TOTM Diversity. Where is it?

[mile sq. reefer]

I am writing this in response to viewing last months TOTM and current TOTM. They are both true testaments of successful reefkeeping and illustrate the owners dedication, experience and understanding of keeping marine life. They capture what we, the marine aquarist, hope to achieve with our systems, a living thriving ecosystem that was once part of the ocean now only to be found in our homes. I have to say great job and thank you for sharing. The information they provide is valuable in helping us to become better aquarists. However, I did notice, that both of these systems were very similar in their overall appearance. That is why I ask, where is the diversity? The marine biotope, the LPS dominant system, the species only, the endemic, the deep water reef and the long forgotten but just as beautiful, "Softy Reef"? This is not posted as an attack or with disrespect to the past and current TOTM. They are astonishing. It is posted as a discussion to open up the TOTM to other systems that are just as successful which are owned and maintained by dedicated reefkeepers. Thanks.

[SDguy]

As a reference for this thread, I'll post this at the beginning just so everyone knows how to nomiate a tank:

<table width="375" height="55" border="2" cellspacing="2" cellpadding="1" bordercolor="#006699">
<tr>
<td bgcolor="#006699" width="73%">
<center><font color="#FFFFFF" size="-1">If you'd like to nominate a tank for Tank of the Month, click <a href="http://reefcentral.com/forums/newthread.php?s=&action=newthread&forumid=189" target="_blank"><font color="#FFFFFF">here</font></a>
or use the button to the right.</font></center>
</td>
<td bgcolor="#FFFFFF" width="27%"><img src="http://reefkeeping.com/images/nominate1.gif" border="0" title="Click here to nominate a Tank of the Month"> (http://reefcentral.com/forums/newthread.php?s=&action=newthread&forumid=189)
</td>
</tr>
</table>

[mile sq. reefer]

Peter, great job with the Nano Reef Slides.

[Project Reef]

Mile sq. Reefer,
Thank you for your input. It was very well thought out and well said. I agree with you and I'm hoping to see more biotope systems. Although true biotope systems from specific regions are hard to find, I would love to see tanks nominated by fellow R.C.'ers that might include several large colonies of the same species.

There are not too many people that have the discipline to set up a reef aquarium and only place 3-5 species of coral in the tank and let those 3 to 5 species dominate the tank and grow into amazing colonies. It can truly make for a stunning display once all grown in and established.

Keep your eyes open gang and make sure to utilize Peter's link above.

[seapug]

This topic comes up every so often. I do agree with mile sq. reefer. There is no question that the TOTM's are always beautiful, immaculately maintained systems that we can all learn from but there is definitely a bias towards large, high tech, SPS dominated tanks. While these tanks in many ways do represent the "pinnacle" of the hobby, I've seen some pictures of other tanks on this site that are just as impressive in different ways. The only TOTM I've seen that's "different" in my time here was the Nano from a year or so back. Given the popularity of these systems it was really cool to see one operated and maintained so perfectly. It's something many people could learn from as they are popular with those who are just starting out.

Paradox's Cuttlefish Army Reef is a "different" one that comes to my mind. Not only is it a cool concept, the aquascaping and plumbing of the system are really interesting and the hand made stand and cabinet is a work of art in and of itself. I'm sure many of these "atypical" tanks are nominated and it would be cool to see them featured more often.

Not complainin'.....just sayin'.

[mhurley]

mile sq. reefer and seapug,

I've noticed that neither of you have ever nominated a tank so please use that link that's plastered in every TOTM article and get in there and do so!! Democracy only works if people vote! :thumbsup:

[superedge88]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12306113#post12306113 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by mile sq. reefer
I am writing this in response to viewing last months TOTM and current TOTM. They are both true testaments of successful reefkeeping and illustrate the owners dedication, experience and understanding of keeping marine life. They capture what we, the marine aquarist, hope to achieve with our systems, a living thriving ecosystem that was once part of the ocean now only to be found in our homes. I have to say great job and thank you for sharing. The information they provide is valuable in helping us to become better aquarists. However, I did notice, that both of these systems were very similar in their overall appearance. That is why I ask, where is the diversity? The marine biotope, the LPS dominant system, the species only, the endemic, the deep water reef and the long forgotten but just as beautiful, "Softy Reef"? This is not posted as an attack or with disrespect to the past and current TOTM. They are astonishing. It is posted as a discussion to open up the TOTM to other systems that are just as successful which are owned and maintained by dedicated reefkeepers. Thanks.

That is just about the nicest way I have ever seen anyone give constructive criticism! :) I do agree, though I can appreciate the difficulty in finding the other types of tanks you mention, and well done ones at that.

[dzeadow]

I nominated a tank of the month from the Macro Algae forum that's a great biotope, I knew that since it wasn't SPS dominant like all the other TOTM's, it didn't have a chance... too bad.

[mhurley]

dzeadow,
When/how did you nominate this tank?

[seapug]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12306590#post12306590 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by mhurley
mile sq. reefer and seapug,

I've noticed that neither of you have ever nominated a tank so please use that link that's plastered in every TOTM article and get in there and do so!! Democracy only works if people vote! :thumbsup:

Thanks....just did.

[dzeadow]

I sent a PM to billsreef who forwarded the message to Melev who asked me for a link to the thread, which I gave. I figured that was enough?

[cweder]

I would like to see a separate thread/forum for tanks that are nominated. This way we could all see the nominees and vote for our favorite. I think this could greatly encourage voting and participation as well as give recognition to all contenders.

[dzeadow]

it's how the Nano forum does it... nTOTM is based on reader's decisions/votes.

[seapug]

good idea, cweder.

then again, perhaps this whole thread should be in the feedback forum....
but then nobody would see it....:D

[SDguy]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12306245#post12306245 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by mile sq. reefer
Peter, great job with the Nano Reef Slides.

:) Thank you.

[cweder]

Voter participation could also be encouraged by having a featured sponsor of the month give away. All those who voted would be entered for the prize. A free frag or a gift certificate would work nicely for me.

[psteeleb]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12306955#post12306955 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by cweder
I would like to see a separate thread/forum for tanks that are nominated. This way we could all see the nominees and vote for our favorite. I think this could greatly encourage voting and participation as well as give recognition to all contenders.

Good idea but it may have to be part popular vote and probably some board or other input criteria. I can only imagine there has to be a lot of background communication, writing, editing, picture taking, layout formatting, permission forms, etc, etc, that have to be considered. Not to mention monthly timelines that has to be met to get a quality publication done each month. And all by volunteers, its an amazing feat that we get to see these quality TOTM issues every month and just voting doesn't make it happen. Plus, I’m not even sure how you would work this out; vote first then try and get permissions pictures etc or the other way around? It may be a logistics nightmare. What if people voted and the winner didn't want to or couldn’t participate, or get the write-ups or pictures taken in time, what do you go to for a back up plan?

[drama07]

So true! For once I'd like a tank nominated for its difference to past winners.

[melev]

Thank you for your feedback.

What we are looking for are established beautiful tanks that have been cared for long term. Tanks can be set up and look amazing, but how long can the hobbyist maintain proper husbandry? Did they grow it to this point from frags or buy a bunch of stunning corals and post pictures? How is it maintained specifically? What hurdles had to be overcome, and what worked successfully?

Every tank that is nominated is posted where Team RC members can discuss its candidacy. Research is done to see if it was honored elsewhere, as RKO (ReefKeeping Online - our magazine) would prefer not to copy or duplicate a featured tank.

During my travels recently, I've had the opportunity to see some beautiful reefs that many have probably not seen online, for whatever reason. These people are contacted to see if they would like to have their tank featured. Nominated tanks can be varied, and as was pointed out it could be Nanos, softies, etc. Everyones' taste varies, so if the next tank after Weatherson's was a cuttlefish tank, the reaction would be interesting to say the least. ;)

Regardless, if you find a system is worthy, submit it. No-one is being ignored.

[OnoIgotICH]

All it is is an SPS Forest.

Looks boring seeing the same crap every month i log into this hoping for a great looking tank.

Dont take it the wrong way they are all great looking tanks, that just look so similiar to each other.

[SDguy]

So, um, feel free to offer up some constructive criticism, folks :thumbsup:

[melev]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12307624#post12307624 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by OnoIgotICH
All it is is an SPS Forest.

Looks boring seeing the same crap every month i log into this hoping for a great looking tank.

Dont take it the wrong way they are all great looking tanks, that just look so similiar to each other.

Experience:6 Years
75 Bowfront Soft Corals and Agresive Fish

Don't take this the wrong way: Perhaps your aggressive tank full of Ich would be a nice alternative. :D

[seapug]

SDguy is right....I certainly don't want this to turn into a complaining thread. Most of us are trying to keep it positive.

[OnoIgotICH]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12307735#post12307735 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by melev
Don't take this the wrong way: Perhaps your aggressive tank full of Ich would be a nice alternative. :D

If i had ich.

[melev]

You need a new username then. :lol:

[SDguy]

The point is no one appreciates their time consuming efforts being called "the same crap every month" with nothing constructive to add. As seapug pointed out, that's not the point of this thread, nor, do I think, will the mods allow it to go in that direction.

[dcombs44]

It seems there's a thread similar to this every couple of months, and every time, someone posts links to past winners with tanks that are not SPS dominated. The fact of the matter is, that SPS are typically the most difficult coral species to keep in the hobby, so that's what people advance to as they improve their skills in the hobby. The tanks that are successful long term are typically those owned by people that know their stuff. Those that know their stuff want to keep the hardest stuff to keep. They top out at SPS by default.

Here are some past non SPS TOTMs.

P.S. Kudos to the RC and RK staffs for providing us with stellar articles each month and being a wealth of info for us all. ;)

There was a zoa dominated tank from a while back (I think) that I couldn't find. That was one of my all time favs.

http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2006-06/totm/index.php

http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2006-05/totm/index.php

http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2006-04/totm/index.php

http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2005-05/totm/index.php

[dcombs44]

Ooh..here it is. Love this tank.

http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2004-08/totm/index.php

Granted, there's a new editor now, but beware, as this was posted as the the TOTM in the not too distant past.

I may also add, that I'm doubting that anyone here is paying anything to RK Mag for their product, and no one is making you read it :)

http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2005-04fools/ltte/index.php

(Guessing this was an April Fools Joke, but I'm also guessing the complaint was real)

[seapug]

agreed. It's a big effort and all of them are awesome. The owners and the RC staff are to be commended for the work that goes into them. That Zoa tank is awesome-- and from 4 years ago. If there's one family of corals that has new kinds being found all the time it's the Zoanthids. I would love to see a new zoa tank (that's not a bunch of frag plugs) featured.

[macreefster]

i have to say that all of the TOFTM are fully deserving and i've not found a one boring in the least. as a matter of fact they have inspired me to create a reef worth of them! while my tank is only a 70 i enjoy it immensely, but i yearn for the time when i can create a much larger reef tank. i think its merely a natural progression to the larger SPS tanks, but that doesn't take away from from other forms of biotypes and i believe some of them have been represented in past TOFTM's ( realize it took me quite a while to figure out what that stood for...lol). in closing i can only say that each and every TOFTM has inspired me greatly and i look forward to having my own such tank in the future.

[salineh2o]

These TOTM are Awesome..There's no doubt

I always enjoy sitting in awe of them....


Maybe we need the "BUDGET TANK OF THE MONTH"

[melev]

With the LPS craze that has been going for the past 14 months, you'd think someone would have built an amazing Acan reef by now.

And keep in mind the variety in tank sizes:
http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2008-02/reefslides/images/totm_graph.jpg

[macreefster]

i knew i could count on you to get all technical melev...lol. i'll put it simply. show me ONE tank of the month that isnt worthy. nuff said. maybe this is one case where size doesn't matter.... guess i can put away my tube sock now...lol.

[OnoIgotICH]

how bout I clarify it up alittle bit.

What im trying to say is, Most of the tanks is SPS dominated yes, crammed with corals. It looks nice and you have obviously put time and work into it, but its just not about cramming corals. Why no "out of the box" designs like some of the lagoon tanks or the "airplane crashed into my tank" scene. I find that alittle more interesting than looking at an SPS filled tank that I just saw the month before that. There was a guy who got nominated, I forgot where he was from but international guy. I think he had a 400 gallon system that was amazing. He had all type of corals yet his design was "out of the box"

Why no fish only tanks? There was a guy with a 300 gallon tank who had a Conspic, Clarion, Cleaner, Bandit, Black Tang, and other rare fish, all he contained was bleached white coral, kept his tank spotless of algae and only contained a Skimmer and a wet/dry who got beat out, by an SPS dominated tank.

[seapug]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12309333#post12309333 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by OnoIgotICH

Why no fish only tanks?

well, this i can understand...the site is REEF Central, afterall....:rollface:

[bklynmet]

Could you make certain months dedicated to non-sps dominated? Maybe twice a year where the guys putting the TOTM together purposely focus on a non-sps tank? The other 10 months, it works like it works now - leaving the possibility of more than 2 non-SPS tanks a year.
You might be reading this and think 'affirmitive action'. No, it's not affirmative action because I do believe the bar set for TOTM (in terms of aesthetics, husbandry, etc.) should still be high.

If the staff needs more nominations, then the idea of enticing people to nominate with the possibility of winning a prize may be a good idea. Heck, $20 giftcard is a cool prize!

[melev]

Again, it isn't about enticing. All people have to do is find a worthy tank and nominate it. That's it.

[bklynmet]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12309634#post12309634 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by melev
Again, it isn't about enticing. All people have to do is find a worthy tank and nominate it. That's it.

Yep! But people are lazy.. I admit I am.:)

[Ephraim]

I love the TOTM that have been featured since I started frequenting this site over a year ago, they have provided endless inspiration and are always a source of stunning backgrounds for my desktop. (if i had a nickle for everytime a co-worker asked me if thats from my tank an I replied "I wish!"). But I think what the tank of the month is missing is creativity. I think that seeing ideas and concepts not conventionally seen in aquaria would be great, such as a skimmer operated by a midget blowing bubbles through a crazy straw (not really but, you get what i mean right?). Personally I love the end that we always see in TOTM but the means is something i think needs to be looked into more.

[bklynmet]

Well, this thread inspired me to nominate a tank.

[melev]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12309736#post12309736 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by bklynmet
Well, this thread inspired me to nominate a tank.

How many times are you going to nominate my tank? Give it a rest already. :lol:

[bklynmet]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12309767#post12309767 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by melev
How many times are you going to nominate my tank? Give it a rest already. :lol:

You wish!

You see, there's a conflict of interest by you having the editor position and winning a TOTM while holding that position. I'm saving you the ordeal of having to answer the eventual naysayers. So, when you look at it, I was thinking of when when I didn't nominate your tank. :)

.
.
.

Don't worry Marc, your time will come!

-Joe

[melev]

Joe, the way I see it, there will come a day when every person here will be so lazy that they won't nominate any tanks out there. Mine will be a shoe-in that month. :D

[chingchai]

Just my humble opinion,

LPS or soft coral can certainly make up a nice tank.
But maintenance and care level is moderate for most hobbyist.
TOTM should be something more exceptional. Don't you think?

[seapug]

Chingchai, are you the one with that crazy huge tank in Thailand with the lights that look brighter than the sun?

If you are, that tank goes beyond Tank of the Month. They'd need a new category for it, Tank of the CENTURY.

[JustinReef]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12309906#post12309906 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by chingchai
Just my humble opinion,

LPS or soft coral can certainly make up a nice tank.
But maintenance and care level is moderate for most hobbyist.
TOTM should be something more exceptional. Don't you think?

Why should it be about who does the most maintenance. Often times there is way more beauty in simplicity. Having more maintenance and needing more care does not in any way make a tank exceptional.


I agree with a heck of a lot of the posts here although one or two could have been worded a little nicer. I have yet to see a TOTM with "crap" in it :D I would say though that I too am very, very bored of the similar looking sps tanks month after month...I used to check them out and read the articles every month but I haven't even had the desire this month to read about another sps dominated tank that most likely is set up and maintained very similar to the last one.

I think it is unfortunate though that we take our inspiration from the oldest and most diverse habitats on earth, yet most of us try to emulate an sps tank we see on here and think that is the measure of success. I can tell you that from the experience, people just do not "care" as much about "different" or soft corals. I have done my best to create a diverse lagoon style aquarium (nothing at a TOTM level mind you) and had some good feedback. Now if I had put the same time and effort and equipment into an sps tank, I would have had all kinds of attention and interest. Just like if my huge foot and a half in diameter toadstool leather was a huge sps colony, people would have been amazed at its size. Is this wrong? No. Its just what people like right now and like any fad or craze in this world, people will follow and decide they like it too.

I would love to see more soft coral or biotope aquariums in general and even some as TOTM but its unlikely to happen anytime soon. Nominating them would help no doubt but without those shiny sps colonies, there really is not much chance.

[algaeguy]

Hi everyone,

I've followed this thread with considerable interest, and I'm in agreement with many of the things I've read here! It's a topic that is near and dear to me. First off, let me state that every TOTM has been a wonderful example of a beautiful, well-thought-out system; a source of inspiration for everyone. They serve not only to inspire hobbyists, but to provide a record of the current state of the hobby. And notice that I said "current state of the hobby"? Perhaps the time is coming when our views of what is "conventional" will start changing. Perhaps we are ready for some different approaches to reef keeping. With so many new types of equipment, aquariums, and talented, adventurous hobbyists, the paradigm is shifting.

I think that justimpsmith is right on target...The current "trends" do not yet reflect this shift. However, the future looks bright!

Mark is correct- if you see a unique aquarium, please do nominate it! He and his colleagues do a wonderful job with the TOTM. RK Mag is a one of the premier venues to present new ideas to the reef hobby around the world. However, there are many gorgeous, atypical, and downright fascinating aquarium systems out there that, for whatever reason, don't seem to get the publicity they deserve.

Perhaps hobbyists are too modest, not confident in their skills, or otherwise not ready to share their systems with the world yet. I think that we might be a bit too obsessed with thinking that the "TOTM" moniker requires a huge investment, a gleaming large aquarium, high-end equipment, and "designer" stony corals. I hope that I'm not out of line when I assert that this is probably not the intention of the TOTM title. I'd like to believe (correct me if I'm wrong) that it's about sharing unique and inspiring systems, regardless of their methodology, with the hobby.

I've been fortunate to travel the country, speaking about this very topic- unique aquascaping and biotope aquariums (which I will be talking about at both IMAC and MACNA this year), and I am pleased to say that in every city and club that I've spoken at this past year, I've been approached by hobbyists who are trying, or contemplating trying- all kinds of unique systems: Seagrass biotopes, mangrove thickets, soft coral-dominated systems, monospecific systems, etc. There are a lot of creative hobbyists out there who will be launching some incredible systems in the near future. Some are already out there. I will continue to present some of these ideas and aquariums in my presentations, in the hope of inspiring others to try their hand at creating unique systems. I hope that we as hobbyists feel free to put our ideas out there for all to enjoy!

Let's continue to encourage each other to create the best systems that we possibly can, and to never forget to share our successes-and failures- and to learn from each other! Regardless of what approach we embrace, the bottom line is that it's all about the fun, and most important- the long-term health of our animals.

Scott

[JustinReef]

VERY well said algaeguy. I think your description of stony corals being "designer" is exactly what I was getting at.

Its no mystery what the voters for TOTM consider beautiful and successful. There is not the diversity I would like to see and if it were up to me, every month the TOTM would have to have a different "feel", look, inspiration, approach, theme, ect. Something to inspire new ideas or teach others about a specific biotope or simply show a different type of beauty this hobby has to offer. Keep it new and unique.

[mile sq. reefer]

algaeguy, thank you for sharing your insightful and thoughtful commentary. When I posted this thread, your presentation on Reef Biotopes/ Aquascaping came to mind. I enjoyed our meeting at the NJRC 2007 Fall Symposium and appreciate the exposure you created for me and my system by including it in your presentation. It means alot when such a notable speaker/ author takes notice of what you are doing and has the vision to see that it works in a non-typical way. I have to say, Thank You , for all the work you do to forward this hobby and the inspiration it creates fostering new approaches for the long term success reef systems.

[sjj80]

I too agree that the sps dominant TOTM has become routine. These systems are beautiful and worthy of the title they receive however I do think that it's true that sps tanks represent the ultimate achievement in this hobby. When I first decided to go SW I was only going to do a FOWLR. Then I saw the aquarium portrait article in coral magazine (anemonefish edition) and that tank was the most beautiful thing I'd ever seen, which inspired me to go reef. However, I have yet to see a tank setup like that one, the aquascaping was different from the usual sps tanks.

After doing some more research I found that it was more of a challenge to perfect and maintain a true mixed reef. That's what I'd like to see more of, along with nanos, softy dominated, and cleverly aquascaped tanks for TOTM. The sps tanks that have been featured are all beautiful and well kept, and I only wish I had a tank like those. But on the other hand, they are all starting to look the same and read the same. Rows and rows of sps against the wall of the tank and all the same/similar equipment.

I'm going to start voting as well cause I want to see more diversity!!!!

[Electrobes]

I guess it's all in the eyes of the beholders. Truth be told I have never thought of a softie tank as "unique". Granted I've been gone for a year, but when I got back into reefing (Still in the middle of my build) I went straight for what I love most... softies.

I've done SPS, but out of helping others, not for my own sake. My reef represents what I like... my goal is just do the best job I can for it as I would hope my caretaker would do for me. If it happens to be considered TOTM material then great but in the mean time I love reading what's provided.

I do hope this thread brings out more of the unique tanks out there to pictured threads. I am sure there are members out there who have these beautiful reef tanks (lagoons, sponges, carnation, etc) that just need some camera love.. and the rest will come :)

Regardless... keep up the good work Reefkeeping.com staff!

[chingchai]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12310200#post12310200 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by seapug
Chingchai, are you the one with that crazy huge tank in Thailand with the lights that look brighter than the sun?

If you are, that tank goes beyond Tank of the Month. They'd need a new category for it, Tank of the CENTURY.

Yes, it is my tank.
But I am just the same as everybody here who love and put every effort on our beloved hobby.
Anyway, thanks for your kind words.

[chingchai]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12310362#post12310362 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by justinpsmith
Why should it be about who does the most maintenance. Often times there is way more beauty in simplicity. Having more maintenance and needing more care does not in any way make a tank exceptional.


I agree with a heck of a lot of the posts here although one or two could have been worded a little nicer. I have yet to see a TOTM with "crap" in it :D I would say though that I too am very, very bored of the similar looking sps tanks month after month...I used to check them out and read the articles every month but I haven't even had the desire this month to read about another sps dominated tank that most likely is set up and maintained very similar to the last one.

I think it is unfortunate though that we take our inspiration from the oldest and most diverse habitats on earth, yet most of us try to emulate an sps tank we see on here and think that is the measure of success. I can tell you that from the experience, people just do not "care" as much about "different" or soft corals. I have done my best to create a diverse lagoon style aquarium (nothing at a TOTM level mind you) and had some good feedback. Now if I had put the same time and effort and equipment into an sps tank, I would have had all kinds of attention and interest. Just like if my huge foot and a half in diameter toadstool leather was a huge sps colony, people would have been amazed at its size. Is this wrong? No. Its just what people like right now and like any fad or craze in this world, people will follow and decide they like it too.

I would love to see more soft coral or biotope aquariums in general and even some as TOTM but its unlikely to happen anytime soon. Nominating them would help no doubt but without those shiny sps colonies, there really is not much chance.

I did look at your tank. It is very nice.

[steelmen]

Why not every few months,just have certain type tanks eligible for TOTM.Maybe every 3rd month, it could be a certain category(cubes,nanos,lps,etc..). Either way the tanks are fantastic. Just thought i'd throw my opinion out there.

[kar93]

double post, Woops

[kar93]

I think all TOTMs that have been featured in the magazine are great! I personally favour SPS systems over all others but thats JMO. I think many of the TOTMS are SPS dominated or mostly because there is more to SPS keeping than just keeping softies. Such as water parameters, tank maturity and equipment. Thats just my 02.

[SDguy]

I hope, too, that people realize with so many folks involved/needed to make TOTM happen, logistics and timing and schedules occasionally barely permit us the luxury of finding a gorgeous tank every month, much less making sure it is very different in style, composition and theme than the previous months tank.

[cloak]

Why would the sponsers on the site want people to focus on a tank that looks great, but very low budget? Someone saying that they've used tap water for years without any problems just won't fly. Breaks all the rules. Got to follow the money.

JMO.

[SDguy]

Wow, that's conspiracy theory at a level I never even imagined :eek2:

[glassbox-design]

First off, big thanks to Melev and everyone else contributing to make such a great resource available for free online!

I must admit I am guilty of never submitting any TOTM entries, but I will make an effort to change that in the near future.

I would like to see more emphasis on ingenuity and overall aesthetic, and less on how many corals one has... but that just aligns with my tastes ;) What about about tanks focusing on fragmented corals, reusable materials or low electric consumption? ...RK Mag goes green :lol:

[melev]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12313562#post12313562 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by SDguy
Wow, that's conspiracy theory at a level I never even imagined :eek2:

Looks like we've been busted. :rolleyes:

[reefkeeper2]

Great thread. It caught my eye when I saw the word diversity , because just like everyone else I have an ideal for what I want my tank to be. For me, the more diverse and varied the life inside the reef is, the better I like it. I thought the thread was going to be a discussion on the diversity of life inside our aquariums and in this case the diversity in the TOTM. Although this was not the case, I think it's great for everyone to see just how diverse we all are in what we think should be diplayed as TOTM. There are so many variables to consider: design, color, funtionality, simplicity, complexity, etc. etc.
The marine reef is the second most diverse ecosytem on the planet. Our personal preferences for what makes a truly remarkable aquarium are as diverse as the amazing reefs we try so hard to duplicate.
Perhaps when a tank is chosen for TOTM, the commitee that makes the choise could explain why that particular tank was chosen for that month. Something like "we chose so and so's tank for february because of its remarkable zooanthid population". Or "this months TOTM displays an amazing breakthough in the keeping of non-photosynthetc octocorals"
In this way the uniqueness of the TOTM will be the highlighted feature. Even though you might get five SPS dominated tanks in a row, the benifit to the hobby (besides the beauty of the tank) will be apparent to everyone.

[seapug]

Yeah, the sponsor conspiracy is a bit ridiculous...but a good idea. You RC guys might want to look into that. I'll volunteer my tank to be the Tunze Tank of the Month&reg;. They can contact me for product placement any time.;)

This thread isn't for bashing or making the staff or mods go on the defensive.

Let's be productive. I've learned I need to nominate more tanks.

I think the mods & staff are seeing that people might appreciate something other than the standard built-in, 200 gal. mind-blowing SPS tank with electronic controllers and attached fish room. Again, those are awesome tanks, but there's more out there.

It's up to the members to nominate them and let RC know if you'd like to see something different.

[Chibils]

How does one nominate or vote?

That's my question. Like a lot of the others here, I got bored of reading about sps and never bothered to vote for it out of ignorance.

[melev]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12315042#post12315042 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Chibils
How does one nominate or vote?

That's my question. Like a lot of the others here, I got bored of reading about sps and never bothered to vote for it out of ignorance.

Read the second post of this thread, or scroll to the bottom of any TOTM article.

[mflamb]

I really enjoy the large SPS dominated tanks, since that is what I have. I learn so much from the successes and failures of these tank owners. I applaud anyone who is honored with TOTM, and I do read the details of all of them, but I enjoy most the carefully assembled SPS tanks that are grown from frags, and I definitely pay close attention to the reefers who explain their past problems and the solutions they arrived at.

Good luck all you aspiring TOTM reefers, and keep up the good work Marc.

[widmer]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12312180#post12312180 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by SDguy
I hope, too, that people realize with so many folks involved/needed to make TOTM happen, logistics and timing and schedules occasionally barely permit us the luxury of finding a gorgeous tank every month, much less making sure it is very different in style, composition and theme than the previous months tank.

I guess I always figured you guys would have a queue of TOTMs lined up, rather than scramble to put one together ~each month.

[melev]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12317247#post12317247 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by widmer
I guess I always figured you guys would have a queue of TOTMs lined up, rather than scramble to put one together ~each month.

We do, so a thread like this might make some people feel like we are ignoring them when in reality the application of any changes could be several months later.

[mile sq. reefer]

If its voting or nominating a tank that gets the job done then I will have to do my part and participate in the democratic process.

[Mac Inger]

Many very well placed words in here. It seems we have a few people that are as skilled at reefkeeping as they are at oratory.

The work and craftsmanship that is going in the recent sps dominated tanks is outstanding. The skills some of these people command are matched only by their (and ours) obsession. The reason i myself am also trying an sps dominated tank. The fragility of the creatures and the amount of work and fine tunning required. To fall back on an analogy that i understand, motorcycles : A big powerful street bike like a Triumph Daytona or a 1300cc Hayabusa commands your respect. Untamed and you have to fight it to get your own. On the other hand my nimble 1200cc Buell that feels so much lighter and manageable,..in the beginning i thought there was no fun in not fighting it. But now i am getting pleasure in just that. That i don't have to work that hard.

So what i am saying is a beautiful tank doesn't have to necessarily be a difficult to care sps tank. Ollie Friend's is a perfect example of would i would like to see more as a reader. Inspiration in livestock choices and aquascaping and care. Overgrown sps colonies although beautiful and give you so much pleasure when you compare them with the inch frag you got a long time ago are getting a little boring. Innovation in design (not only technical), presentation, livestock selection and such would keep (at least my mind) interested.