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With the American Thanksgiving holiday upon us, it’s only fitting that we pause and reflect upon the blessings and advantages that we enjoy. This is not just applicable to life in general, but to our hobby experience in general. Of course, we are all grateful for the freedom that we enjoy, as well as for the sacrifices of our military men and women who secure those freedoms. Like it or not, we take for granted the liberties bestowed upon us by our democracy, and the opportunity to control our own destinies. And of course, we are all thankful for the loved ones we have in our lives.
Okay, with the more generic stuff taken care of, it’s time to look at the Thanksgiving holiday, from a reef keeper’s perspective. Here are my top 6 things I’m thankful for as a reefer this year:
Livestock availability and selection: Can you believe the sheer number of choices that we have available to us as reefers now? I mean, when you have dozens of varieties of corals like Pectinia, Rhodactis, or even Xenia, it’s a great time to be in the hobby! Less than 10 years ago, our selections were so much more limited, and the amount of propagated corals was seriously small. Captive-bred Anemonefish were a novelty at best; today they are pretty much the industry/hobby standard. Amazing.
How many Pectinia morphs do you know of? More than a few, I'll bet!
Forums and Social Media: The fact that I can wake up each day and share my thoughts and opinions about reef keeping with each one of you is awesome! The reef hobby has become, thanks to the pervasiveness of social media, a more “open source” endeavor, with anyone being able to share his or her experiences with fellow hobbyists around the world instantly. Feedback is available 24/7, in real time. Hobby breakthroughs, disasters, and trends are instantly disseminated for the benefit of everyone. When a hobbyist has a breakthrough and announces the first successful spawning of the Peppermint Angel, for example- we’ll all know about it within hours! So what if we have weird usernames on the forums- at least we’re communicating!
Ever heard of this one? Heard a few good things about it...
“Old School” corals are still available and enjoyed: In fact, many of the corals that were popular 5 or more years ago are not just available, but highly sought after by hobbyists, who actively purchase and trade them. For example, many of the “legacy” pieces from ORA, such as the “Red Planet” Acropora, “Hawkins Echinata”, etc. are as popular as they ever were, with legions of hobbyists searching for the “true” versions of these corals, and paying good money for them. Although our hobby changes literally by the hour, we haven’t forgotten the corals that we enjoyed in years past!
The "Hawk" is more popular than ever!
Lighting is better than ever: Thanks to the literal explosion in LED technology, super high-quality, ultra-effcient lighting is available to every reefer at pretty much every price point. Tis year alone, there have been amazing breakthroughs that will change the way we light aquariums forever! With highly specialized optics, custom spectrum colors, and dozens upon dozens of control options, it’s possible for even the most non-tech-savvy reefer to create lighting that can faithfully replicate say, the seasonal lighting conditions on the Great Barrier Reef. When coupled with other aspects of aquarium husbandry that have improved, who knows what breakthroughs will be occurring over the next few years in coral propagation?
Hobbyists are looking at reef aquariums as an aesthetic compliment to their living space: Sure, you’ll still find plenty of jury-rigged “project” reefs around the nation, but, more than ever, your far more likely to find a beautiful reef with awesome aquascaping and the the equipment tucked neatly into a cabinet, garage, basement, or dedicated “fish room”, where it won’t damage the aesthetics of the display. Some of the top “builds” in the hobby are ones that embrace a design ethic that actually enhances the too in which they are located, rather than detracts from the overall design. What do we owe this to? Well, a variety of factors: First, manufacturers seem to get it- we like stuff that makes our homes look good! Second, smart aquarists realize that if it looks good, their formerly disapproving spouse might actually enjoy the reef. Finally, I think we’re just “maturing” as reefers, realizing that the impact of a reef tank is far greater if the whole system is appealing to everyone. Sure, it’s cool to see skimmers, controllers and reactors - but not in your living room!
It's not just an aquarium- it's a design statement!
Reefkeeping knows no racial, social, or gender barriers: Regardless of race, creed, age, color, gender, physical limitation, or sexual orientation, reef keeping is not discriminatory. What counts to a reefer is the aquarium, the animals, and the skills of the hobbyist who created it. This is one of the most amazing phenomenon I have noticed in my many hobby speaking trips around the nation: A reef is a reef to a reefkeeper- and we are united by our common love for the hobby, the animals, and the lifestyle it encompasses. A reefer is a reefer, regardless of what religion he or she practices, who her or she sleeps with, or what color his or her skin is. And THAT is the single greatest thing in our hobby that I am thankful for in reef keeping. We are all part of one fantastic, highly-integrated community which treasures and enjoys the same thing.
We're all just "reefers" in the end...
May the blessings of the Holiday Season bring joy, peace, and freedom from want to you and your family this year, and may those of you who are facing health or other personal challenges take comfort in your hobby and the community that surrounds it. Be thankful for what we have accomplished, for the sacrifices that others have made so that we can enjoy our endeavors, and never lose sight of the fact that we are all sharing the same planet. Share and learn from each other about reef keeping - and life. Embrace our differences and savor how they help create stronger and more satisfying bonds between each other. Most important, let’s never forget that the people who comprise the hobby community are the number one reason why we enjoy the greatest hobby on earth!
What are you thankful for on the eve of this Holiday? Share your thoughts with your fellow reefers!
So, don’t eat too much, take your time getting around this weekend, spend time with your family, and of course…drop a few bucks at your local fish store or favorite online vendor…like Unique Corals, where we will be featuring “Door Buster” pricing on select corals Thursday and Friday, and then great discounts throughout the weekend! (More about this later, of course…had to get the shameless plug in there somewhere!)
Stay Wet!
Scott Fellman
Unique Corals
Okay, with the more generic stuff taken care of, it’s time to look at the Thanksgiving holiday, from a reef keeper’s perspective. Here are my top 6 things I’m thankful for as a reefer this year:
Livestock availability and selection: Can you believe the sheer number of choices that we have available to us as reefers now? I mean, when you have dozens of varieties of corals like Pectinia, Rhodactis, or even Xenia, it’s a great time to be in the hobby! Less than 10 years ago, our selections were so much more limited, and the amount of propagated corals was seriously small. Captive-bred Anemonefish were a novelty at best; today they are pretty much the industry/hobby standard. Amazing.
How many Pectinia morphs do you know of? More than a few, I'll bet!
Forums and Social Media: The fact that I can wake up each day and share my thoughts and opinions about reef keeping with each one of you is awesome! The reef hobby has become, thanks to the pervasiveness of social media, a more “open source” endeavor, with anyone being able to share his or her experiences with fellow hobbyists around the world instantly. Feedback is available 24/7, in real time. Hobby breakthroughs, disasters, and trends are instantly disseminated for the benefit of everyone. When a hobbyist has a breakthrough and announces the first successful spawning of the Peppermint Angel, for example- we’ll all know about it within hours! So what if we have weird usernames on the forums- at least we’re communicating!
Ever heard of this one? Heard a few good things about it...
“Old School” corals are still available and enjoyed: In fact, many of the corals that were popular 5 or more years ago are not just available, but highly sought after by hobbyists, who actively purchase and trade them. For example, many of the “legacy” pieces from ORA, such as the “Red Planet” Acropora, “Hawkins Echinata”, etc. are as popular as they ever were, with legions of hobbyists searching for the “true” versions of these corals, and paying good money for them. Although our hobby changes literally by the hour, we haven’t forgotten the corals that we enjoyed in years past!
The "Hawk" is more popular than ever!
Lighting is better than ever: Thanks to the literal explosion in LED technology, super high-quality, ultra-effcient lighting is available to every reefer at pretty much every price point. Tis year alone, there have been amazing breakthroughs that will change the way we light aquariums forever! With highly specialized optics, custom spectrum colors, and dozens upon dozens of control options, it’s possible for even the most non-tech-savvy reefer to create lighting that can faithfully replicate say, the seasonal lighting conditions on the Great Barrier Reef. When coupled with other aspects of aquarium husbandry that have improved, who knows what breakthroughs will be occurring over the next few years in coral propagation?
Hobbyists are looking at reef aquariums as an aesthetic compliment to their living space: Sure, you’ll still find plenty of jury-rigged “project” reefs around the nation, but, more than ever, your far more likely to find a beautiful reef with awesome aquascaping and the the equipment tucked neatly into a cabinet, garage, basement, or dedicated “fish room”, where it won’t damage the aesthetics of the display. Some of the top “builds” in the hobby are ones that embrace a design ethic that actually enhances the too in which they are located, rather than detracts from the overall design. What do we owe this to? Well, a variety of factors: First, manufacturers seem to get it- we like stuff that makes our homes look good! Second, smart aquarists realize that if it looks good, their formerly disapproving spouse might actually enjoy the reef. Finally, I think we’re just “maturing” as reefers, realizing that the impact of a reef tank is far greater if the whole system is appealing to everyone. Sure, it’s cool to see skimmers, controllers and reactors - but not in your living room!
It's not just an aquarium- it's a design statement!
Reefkeeping knows no racial, social, or gender barriers: Regardless of race, creed, age, color, gender, physical limitation, or sexual orientation, reef keeping is not discriminatory. What counts to a reefer is the aquarium, the animals, and the skills of the hobbyist who created it. This is one of the most amazing phenomenon I have noticed in my many hobby speaking trips around the nation: A reef is a reef to a reefkeeper- and we are united by our common love for the hobby, the animals, and the lifestyle it encompasses. A reefer is a reefer, regardless of what religion he or she practices, who her or she sleeps with, or what color his or her skin is. And THAT is the single greatest thing in our hobby that I am thankful for in reef keeping. We are all part of one fantastic, highly-integrated community which treasures and enjoys the same thing.
We're all just "reefers" in the end...
May the blessings of the Holiday Season bring joy, peace, and freedom from want to you and your family this year, and may those of you who are facing health or other personal challenges take comfort in your hobby and the community that surrounds it. Be thankful for what we have accomplished, for the sacrifices that others have made so that we can enjoy our endeavors, and never lose sight of the fact that we are all sharing the same planet. Share and learn from each other about reef keeping - and life. Embrace our differences and savor how they help create stronger and more satisfying bonds between each other. Most important, let’s never forget that the people who comprise the hobby community are the number one reason why we enjoy the greatest hobby on earth!
What are you thankful for on the eve of this Holiday? Share your thoughts with your fellow reefers!
So, don’t eat too much, take your time getting around this weekend, spend time with your family, and of course…drop a few bucks at your local fish store or favorite online vendor…like Unique Corals, where we will be featuring “Door Buster” pricing on select corals Thursday and Friday, and then great discounts throughout the weekend! (More about this later, of course…had to get the shameless plug in there somewhere!)
Stay Wet!
Scott Fellman
Unique Corals
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