Another week brings the release of three more videos from Bulk Reef Supply TV of the MACNA 2014 presentations. Two of those we haven’t yet seen either in person or in video but they are both on exciting aquarium topics, collecting marine aquarium fishes by Meneeka Gurroby and on intentionally spawning corals in marine aquariums by Jamie Craggs.
The other talk is a debate between myself, Jake Adams, and Julian Sprung, one of the godfathers of marine aquarium keeping in America. In our amicable back and forth Julian and I debate the merits of having a refugium in a marine aquarium. Julian in his trademark presentation style is full of humor and wit while also making some great points about what a refugium can actually be. Mr. Sprung definitely took the safe road against his formidable adversary by diffusing my extreme left-wing point of view when it comes to refugiums, and the questionably useful amalgamation of refuge, deep sand bed and algae scrubber that they’ve currently become.
I won’t say too much more as to not bias your viewpoint before watching our standing-room only, first ever MACNA debate. The point of the refugium was not so much to sway viewers towards one side or the other, but to encourage critical thinking in how and why refugiums are set up. That being said, do give us both some feedback in the comments on who you believe “won” the debate, and more importantly, how you view refugiums and their role in marine and reef aquariums today.
