Nano Book?
- Thread starter jhemdal1
- Start date
You should make the next one kind Sir and I say go for it, the market is bright and new still
I did read that one, I thought it was well written and photographed however I'd like details on long term experiments and cutting edge designs like miniature kreisels and such (Matt get to work
). His book was professional and well done for sure, I'm only forecasting a possible future element. Maybe cutting edge picos and nanos that transport oceanic larvae and fish back to the lab for study, better than their acrylic boxes, something to further validate the science of tiny ventures. Miniature cryptics possibly (if thats being done) and such.
The one thing I have always looked for in new nano reef releases was an incorporation of designs unique to nano and pico reefs, current ideas from the world and research applications, not just the basics anymore on nano reef care. For example, Tigahboy on another place had a miniature surge in a highly professional looking extended 2.5 and that was amazing. Matt on here has nanos and even octopus nanos if I'm not mistaken, and he's also provided a very helpful and well-reviewed list of fish compatible to nanos. Justdave on here always struck me with his incredibly clean and dense red sea picos, this would sell in a book because people can buy these things for $10 at any store but it takes special practice to learn them so they'd need his ideas, that makes for an interesting read because we don't have to have $500 anymore to start one up anymore. Reefs aren't out of reach now for anyone, so we'd better get responsible with the knowledge and the marketing and the science. That's evolving us, it's what I'd love to see in the nano book world. Sorry so long.
I did read that one, I thought it was well written and photographed however I'd like details on long term experiments and cutting edge designs like miniature kreisels and such (Matt get to work
). His book was professional and well done for sure, I'm only forecasting a possible future element. Maybe cutting edge picos and nanos that transport oceanic larvae and fish back to the lab for study, better than their acrylic boxes, something to further validate the science of tiny ventures. Miniature cryptics possibly (if thats being done) and such. The one thing I have always looked for in new nano reef releases was an incorporation of designs unique to nano and pico reefs, current ideas from the world and research applications, not just the basics anymore on nano reef care. For example, Tigahboy on another place had a miniature surge in a highly professional looking extended 2.5 and that was amazing. Matt on here has nanos and even octopus nanos if I'm not mistaken, and he's also provided a very helpful and well-reviewed list of fish compatible to nanos. Justdave on here always struck me with his incredibly clean and dense red sea picos, this would sell in a book because people can buy these things for $10 at any store but it takes special practice to learn them so they'd need his ideas, that makes for an interesting read because we don't have to have $500 anymore to start one up anymore. Reefs aren't out of reach now for anyone, so we'd better get responsible with the knowledge and the marketing and the science. That's evolving us, it's what I'd love to see in the nano book world. Sorry so long.
Brandon,
I skimmed this book at the store this past weekend. It seemed to me that it contained quite a bit of general material that was really independant of the size of the tank - like you could change the title to "Basic Marine Aquariums" and not lose too much. I also saw the author fell into the old trap about smaller aquariums being inherently less stable than larger ones. You'd think that he, of all people would know - as long as the ratio of bio-load to water volume is at the same, a small tank is just as biologically stable as a big tank (except for temperature flucuation).
I like your more advanced ideas, but I wonder if they would be better suited for a magazine article than a full book? It is all about marketing when it comes to book sales. I think publishers would shy away from an advanced nano book simply because of the (relative) smaller market.
Jay Hemdal
I skimmed this book at the store this past weekend. It seemed to me that it contained quite a bit of general material that was really independant of the size of the tank - like you could change the title to "Basic Marine Aquariums" and not lose too much. I also saw the author fell into the old trap about smaller aquariums being inherently less stable than larger ones. You'd think that he, of all people would know - as long as the ratio of bio-load to water volume is at the same, a small tank is just as biologically stable as a big tank (except for temperature flucuation).
I like your more advanced ideas, but I wonder if they would be better suited for a magazine article than a full book? It is all about marketing when it comes to book sales. I think publishers would shy away from an advanced nano book simply because of the (relative) smaller market.
Jay Hemdal
I agree, I did some informal market analysis three years ago when I started this project, and it had already begun. Nanos have become even more popular since then. The problem is that I can't get good sales numbers, and that is what publishers want when you pitch them a book idea. I tried working with manufacturers, but man, they sure are a paranoid lot - would not divulge any sales data at all.
So: here I sit with 45,000 words and 150 photos, a hot market, and no where to go with it since my publisher cancelled the project a month before it was supposed to go to the printers (long story - but they messed up and committed to too many titles, my editor doesn't work there any longer). I'm still shopping it around, but by January, I'm just going to carve it up as magazine articles and sell it off that way.
Here is the photo they were going to use on the cover:
Jay
So: here I sit with 45,000 words and 150 photos, a hot market, and no where to go with it since my publisher cancelled the project a month before it was supposed to go to the printers (long story - but they messed up and committed to too many titles, my editor doesn't work there any longer). I'm still shopping it around, but by January, I'm just going to carve it up as magazine articles and sell it off that way.
Here is the photo they were going to use on the cover:
Jay
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nice analysis Jay, excellent pic! I always wondered if that stuff was a gorg skeleton or if it was antipatharia skeleton, which is it
One thing I like unspoken about your picture is this: you are showing the once amazing ecosphere (at $400 a pop for the large ones in '97) on the cover and it still is an eye catcher in the office, but when they open up the book and see living material beyond just shrimp it makes you wonder where we'll be in another ten! What can we add? Will it still work? Then your work could contain answers to all this. We must give props to this setup you are showing, I think it's technically the first publically-sold pico aquarium and that's a significant test of the market as we know. Agreed it'd be hard to make a book on picos or a single design, but a photo album approach with many new ideas is something I'd read. It's be neat to show aging systems in chronological order, from really clean to all purple then the keepers could talk about their maintenance and dosing schedules throughout. Making that the sole subject of the book would indeed be hard at 2-300 pages, but it could comprise a nice portion of an experiemental approaches section. Another thing you might consider (don't know about the reference legality behind this, maybe just a trademark R would suffice?) would be to showcase all the new nano products like Gres mentioned, from the TOm's nano systems to Tunze DOC nano skimmers, the lighting like JBJ vipers and all things meant towards these smaller systems. I really liked your comparative biological statement about stability, things like that need to be put into formal circulation to keep driving us towards scientific measurement and away from taboos
nice way to get the ideas flowing
One thing I like unspoken about your picture is this: you are showing the once amazing ecosphere (at $400 a pop for the large ones in '97) on the cover and it still is an eye catcher in the office, but when they open up the book and see living material beyond just shrimp it makes you wonder where we'll be in another ten! What can we add? Will it still work? Then your work could contain answers to all this. We must give props to this setup you are showing, I think it's technically the first publically-sold pico aquarium and that's a significant test of the market as we know. Agreed it'd be hard to make a book on picos or a single design, but a photo album approach with many new ideas is something I'd read. It's be neat to show aging systems in chronological order, from really clean to all purple then the keepers could talk about their maintenance and dosing schedules throughout. Making that the sole subject of the book would indeed be hard at 2-300 pages, but it could comprise a nice portion of an experiemental approaches section. Another thing you might consider (don't know about the reference legality behind this, maybe just a trademark R would suffice?) would be to showcase all the new nano products like Gres mentioned, from the TOm's nano systems to Tunze DOC nano skimmers, the lighting like JBJ vipers and all things meant towards these smaller systems. I really liked your comparative biological statement about stability, things like that need to be put into formal circulation to keep driving us towards scientific measurement and away from taboos
nice way to get the ideas flowing
I toyed with the idea of writing a book on nano reefs a couple years back as did some regulars on nanoreef.com but nothing ever came of it. This portion of reefkeeping has evolved so very very fast and there are so many wild ideas being thrown in. Also I think a few more years to measure long term success with some of these reefs would be prudent to really gauge the different methods.
I leafed through the Brightwell book and it was ok but a little too general and not necessarily geared to 'nanos'. I'd love to do a book just on nano - reef fish and inverts and have a few introductory chapters on working in a small system kind of like the format of Borneman's coral book.
PS - Jay, I picked up your 'Advanced Marine Aquarium Techniques' from Amazon a few months back and really enjoyed it. Especially liked the descriptions of some of the more oddball public displays like the deepwater isopod exhibit! Definitely seems a little more geared toward a professional curator / aquatic husbandry specialist though I think experienced hobbyists will find much to enjoy as well.
I leafed through the Brightwell book and it was ok but a little too general and not necessarily geared to 'nanos'. I'd love to do a book just on nano - reef fish and inverts and have a few introductory chapters on working in a small system kind of like the format of Borneman's coral book.
PS - Jay, I picked up your 'Advanced Marine Aquarium Techniques' from Amazon a few months back and really enjoyed it. Especially liked the descriptions of some of the more oddball public displays like the deepwater isopod exhibit! Definitely seems a little more geared toward a professional curator / aquatic husbandry specialist though I think experienced hobbyists will find much to enjoy as well.
Just by way of an update - I signed a contract with BowTie Press to publish my Mini-Aquarium book. It is due out next summer. I just reviewed the first edit of the text - it should turn out really nice. It covers both freshwater and marine mini aquariums, as well as mini-ecosystems and container ponds.
Jay Hemdal
Jay Hemdal
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