I've sort of been conning a little "sabbatical" of sorts, spending a whole lot of time working on UC of late; dabbling in writing as the inspiration hit. Quite honestly, there are just many days I don't feel like writing of late, and rather than putting out something just for the sake of a presence, I've been kind of laying low. Which is good in a way, as business has been amazing. They say summer is slow for our industry, but to be perfectly honest, it's been so busy that at times it's hard to distinguish July 14th from November 14th, except for the weather!
And, I've been courted by a number of websites, mags, and other ventures to provide content, so it's a bit overwhelming at times, particularly when my primary focus is helping build Unique Corals into the dominant brand in its category (yes, I'm admitting it...even though we don't talk about it much, we have always had the intention of becoming the best in our category, so no secret there. Sometimes, that requires putting my energies into UC, so that we can enhance your experience and offerings. We've always been about walking the walk, so it may come as no surprise to know that we are loaded with tons of stuff. We've been propagating, growing, importing a tremendous amount of new corals, and we're completely ready for the busy hobby season this fall...suffice it to say, you'll be extremely pleased with the stuff we are going to be rolling out for months to come. We're positioned very well to keep our current and future customers quite happy! I personally enjoy the interaction we get on this forum, so I will continue to post here often!
OK, enough self-aggrandisement...Time for a BLOG!
********************************************
The inspiration for today's little piece comes from talking to a bunch of customers over the last few weeks, who have brought up the subject of "experts" and the pursuit of knowledge in the hobby. Often, when I've given talks around the country, I've been occasionally referred to as "EXPERT reefer Scott Fellman"- YIKES! It made me think about what a real "expert" is in this hobby...and the traits they possess which they won't just tell you about.
As a hardcore reefer, you’re not easily impressed, are you? I mean, there are a lot of “armchair experts” in this hobby. I’ve encountered more than a few in my time. The real “experts” in our hobby are far fewer and far less commonly encountered.
Yet, you do read a lot of wisdom from reef keeping “experts” that can make a lot of sense; really cutting through the clutter of rehashed “ideas” so prevalent everywhere nowadays. In fact, a real “expert” will not call attention to himself by calling himself an expert.
“Truly “expert” reefers seem to lead by actions, not by words.
Real "experts" can change the world through their actions.
On the other hand, truly “expert” reefers are generally not out to impress anyone.
In fact, there is a good chance that the customer standing next to you at the local fish store, gazing into the coral tank, is uber-experienced, with a setup and livestock that could blow you away- but you won’t really even recognize him/her, because he or she does little overtly to call attention to himself/herself. He has no desire to.
The revelation becomes obvious, however, when he/she asks a question, or comments on something reef-related, and is glaringly obvious when you see his/her reef!. He won’t be out there, loudly espousing the latest theories and regurgitating what you’ve read on every forum in existence. Rather, the truly “expert” reefers do things a certain way because it works for them. They often utilize methods or embrace techniques and philosophies that may leave you scratching your head- until you see the success they’ve achieved.
A truly “expert” reefer know a little about a lot of things, and maybe a lot about one or two things. As an old college professor once said, “An expert is someone who knows more and more about less and less…”
Although long a favorite easy target for abuse by the hobby faithful, you COULD make the argument that these guys are "experts" at building weird aquariums.
So-called “experts” in our field seem to display an array of surprisingly distinguishable traits that are pretty obvious, once you think about it.
One of the first things you’ll notice when talking to a real “expert” reefer is that they have one underlying personality trait: Patience. Yup, they realize that successful reef aquariums aren’t built in days, weeks, or even months…They take years, and even then, these successful tanks are still considered a “work in progress” by their owners. The true “expert” reefer knows that there are no shortcuts to success.
When you check out the “expert” reefer’s tank, odd are that you won’t see it equipped with the very latest gadgetry that you read about on line. Rather, it will generally be equipped with high-quality, high performance gear from reputable manufacturers…and many times, it won’t even be the latest model. That’s because a lot of expert reefers understand one truth: Get the best equipment you can afford, maintain it well, and utilize it to its full potential before you swap it out for the next brand-spanking-new gadget. That’s not to say that the “expert” only uses last year’s gear and never upgrades or doesn’t have “gear head” tendencies. What it does mean is that the expert reefer understands that the equipment he/she selects can do certain things for his/her aquarium, and sees no reason to change up just because this year’s model has an additional novel feature…Unless the feature solves some issue that the expert has been grappling with.
Most “expert” reefers stick to the basics- and stick to them well…We’re talking water changes, careful stocking, environmental control, etc. They are generally not running off on tangents just because they read that someone in France is using _______ to make their Acros grow better. They’ll study the problem, and make gradual changes as necessary to achieve the desired result. You just won’t see them rush off, headless, in a frantic attempt to solve some problem by looking for the instant miracle.
Julian Sprung is the most humble of reefers, yet his diverse aquarium gives him away- he's an "expert" reefer for sure.
You’ll find that almost every “expert” reefer will avoid shopping for the “trendy named corals” like the plague. You’ll rarely see him/her namedropping and begging about the microchip-sized frag of that hot “LE” Acro or Acan. Rather, you’ll hear them go on and on about the coral that he or she likes, and find out that the reason it’s in his/her tank is because he or she loves the coral! It’s the way things should be- keep corals that you like because you like them- not because everyone will think that you’re cool because you paid $600 for a 1/2” frag of some “trendy” coral (that, in reality, is probably available from multiple vendors that just haven't named the darned thing yet and don't realize that they have this month’s “flavor of the month.”). Expert reefers just know that money doesn’t buy happiness, success, or “street creed” in the reefing scene. It just buys stuff.
It's called a "Strawberry Shortcake" to us...To the expert, it's just a coral that he or she likes.
The real “expert” reefer makes it a point to understand the needs of each coral before it ends up in his or her tank. Sure, they will make mistake along the way, but most “expert” reefers will seldom make the same mistake twice- especially if it cost the lives of some treasured livestock. A simple, short, sweet lesson that is always appreciated.
The real “expert” realizes that “stuff” just happens in reef keeping…Corals develop STN, RTN, or “anomolous” bleaching conditions…Equipment fails, accidents happen with additives, et., etc., etc.- He or she knows that you need to insure yourself against loss with backup parts, reduncacies in your system design, and with frags of prized colonies “vetted out” to other reefers- just in case the unthinkable happens.
"Experts" always have a backup plan.
In a similar vein, the real power of “paying it forward” becomes obvious in situations like that, believe me. Ever noticed that when something disastrous happens to a generous “expert” reefer that fellow reefers come out of the woodwork to help? It’s not just because the reefer is well known- it’s because he or she has taken the time to cultivate relationships and friendships with other reefers- to nurture them and assist with their developing hobby. The realization that we don’t exist in a vacuum has helped more than one reefer move from rank beginner to “expert”, believe me.
The “expert” reefer also knows that just being consistent and steadfast in maintenance and husbandry can make up for a lot of mistakes- and that you will make a lot of mistakes in reef keeping. It’s inevitable. The “expert” learns from mistakes, rather than quits because of them.
In the end, the “expert” reefer has an array of skills honed from years of experience in the reef keeping game- the product of numerous successes, jarring failures, and lessons learned by getting his or her hands wet. In short, an “expert” reefer is a hobbyist who has done far more than he or she has talked about, and who continues to push forward the boundaries of modern reef keeping.
Today's very brief, and hopefully, very useful-to-remember lesson.
Until next time...(soon, I promise)
Stay Wet.
Scott Fellman
Unique Corals
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