Reefers, like everyone else in life, tend to follow certain behaviors, fall into certain stereotypes, and like certain things. To an outsider, it’s very tempting to heap us into that broad category of “fish geekâ€, and I suppose, to some extent, that’s a fair, although rather broad, classification. Unlike the classic “fish geekâ€, reefers are not just obsessed with the animals themselves. Nope, we are into an amazing amount of other. somehow related stuff, right?
In my mind, there are reefers..then there are hardcore reefers. They are easy to pick out from the basic “reef raffâ€, IMHO.
There are the classic reef geeks, that just love looking at pretty corals and fishes interact in their tank. If you’re one of those people, chances are you have this insanely aquascaped tank, with some beautiful specimen corals and a collection of very nice fishes. Most likely, you purchase your corals from a variety of sources, making sure that each specimen fits into the theme as part of a greater “wholeâ€. Your tank is a nice part of your home, but not the focal point by any means. This is the most likely group to employ an aquarium maintenance service to keep their tank pristine.
Then you get the more extreme reef geeks, a distinct variation of the classic reef geek, who’s tank is a bit more prominent in the household. These people are often the owners of larger aquariums, and they like to shop at the local fish store, or may even have a favorite online livestock vendor or two that they work with. They will not miss a sale if there is a chance to add to their collection, probably did a lot of the work on their tank build themselves, and are likely to have an electronic controller helping out with their system.
What Kind of reefer owns this one?
Next comes the “hardcore reeferâ€, the classification many of us fall into. Here is the basis for today’s discussion.
Not only is the “Hardcore†dedicated to his/her reef on a serious level- he or she has made reef keeping his number one obsession/hobby. Enter the custom made sumps, reactors for almost everything, and freezers and refrigerators full of frozen foods and cultures. These people have extreme brand loyalty to salt mixes, lighting manufacturers, and even activated carbon brands.
“Hardcores†are all about the system, the animals, and the lifestyle that goes with it. They have morning rituals, evening tasks, and “reef weekendsâ€, where the goal this week is to “re-route my Nielsen reactor effluent to a carbon reactor†or some other equally arcane thing. They are frequent shoppers at home depot, and know their way around the plumbing department. This group is very likely to choose sides in the Tunze-versus-Ecotech Marine rivalry. Frag swaps, conferences, and fish club meetings are just part of the lifestyle for these folks. There is no way in the world that ANY maintenance service person would touch their reef!
Just another day in the life...
They frequent multiple forums, are known by their “usernames†in the reef keeping community, check Reef Builders daily for the latest information, are extremely brand-loyal to one or more livestock vendor, yet are always looking for the edge to acquire that dream fish or coral. These are the best people to trade with, as they seem to have accumulated just about everything during their hobby “careerâ€, and are more than happy to reach into their tank at a moment’s notice to snap you off a frag of that Acro you said you liked. Generous often to a fault!
Hardcore reefers know and interact with the “celebrity†reef crowd with a remarkable ease. They love dropping names: “I asked Juian (Sprung) about that urchin ID last week at MACNA†or “Well, Tony (Vargas) said that this wrasse was collected from deep water off of the Philippines…†They will often cite writings almost from memory, like a scholar recites Shakespeare, “And Fellman said that your tank sucks if….†A hardcore will often use their favorite celebrity to back up their position in a disagreement: “Well, Sanjay (Joshi) states clearly that the optics on this light are far superior to that one.â€
“Hardcores†have an extensive reefing vocabulary, and use terms like “morphologyâ€, “allelopathyâ€, and “kalkwasser†with complete ease. Things like “Lanthium Chlorideâ€, “Manesium Test Kit†and “Phytoplankton Culture†are simply part of the territory. Using a refractometer and pH probe (properly calibrated, of course) is a given. and a controller is pretty much like having a Home Theater or Satellite TV for these people (“So, what’s the big deal? Doesn’t everyone have that stuff?). Automatic tipoff systems, fancy lighting arrays, and complex electrical panels are just part of the game for these types.
"Doesn't everyone have one...?"
Many have “fish rooms†built along with their system, and the basement or garage in their home is dominated by makeup water tanks, calk stirrers, refugia, or even more tanks. Salt buckets, old equipment, and parts are never thrown away. Rather, they are treasured, organized (well, sometimes!), loosely classified, and made available to other hardcore reefers who are in a pinch (You need an impeller from a 2004 Euroreef skimmer pump? Which pump do you have- a Sedra or a modded Eheim?â€, or “I have a spare lid for a Two Little FIshies media reactor you can use…). This crowd knows the merits of CO2 Proof tubing, Starphire glass, and lots of electrical outlets near their reef!
Hardcores will take into account their need for storage, electrical modifications, and reinforced floors to support their tank when looking for a new place to live. (Imagine a reefer on a show like “House Huntersâ€: I can see it now: “The first place had a really nice walk-out basement, but not enough room for my prop system. The other place was close to three great fish stores…The third place has a fantastic walk-in closet behind the family room where I can locate the sump…â€) As a hardcore reefer, it’s a given that many real estate considerations are based on having room for present-and future- dream systems.
"Honey, it's perfect! A three car garage, three bedrooms, two baths -and room for a great reef tank!"
Even important life decisions are based around the reef lifestyle: “If we get pregnant this month, I’ll be coming to term right around MACNA…no way!†or “We can’t take vacation that week, I’ll have three batches of Picassos that will be weaning off phyto†or “Let’s postpone the root canal until after the tank is delivered…†Yeah- much of your life revolves around the reefing game. Scary to an outsider- par for the course for us.
Hardcore reefers speak a different language, with terms like “fragâ€, “prop systemâ€, “DSBâ€, “fugeâ€, “GACâ€, and “Kalk†bandied about. And we know and use all of the crazy coral names without reflection, “That’s definitely a “Jedi Mind Trick Undataâ€, or “ Dude, that Superman Table is away nicer than your 20,000 Leagues Lokani…†You get the idea, right? Go to a frag swap and it will very much remind you of the famous “cantina scene†from “Star Warsâ€, with tons of different dialogues going on in seemingly an alien language. It’s all greek to the hardcore reefer, though!
Have you noticed that many hardcore reefers are also “techies†to some extent? Not only can they fix up a mean home theater system, but they are really into equally tech-heavy hobbies like photography, SCUBA diving, and custom cars. All are loved, but not revered like reef keeping. And you’ll find little signs of the influence of the lifestyle all over the house. Look into their kitchen cabinets and you’re likely to see MACNA shot glasses, “crazy corals dot com†bottle openers, and stuff like that. A good chunk of a reefer’s casual wardrobe is tee shirts acquired at vendor booths at conferences and frag swaps. Note to my fellow vendors: As vendors, we have an obligation to provide shirts to hardcore reefers at conferences…how else would they be able to dress themselves? Please factor shirts into your promo budget this year…
"Haute couture" from Reef2Reef. So very "Pret a Porter." ("Ready to wear.")
Look, I love just about anyone that’s into the hobby. However, you hardcore reefers- and you know who you are- hold a very special place in my heart. You get it. You understand what it’s like to wake up at 2:30 in the morning for a glass of water, walk by your reef, and see that a coral is askew. So you’ll casually start adjusting it- and still be into the now major remodeling project at 7 AM when the rest of the household is just waking up- and you’ll no doubt be working on it throughout the day.
That’s part of being hardcore.
I’ve thrown out just a few examples here…No doubt you have dozens more based on your own experiences, or experiences with other hardcore reefers…Let’s hear ‘em! Get them out in the open, so that we can acumulate the definitive reference on hardcore reef keepers. This will help those who wish to live with us, exist with us, or even join us in our geeky obsession!
“You know you’re hardcore reefer when___________†is just scratching the surface!
As always, thanks for stopping by, sharing, and interacting!
Until next time,
Stay Wet.
Scott Fellman
Unique Corals
In my mind, there are reefers..then there are hardcore reefers. They are easy to pick out from the basic “reef raffâ€, IMHO.
There are the classic reef geeks, that just love looking at pretty corals and fishes interact in their tank. If you’re one of those people, chances are you have this insanely aquascaped tank, with some beautiful specimen corals and a collection of very nice fishes. Most likely, you purchase your corals from a variety of sources, making sure that each specimen fits into the theme as part of a greater “wholeâ€. Your tank is a nice part of your home, but not the focal point by any means. This is the most likely group to employ an aquarium maintenance service to keep their tank pristine.
Then you get the more extreme reef geeks, a distinct variation of the classic reef geek, who’s tank is a bit more prominent in the household. These people are often the owners of larger aquariums, and they like to shop at the local fish store, or may even have a favorite online livestock vendor or two that they work with. They will not miss a sale if there is a chance to add to their collection, probably did a lot of the work on their tank build themselves, and are likely to have an electronic controller helping out with their system.
What Kind of reefer owns this one?
Next comes the “hardcore reeferâ€, the classification many of us fall into. Here is the basis for today’s discussion.
Not only is the “Hardcore†dedicated to his/her reef on a serious level- he or she has made reef keeping his number one obsession/hobby. Enter the custom made sumps, reactors for almost everything, and freezers and refrigerators full of frozen foods and cultures. These people have extreme brand loyalty to salt mixes, lighting manufacturers, and even activated carbon brands.
“Hardcores†are all about the system, the animals, and the lifestyle that goes with it. They have morning rituals, evening tasks, and “reef weekendsâ€, where the goal this week is to “re-route my Nielsen reactor effluent to a carbon reactor†or some other equally arcane thing. They are frequent shoppers at home depot, and know their way around the plumbing department. This group is very likely to choose sides in the Tunze-versus-Ecotech Marine rivalry. Frag swaps, conferences, and fish club meetings are just part of the lifestyle for these folks. There is no way in the world that ANY maintenance service person would touch their reef!
Just another day in the life...
They frequent multiple forums, are known by their “usernames†in the reef keeping community, check Reef Builders daily for the latest information, are extremely brand-loyal to one or more livestock vendor, yet are always looking for the edge to acquire that dream fish or coral. These are the best people to trade with, as they seem to have accumulated just about everything during their hobby “careerâ€, and are more than happy to reach into their tank at a moment’s notice to snap you off a frag of that Acro you said you liked. Generous often to a fault!
Hardcore reefers know and interact with the “celebrity†reef crowd with a remarkable ease. They love dropping names: “I asked Juian (Sprung) about that urchin ID last week at MACNA†or “Well, Tony (Vargas) said that this wrasse was collected from deep water off of the Philippines…†They will often cite writings almost from memory, like a scholar recites Shakespeare, “And Fellman said that your tank sucks if….†A hardcore will often use their favorite celebrity to back up their position in a disagreement: “Well, Sanjay (Joshi) states clearly that the optics on this light are far superior to that one.â€
“Hardcores†have an extensive reefing vocabulary, and use terms like “morphologyâ€, “allelopathyâ€, and “kalkwasser†with complete ease. Things like “Lanthium Chlorideâ€, “Manesium Test Kit†and “Phytoplankton Culture†are simply part of the territory. Using a refractometer and pH probe (properly calibrated, of course) is a given. and a controller is pretty much like having a Home Theater or Satellite TV for these people (“So, what’s the big deal? Doesn’t everyone have that stuff?). Automatic tipoff systems, fancy lighting arrays, and complex electrical panels are just part of the game for these types.
"Doesn't everyone have one...?"
Many have “fish rooms†built along with their system, and the basement or garage in their home is dominated by makeup water tanks, calk stirrers, refugia, or even more tanks. Salt buckets, old equipment, and parts are never thrown away. Rather, they are treasured, organized (well, sometimes!), loosely classified, and made available to other hardcore reefers who are in a pinch (You need an impeller from a 2004 Euroreef skimmer pump? Which pump do you have- a Sedra or a modded Eheim?â€, or “I have a spare lid for a Two Little FIshies media reactor you can use…). This crowd knows the merits of CO2 Proof tubing, Starphire glass, and lots of electrical outlets near their reef!
Hardcores will take into account their need for storage, electrical modifications, and reinforced floors to support their tank when looking for a new place to live. (Imagine a reefer on a show like “House Huntersâ€: I can see it now: “The first place had a really nice walk-out basement, but not enough room for my prop system. The other place was close to three great fish stores…The third place has a fantastic walk-in closet behind the family room where I can locate the sump…â€) As a hardcore reefer, it’s a given that many real estate considerations are based on having room for present-and future- dream systems.
"Honey, it's perfect! A three car garage, three bedrooms, two baths -and room for a great reef tank!"
Even important life decisions are based around the reef lifestyle: “If we get pregnant this month, I’ll be coming to term right around MACNA…no way!†or “We can’t take vacation that week, I’ll have three batches of Picassos that will be weaning off phyto†or “Let’s postpone the root canal until after the tank is delivered…†Yeah- much of your life revolves around the reefing game. Scary to an outsider- par for the course for us.
Hardcore reefers speak a different language, with terms like “fragâ€, “prop systemâ€, “DSBâ€, “fugeâ€, “GACâ€, and “Kalk†bandied about. And we know and use all of the crazy coral names without reflection, “That’s definitely a “Jedi Mind Trick Undataâ€, or “ Dude, that Superman Table is away nicer than your 20,000 Leagues Lokani…†You get the idea, right? Go to a frag swap and it will very much remind you of the famous “cantina scene†from “Star Warsâ€, with tons of different dialogues going on in seemingly an alien language. It’s all greek to the hardcore reefer, though!
Have you noticed that many hardcore reefers are also “techies†to some extent? Not only can they fix up a mean home theater system, but they are really into equally tech-heavy hobbies like photography, SCUBA diving, and custom cars. All are loved, but not revered like reef keeping. And you’ll find little signs of the influence of the lifestyle all over the house. Look into their kitchen cabinets and you’re likely to see MACNA shot glasses, “crazy corals dot com†bottle openers, and stuff like that. A good chunk of a reefer’s casual wardrobe is tee shirts acquired at vendor booths at conferences and frag swaps. Note to my fellow vendors: As vendors, we have an obligation to provide shirts to hardcore reefers at conferences…how else would they be able to dress themselves? Please factor shirts into your promo budget this year…
"Haute couture" from Reef2Reef. So very "Pret a Porter." ("Ready to wear.")
Look, I love just about anyone that’s into the hobby. However, you hardcore reefers- and you know who you are- hold a very special place in my heart. You get it. You understand what it’s like to wake up at 2:30 in the morning for a glass of water, walk by your reef, and see that a coral is askew. So you’ll casually start adjusting it- and still be into the now major remodeling project at 7 AM when the rest of the household is just waking up- and you’ll no doubt be working on it throughout the day.
That’s part of being hardcore.
I’ve thrown out just a few examples here…No doubt you have dozens more based on your own experiences, or experiences with other hardcore reefers…Let’s hear ‘em! Get them out in the open, so that we can acumulate the definitive reference on hardcore reef keepers. This will help those who wish to live with us, exist with us, or even join us in our geeky obsession!
“You know you’re hardcore reefer when___________†is just scratching the surface!
As always, thanks for stopping by, sharing, and interacting!
Until next time,
Stay Wet.
Scott Fellman
Unique Corals
