*** MARINER OF THE MONTH: February Edition! Sponsored by EShopps, Top Shelf Aquatics, Premium Aquatics, and SaltwaterAquarium.com! ***

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I'm nominating @00W for Mariner of the month.

Joel has welcomed many of us into his not-so-little corner of Reef2Reef known to many of us as The Smorgasbord! He has taken the time to bring reefers of all ages and backgrounds together. He's created a place where we can enjoy life, food, reef tanks, and each other's company. He is there with answers for new reefers and encouragement for people going through tough times. For those of you that knew @ESABOE , Joel's thread is where she was comfortable and spent a lot of her last days there hanging out with her Smorgasbord family. Thank you Joel for creating a place where we can come together as a family of friends!

 

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@luis angel is my next nomination!

For those of you that haven't met him, Luis is an awesome friend! He hasn't been reefing for long but the growth in this hobby he has had is outstanding! He went from a relative newbie to offering sound advice to anyone that needs it. Pictures of the food he's making makes all of us hungry but we love him anyway! Thanks for always helping keep us entertained Luis!

 

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@JoJosReef needs to be nominated!

JoJo is an awesome friend. His office tank journey is incredible! Another individual that is there with advice and offers to help. JoJo has a great sense of humor and is an amazing baker - although he only shares pictures and never sends me a slice of the cake… When it comes to Wrasses, JoJo is one that I go to with questions. He's always ready and willing to help answer anywhere he can and share his knowledge. I'm proud to be his friend!

 

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Alright everyone! That's a pile of nominations but there are so many more great and deserving people on here so let's see some more nominations and some more entries!

 

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My final nomination for tonight is @F i s h y !

Jason is #2 only to Frank! He's earned his place in the Cronies through his awesome attitude. He's always super helpful both online and offline. He's a giving and helping person that has driven hours to help fellow reefers when there's a need. He also loves Dad Jokes so that is definitely a plus! If you haven't met @F i s h y , you are missing out on a great friend. Ask his wife @Mrs.F i s h y , who gladly and willingly shares him with us.

 

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Ok, I lied! One more for tonight and then I have to go to bed because I have a headache.

@Fish Styx I nominate you sir!

This guy is truly a mentor! He has taken several young or new reefers under his tutelage on Reef2Reef and has helped them become more confident in their abilities. He's spent time helping them and answering their questions - and there have been lots! Another reefer I am proud to call my friend, he spends time with his little group of Heathens and has welcomed us into his Orange House. Entertaining us and sharing coffee.

 

[tbrown]

I don't qualify since I won last month but I enjoy these monthly questions so I'm going to answer anyways!

How does having an aquarium affect my everyday life?

Well, I'm one of those crazy fish people that you hear about. When I'm at work I love trying to relate my aquarium to things that are going on around me and I'll talk to people about my tank. Usually they just stare at me like I'm psycho (which maybe I am but who cares????).

For those of you that don't know me, I work for one of the local municipal water departments. Recently I decided I was going to go get more water certifications and I was due to test for my Grade III Wastewater Treatment certification. Not having a background in wastewater treatment I decided to go take a week long preparatory class. We were talking about the nitrification process throughout most of the class! I was telling them about dosing Trisodium Phosphate, Magnesium Sulfate, Ammonium Chloride, etc.! It was great! Finally a group of people I could talk water chemistry with and actually make sense!

Beyond work, having a reef aquarium helps me become more responsible. Freshwater tanks can more or less be set it and forget it until you have to add more water, but reef tanks require somewhat of a balancing act. Neglecting the tank for a time can have serious repercussions.

I love reef keeping and I love my tank - even with the ups and downs.

 

[Stang67]

Morning all and Happy Friday. I hope everyone is doing well.
How does having an aquarium affect my daily life?
Well to be honest it keeps me going everyday. Like some others have mentioned I struggle with mental health issues. When I started my reefing journey it was purely to prove someone wrong. I was really struggling at the time and was in a pretty low spot. A way for me to cope was to learn something completely new. Get my mind busy and find something to occupy me to avoid the alternative. I dug in and with the help, guidance, encouragement and friendship from people here I was able to succeed. I also dive so I dreamt of having that same peace I felt under water in my home as well. As time went by, I explored all the different ways of doing things and dealing with issues or problems I came across as my tank matured and I grew to love the hobby. Eventually I discovered my starter (and then my second) tank were just not going to satisfy my need for a true piece of the ocean. I was able to get my dream tank (third time is really the charm) a 180g. After a lot of hard work and perseverance, I feel I am at a point where I can truly contribute and pass down the knowledge, skills, tips and tricks I learned along the way and hopefully help others. I still remember that feeling when I set up my first tank and I never would have thought that I would be where I am now. And I wouldn't be, without the help of so many others. Some just stopped by, some stayed, and some no matter how hard I try WILL NOT LEAVE But seriously, this hobby saved me so thank you. Thank you to all the other Dreamers, Explorers and Discoverers. I am so thankful for each and every one of you and all you do for everyone. My daily life is healthier, happier, and more meaningful all because I started this crazy journey with all of you.
Me diving.

My tank.

My build thread.
Thread 'Third time better be the charm' https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/third-time-better-be-the-charm.845553/

 

[Usarmy227]

I don't qualify since I won last month but I enjoy these monthly questions so I'm going to answer anyways!

How does having an aquarium affect my everyday life?

Well, I'm one of those crazy fish people that you hear about. When I'm at work I love trying to relate my aquarium to things that are going on around me and I'll talk to people about my tank. Usually they just stare at me like I'm psycho (which maybe I am but who cares????).

For those of you that don't know me, I work for one of the local municipal water departments. Recently I decided I was going to go get more water certifications and I was due to test for my Grade III Wastewater Treatment certification. Not having a background in wastewater treatment I decided to go take a week long preparatory class. We were talking about the nitrification process throughout most of the class! I was telling them about dosing Trisodium Phosphate, Magnesium Sulfate, Ammonium Chloride, etc.! It was great! Finally a group of people I could talk water chemistry with and actually make sense!

Beyond work, having a reef aquarium helps me become more responsible. Freshwater tanks can more or less be set it and forget it until you have to add more water, but reef tanks require somewhat of a balancing act. Neglecting the tank for a time can have serious repercussions.

I love reef keeping and I love my tank - even with the ups and downs.

Someone’s famous!!!!!

 

[armyvetheather]

I'll throw my name in the pot again - third time's a charm right?! If at first you don't succeed...?

The name of my tank is Sophie's Reef and I've honestly found since exiting the military that staying busy and keeping my mind occupied is one of the best forms of therapy there are. There is nothing better after a long day at work than coming home to see the blue light through the window, almost like a beacon, and I can't wait to run inside and see how everything is doing each day. When I take the first look at the tank each evening it sets the entire mood for the rest of the night. One of two things happen from there; it's generally just a matter of dosing all my dailies and then changing sock filters or adjusting a coral here and there, but on the off-chance something is wrong - everything goes on high alert until I figure it out and you should probably just leave me be until that happens. I usually cook dinner each evening and adjust things here and there or tweak this or that in the tank. It really has given me something to focus my energy and mind towards and stay active, something positive and at this point I'm not sure I could imagine pulling in the driveway and not having that blue light.

Best of luck to everyone!

 

[luis angel]

Jason's Reef



My story in the hobby begins on 10/9/23 when a coworker wanted to get rid of his tank because he didn't have much time to dedicate to it, so a beautiful Biocube 32 arrived at my house, at that time I had zero knowledge on how to keep an aquarium, with what my friend explained to me and searching on the internet I was taking the tank until I met Reef2Reef there I began to know a whole new world about this beautiful hobby, I can say with great certainty that all the knowledge I know so far and continue to learn day by day is thanks to R2R and the good friends and family I have found here like the #SmorgasbordFamily and many more.
How does having an aquarium affect my daily life?
So many good things have happened to me in life but I can assure that having an aquarium has been one of the best and above all that it came at the right time, I would have liked it to come much earlier but life has a plan, my day to day is not very complicated, going to work, hugging my son and wife and going to see the tank, are the first three things I do when I get home from work, I also love to cook a lot lol, those who know me know of a situation in the family that I had in April of last year and apart from the support of my wife having an aquarium helped me a lot, when my mind was going to that situation I would go sit in front of the tank and for that moment I could have my mind focused on something else, I also thank my family and friends here at R2R who helped me a lot in that bad moment of my life, having an aquarium has a great impact on my life on a day to day basis since it is a hobby that needs a lot of attention and it has also awakened an interest in my wife and son who always go with me to The LFs and this past year we went to Skellyfest here in Miami and every now and then they ask me when there is another event to go to, and so this is a part of my story that surely has many chapters left to write, I want to thank Jill and Tim for their nominations, I really appreciate it

Build Thread - My First Reef Tank! Biocube 32

Build Thread Introduction: Well, I had not planned to do this build thread yet but a friend, @ESABOE, convinced me to do it and here we are! A buddy gave me this tank 7 months ago, a Biocube 32. I kept all the original Coralife equipment; however, I upgraded the light to an AI Prime 16, the...

www.reef2reef.com

 

[luis angel]

I want to nominate @kevgib67
Kevin is one of those people that throughout life you meet and you realize just by talking that you have a connection, he quickly went from being an acquaintance to a mentor, friend and family, with his charisma and desire to help everyone I think many will know him, his tank is more than proof of the knowledge and dedication he has to this beautiful hobby.

 

[smitten with ocean life]

here! here!

 

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Bump for more entries!