As regular Saltwater Smarts visitors may be aware, I was an English major in college and currently make my living working with words as a writer/editor. Admittedly, I’ve never really been able to wrap my head around more complicated mathematics and technical sciences. Now don’t get me wrong; I am capable of doing some pretty quick calculations in my head when the situation calls for it. For instance I can divide 12 slices of pizza among four people without so much as breaking a sweat (nine slices for me and three for the others to fight over, of course). But in general, I guess you could say I’m a fairly “right-brained” sort of person.
What this means with respect to my involvement in the marine aquarium hobby—which, let’s face it, is a relatively high-tech pastime—is that I’ve had to find certain ways to compensate for my lack of technical prowess in order to achieve long-term success. What follows are some helpful tips I’ve picked up along the way. If you also happen to be “left-hemispherically challenged,” you might want to adopt these as well.
1. First master tasks, then focus on theory
In order to operate and maintain an automobile, you don’t necessarily need to understand the precise workings of the internal combustion engine, how brakes work, what the drivetrain is, or the ins and outs of all the other systems. However, you do need to learn the basics of how to drive the vehicle and you have to stay on top of oil changes, fluid-level top-offs, and other aspects of routine maintenance to ensure the vehicle keeps humming along as it should.
While it’s an imperfect analogy, many aspects of marine aquarium keeping can be approached in a similar manner if you don’t quite grasp the theoretical underpinnings of the task right at the outset. For instance, you can recognize that a protein skimmer is essential to maintaining a healthy aquarium system, follow the simple steps of setting one up, and discipline yourself to empty the collection cup and clean the unit on a regular basis without having ever heard the terms “hydrophobic” and “hydrophilic.”
Once you’ve mastered the various essential tasks, you can then focus on the theory behind the tasks so you start to develop a better sense of the “why” that lies beneath the “what and how.”
2. Connect with a mentor
If you can connect with a friendly expert who is able to explain technical concepts in easy-to-understand terms, you’ve won half the battle. You might find such an individual at your LFS, in your local aquarium club, or even in an online forum. I’ve found that most knowledgeable hobbyists are more than happy to share their expertise as long as they’re approached in a respectful manner.
One note: If your mentor turns out to be a trusted LFS dealer, please be sure to return the favor by supporting his or her business with your dollars!
3. Keep your system simple
My aquarium systems have never included a lot of gadgets or featured a labyrinth of interconnected plumbing and cords. To my mind, the simpler the system, the simpler the setup and maintenance and the fewer the potential equipment failures. Remember, you can have a perfectly successful reef aquarium in which the only gadgetry includes a heater, protein skimmer, lighting system, and submersible pumps for water movement.
4. Make your peace with elbow grease
Of course, there is a certain tradeoff to keeping things so simple. That is, the less you depend on gadgets and automation, the more hands-on work you have to do in order to keep your system healthy and attractive. The only automation I have on my system is a timer for the lights. Everything else comes down to elbow grease—and it’s served me pretty well so far!
