INSTANT OCEAN HANDBOOK: Who remembers it?

[GARRIGA]

First introduction to chemistry and our saltwater tanks. Read my copy early to mid 80s so memory is vague and I found a copy on Amazon. Thinking about grabbing a copy and refreshing my mind. Curious as to what changed.

 

[ying yang]

Was only just out of nappies early 80's so don't remember this ,or even heard of it for that matter .

What was it?
Book on all saltwater related things or just about chemistry aspects of saltwater ?

 

[NoahLikesFish]

this book is older than my mom lol

 

[Paul B]

I remember it well and may still have it. I also had all these from the first one.

 

[GARRIGA]

Was only just out of nappies early 80's so don't remember this ,or even heard of it for that matter .

What was it?
Book on all saltwater related things or just about chemistry aspects of saltwater ?

Setting up a marine aquarium but got deep into the weeds on the requirements such as calcium levels. Best I recall.

 

[NoahLikesFish]

i salt my food with instant ocean, it tastes good

 

[ying yang]

Setting up a marine aquarium but got deep into the weeds on the requirements such as calcium levels. Best I recall.

Well would be interesting if could get a early edition and then a much later revised edition decade's later or even another saltwater book later to see which advice has stayed and which has changed

 

[GARRIGA]

I remember it well and may still have it. I also had all these from the first one.

Don't recall that cover. Did read a lot of books since the mid to late 70s. Although it had to be at my local library. Even when visiting I'd often go to other libraries to see what existed. The handbook however best recollection of putting the chemistry in simple layman's term that I could grasp. By any chance. Was this photo in it. Don't recall where I saw it but it's what drove home the idea of not being clinical in my approach.

 

[Gtinnel]

I don't remember that book but somewhere in my attic I have several saltwater books that I borrowed from the public library in the late 90's and never returned. I do not miss the days when you had to see if a fish was appropriate for your tank from a book.
I wonder what the late fee is on two 25 year over due books.

 

[GARRIGA]

Well would be interesting if could get a early edition and then a much later revised edition decade's later or even another saltwater book later to see which advice has stayed and which has changed

Don't know if this had revisions. My copy likely the earliest. The one I see on Amazon states 1979 and guessing that's the original series were there revisions.

 

[tharbin]

I remember it well. Gave it away to a new reefer on one of my moves also gave them all my FAMAs and the old Aquarium Systems newsletters (called Sea Scope or Sea Scape or something like that if I recall). Lot of great old books I gave away over the years that I wish I still had. I do still have one of the newer Aquarium Systems manuals on seawater. I never saw "The Marine Aquarist" magazine. Guess I had a sheltered life...

 

[GARRIGA]

I remember it well. Gave it away to a new reefer on one of my moves also gave them all my FAMAs and the old Aquarium Systems newsletters (called Sea Scope or Sea Scape or something like that if I recall). Lot of great old books I gave away over the years that I wish I still had. I do still have one of the newer Aquarium Systems manuals on seawater. I never saw "The Marine Aquarist" magazine. Guess I had a sheltered life...

Used to subscribe to FAMA. They also had an internet subscription I had for a while. Gave access to old articles. Interesting to read old concepts and see how it evolved. To think zero nitrates was my holly grail at one time. How far we've come.

Don't recall Sea Scope/Sea Scape.

I donated all my books to the salvation army. One of the dumbest things I've done.

 

[Paul B]

By any chance. Was this photo in it. Don't recall where I saw it but it's what drove home the idea of not being clinical in my approach.

That photo of Lee Chin Eng was in
The "Saltwater Aquarium in the Home" by Robert Straughn. (The Father of Salt Water Fish Keeping)

It also may have been in the Instant Ocean book but my memory is sketchy before 60 years ago.

I may also still have that one.

 

[Midrats]

I think I have that lying around somewhere, I'll see if I can find it after work. I used to love grabbing a free copy of SeaScope at the LFS.

 

[tharbin]

That photo of Lee Chin Eng was in
The "Saltwater Aquarium in the Home" by Robert Straughn. (The Father of Salt Water Fish Keeping)

It also may have been in the Instant Ocean book but my memory is sketchy before 60 years ago.

I may also still have that one.

Thanks. I've been trying to remember the name of that book for months now. I'm thinking I may try to locate some of the old ones I gave away. Guess I'm getting nostalgic. Miss the old Stephen Spotte books the old TFH binder books and I seem to recall one from Peter Wilkins as well. I have a soft spot for Aquarium Systems because my father was friends with Bill Kelley when he directed the Cleveland Aquarium and IO was my intro to the world of saltwater.

 

[tharbin]

Used to subscribe to FAMA. They also had an internet subscription I had for a while. Gave access to old articles. Interesting to read old concepts and see how it evolved. To think zero nitrates was my holly grail at one time. How far we've come.

Don't recall Sea Scope/Sea Scape.

I donated all my books to the salvation army. One of the dumbest things I've done.

Ouch...

 

[tharbin]

That photo of Lee Chin Eng was in
The "Saltwater Aquarium in the Home" by Robert Straughn. (The Father of Salt Water Fish Keeping)

It also may have been in the Instant Ocean book but my memory is sketchy before 60 years ago.

I may also still have that one.

I think it was also in a FAMA once. I've seen it a few places but don't still have any of them.

 

[Big Smelly fish]

I remember reading just about every book I could get my hands on back when I started.

 

[GARRIGA]

That photo of Lee Chin Eng was in
The "Saltwater Aquarium in the Home" by Robert Straughn. (The Father of Salt Water Fish Keeping)

It also may have been in the Instant Ocean book but my memory is sketchy before 60 years ago.

I may also still have that one.

Pretty sure it wasn't in the handbook. Don't recall it had any photos.

I saw it in a book. Just don't recall the book. Thinking late 70s or early 80s and I did return my library books.

 

[AnotherReefHobbyist]

I own just about every book I could get my hands on, there is a lot to be learned from them!

Especially that undergravel filters are the standard for saltwater.