this is a question for all of the knowledgable and advanced reef keepers - to shed some light and pave the way for us intermediate and novice guys. in your opinion, what does the future hold for reefkeeping? will everything be controlled by one central computer? will skimmers be a thing of the past? how about lighting? just curious to know what's going on at the forefront of technology as it relates to mini reefs...
the future of reefkeeping
- Thread starter pathos
- Start date
Bomber:
What does that part about "more user friendly..." mean?
Are you saying it'll be easiser for local folks to propigate their own fish & corals to supply other reefers in the area?
Or are you talking about reefers in St. Kitts having a wonderful abundance of tank raised livestock care of a local reef-farmer?
Or something else entirely?
What does that part about "more user friendly..." mean?
Are you saying it'll be easiser for local folks to propigate their own fish & corals to supply other reefers in the area?
Or are you talking about reefers in St. Kitts having a wonderful abundance of tank raised livestock care of a local reef-farmer?
Or something else entirely?
pathos, I think this is an excellent and interesting topic, especially for its broadness of scale and openmindedness. You just never know what this line of thinking will produce. Who knows were the next big advance in husbandry, conservation, or both will come from? Good way to keep hobbyists on their toes and asking "why?" or "why not?", and maybe even the occasional, albeit all-important "how?"
.
Cheers,
Chris
[ August 01, 2001: Message edited by: galleon ]
Cheers,
Chris
[ August 01, 2001: Message edited by: galleon ]
30 years ago I had(what was considered a reef tank)with lava rock, carbon filter on back and 1" of CC.
When I got back into it about 5 years ago I could not believe the difference in the hobby.
The future of the hobby will be educating our kids so they will know the responsibility and caring of raising inhabitants and propagating corals so we can maybe make this hobby financially more available to future newbies who will have at least a fighting chance to succeed and pass it on and the technology will arise from their love and ambition for the hobby. JMO Johnny
[ August 01, 2001: Message edited by: MontanaRocknReefer ]
When I got back into it about 5 years ago I could not believe the difference in the hobby.
The future of the hobby will be educating our kids so they will know the responsibility and caring of raising inhabitants and propagating corals so we can maybe make this hobby financially more available to future newbies who will have at least a fighting chance to succeed and pass it on and the technology will arise from their love and ambition for the hobby. JMO Johnny
[ August 01, 2001: Message edited by: MontanaRocknReefer ]
thanks galleon, glad to have you as moderator.
surely someone out there is working on a computer controlled administration system for dosing everything needed in the reef. analog testing of nutrient levels should already be a thing of the past! and how about sulphur bulbs - anyone using them yet?
surely someone out there is working on a computer controlled administration system for dosing everything needed in the reef. analog testing of nutrient levels should already be a thing of the past! and how about sulphur bulbs - anyone using them yet?
Take a look at this picture:
I took that recently in Cozumel. How many corals do you count in that picture? I count roughly three. That's it...three.
So, what is all that other stuff in the picture then? That's what's missing in our reeftanks!!!!! What you are seeing is sponges, algaes, hydroids, etc...
The future of reefkeeping is to shoot for a reef aquarium that looks somewhat like that picture. In other words, the WHOLE ENCHILADA, not just some corals growing on some liverock.
Cheers
James Wiseman
[ August 01, 2001: Message edited by: jamesw ]
I took that recently in Cozumel. How many corals do you count in that picture? I count roughly three. That's it...three.
So, what is all that other stuff in the picture then? That's what's missing in our reeftanks!!!!! What you are seeing is sponges, algaes, hydroids, etc...
The future of reefkeeping is to shoot for a reef aquarium that looks somewhat like that picture. In other words, the WHOLE ENCHILADA, not just some corals growing on some liverock.
Cheers
James Wiseman
[ August 01, 2001: Message edited by: jamesw ]
I wonder if we should shoot for or will ever be able to simulate the wild. I doubt we will ever be able to introduce the sheer amount of species that can be found in a 4x6 patch of reef. Sure there are 3 maybe 4 specials of corals on that 1 section but what about the fish and other inverts that make that patch home. What about the outside forces that affect that patch of reef. Also you notice 1 large stand of coral in that area. While this is very doable in an aquarium but rarely is it tried. We want variety we want flash we want action.
In reality we are not trying to simulate what the true reef is we are simulating what we think the reef should be. Is there anything wrong with this? Prolly not. Will it continue to happen? Yup.
What I see happening is a stagnation in hardware and an explosion in husbandry techniques. I bet those once hard corals that were thought to be impossible to keep will start to being kept. Every thing that is collected thrives in nature it's just a matter of finding out it's formula. I also forsee the number of captive bred and raised fish to continue to grow.
With the growth in captive bred fish and the increasing number of cottage industry coral farms I also see a greater recognition and respectability for the hobby.
I'm sure i could go on and on but it's dinner time.
Bill
In reality we are not trying to simulate what the true reef is we are simulating what we think the reef should be. Is there anything wrong with this? Prolly not. Will it continue to happen? Yup.
What I see happening is a stagnation in hardware and an explosion in husbandry techniques. I bet those once hard corals that were thought to be impossible to keep will start to being kept. Every thing that is collected thrives in nature it's just a matter of finding out it's formula. I also forsee the number of captive bred and raised fish to continue to grow.
With the growth in captive bred fish and the increasing number of cottage industry coral farms I also see a greater recognition and respectability for the hobby.
I'm sure i could go on and on but it's dinner time.
Bill
<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by jamesw:
<STRONG>
The future of reefkeeping is to shoot for a reef aquarium that looks somewhat like that picture. In other words, the WHOLE ENCHILADA, not just some corals growing on some liverock.
</STRONG><HR></BLOCKQUOTE>
I have to disagree - I think it's ok for each hobbyist to create whatever sort of reef they'd like, as long as the health & happyness of the inhabitants are ensured. I.e. if someone only wants pretty SPS in his/her reef, so be it, as long as that hobbyist has done the proper research & takes proper care of the organisms.
Besides, I tend to do more perspiring than aspiring (I am a sump-dweller, you know...)
<STRONG>
The future of reefkeeping is to shoot for a reef aquarium that looks somewhat like that picture. In other words, the WHOLE ENCHILADA, not just some corals growing on some liverock.
</STRONG><HR></BLOCKQUOTE>
I have to disagree - I think it's ok for each hobbyist to create whatever sort of reef they'd like, as long as the health & happyness of the inhabitants are ensured. I.e. if someone only wants pretty SPS in his/her reef, so be it, as long as that hobbyist has done the proper research & takes proper care of the organisms.
Besides, I tend to do more perspiring than aspiring (I am a sump-dweller, you know...)
I honestly believe that the "Future" of reef keeping will be decided not by reef keepers but by outside influence. We most likely will not dictate our path but have it dictated for us.
case in point September 2001 Scuba Diver magazine. Page 22
Reef Harvest to End
Bad News In order to provide live coral for home aquariums, the government of Austrailia allows 36 licensed harvesters to take up to 200 tons of live coral a year from designated areas of the Great Barrier Reef.
The Good News
Enviroment Minester Robert Hill said this summer that he wants to outlaw the prctice, Stay tuned.
That is word for word including the bold font.
Most of us know well about the Harvesting ban in Australia but what is missed sometimes is that the general public does not look favorable about the harvesting that happens in this hobby.
If we do not start aquacultuering everything we can and supporting these functions fully, The millions and millions of people that do not like seeing these animals harvested will dictate our future for us.
This is not inteended as a downer just an observation of what is going on outside our hobby that will affect us all. I have said before The Australia ban is only the begining. We are more out numbered than Davie Crocket was
case in point September 2001 Scuba Diver magazine. Page 22
Reef Harvest to End
Bad News In order to provide live coral for home aquariums, the government of Austrailia allows 36 licensed harvesters to take up to 200 tons of live coral a year from designated areas of the Great Barrier Reef.
The Good News
Enviroment Minester Robert Hill said this summer that he wants to outlaw the prctice, Stay tuned.
That is word for word including the bold font.
Most of us know well about the Harvesting ban in Australia but what is missed sometimes is that the general public does not look favorable about the harvesting that happens in this hobby.
If we do not start aquacultuering everything we can and supporting these functions fully, The millions and millions of people that do not like seeing these animals harvested will dictate our future for us.
This is not inteended as a downer just an observation of what is going on outside our hobby that will affect us all. I have said before The Australia ban is only the begining. We are more out numbered than Davie Crocket was
Sorry to be such a wise*** - Now to an actual answer - I think this is close:
http://aquarium.richwill.com
that and aquaculture, and long term success with fish and corals (Im talking decades, not months or years). I remember a post a while back about Bonzai coral keeping, where maybe someday we would pass on our corals to our decendants, and them to theirs, growing and shaping the corals all along...Whoever said that was smart.
Brian
http://aquarium.richwill.com
that and aquaculture, and long term success with fish and corals (Im talking decades, not months or years). I remember a post a while back about Bonzai coral keeping, where maybe someday we would pass on our corals to our decendants, and them to theirs, growing and shaping the corals all along...Whoever said that was smart.
Brian
I wish I could take credit for that, but I heard it on one of the boards. I have been thinking alot about it, though...
[soapbox]
Some of the same invertebrates we are proud to keep alive in our tank for more than 2 years actually might live hundreds in the wild. Who knows how long a particular sps coral could remain alive and grow in the confines and safety of our glass boxes, were we to forever provide them with a consistently outstanding environment. We are learning more everyday about fragging corals, perhaps shaping corals will be next. Just like a bonsai, a single coral could be pruned and shaped for years or even generations, balancing it and forming it into a more perfect version of itself. Frags can be taken off and grown into a new "tree" just like the branches of the most outstanding bonsai have been cut and grafted into new trees to start all over again.
As we learn more about husbandry, perhaps we will cross-breed corals for their color and shape, like orchids or koi. I picture one day a single, tall, beautiful branching coral on a single piece of rock, perfectly shaped, colored and landscaped in crystal clear water. I will say to my son, "It took me 35 years to get it right. Now you try....."
[/soapbox]
Or were you talking about the RichWill thing?
Brian
[ August 01, 2001: Message edited by: StrikeThree ]
[soapbox]
Some of the same invertebrates we are proud to keep alive in our tank for more than 2 years actually might live hundreds in the wild. Who knows how long a particular sps coral could remain alive and grow in the confines and safety of our glass boxes, were we to forever provide them with a consistently outstanding environment. We are learning more everyday about fragging corals, perhaps shaping corals will be next. Just like a bonsai, a single coral could be pruned and shaped for years or even generations, balancing it and forming it into a more perfect version of itself. Frags can be taken off and grown into a new "tree" just like the branches of the most outstanding bonsai have been cut and grafted into new trees to start all over again.
As we learn more about husbandry, perhaps we will cross-breed corals for their color and shape, like orchids or koi. I picture one day a single, tall, beautiful branching coral on a single piece of rock, perfectly shaped, colored and landscaped in crystal clear water. I will say to my son, "It took me 35 years to get it right. Now you try....."
[/soapbox]
Or were you talking about the RichWill thing?
Brian
[ August 01, 2001: Message edited by: StrikeThree ]
lol
well actually I was referring to the url that you posted, although I hadn't really considered keeping a "bonsai" coral to be passed down from generation to generation and that's fascinating as well. my primary interest with this thread was to learn more about cutting edge technologies that can/will be implemented as part of standard equipment in the future. unfortunately nobody is posting tonight
.
does that software control your tank? what type of hardware administers the nutrients?
does anybody else have experience with sulfur lighting???
well actually I was referring to the url that you posted, although I hadn't really considered keeping a "bonsai" coral to be passed down from generation to generation and that's fascinating as well. my primary interest with this thread was to learn more about cutting edge technologies that can/will be implemented as part of standard equipment in the future. unfortunately nobody is posting tonight
does that software control your tank? what type of hardware administers the nutrients?
does anybody else have experience with sulfur lighting???
"Extraordinary...Home aquarists are now moving into an area of knowledge that once was the exclusive domain of marine biologists." J.E.N. Veron from the forward in Eric Borneman's book "Aquarium Corals". Our future has no real limitations. Captive propagation is the future of the hobby and quite possibly the solution for rebuilding natural reefs. The average reef keeper sees things everyday perhaps never before seen by human eyes. The hobby is in its infancy. This is an exciting time!
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