Location
Brooklyn, NY
Rating - 97.4%
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Manhattan Reefs is very proud to present these two esteemed guest speakers for the Fall Swap.
Hope to see you there.

The MR Crew



Apples, Oranges and Hot Potatoes: Why are short supply chain (SSC) fish better?


Kevin E. Gaines
Quality Marine


There are thousands of wild caught marine fish imported daily from all over the world for use in public and private aquariums. It is often a mystery as to how these fish have been collected, held and transported throughout their journey to their new homes. As collectors search further and further out into the ocean from their holding stations, fish are becoming subject to longer boat trips and subsequent stress throughout the process. While some species are especially vulnerable to long transit times, other species are subjected to unnecessary chain of custody delays. Most delays are so that some overseas wholesalers can increase their assortment by offering fish that do not naturally occur in their local areas or even in their own country. The key to quality marine fish and sustainable collection is short supply chain (SSC) animals. Fish and invertebrates that are collected within a short distance from where they are exported have a huge advantage in fighting disease, being fed properly and surviving transport. While all wild caught marine animals traded in the ornamental industry are not logistically SSC candidates, many high volume species can be sourced through a limited number of SSC vendors. Knowing which ocean, what depths, diets and other critically important biological information is only part of the key to long-term success. In addition to supporting responsible mariculture, dealing with a supplier that sells as many SSC species as possible is the most sustainable choice an aquarist can make.
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Kevin Gaines
was born in Daytona Beach, FL in 1969. He graduated from the University of Florida with a Bachelor’s degree in Microbiology and Cell Science, with a minor in Zoology and Chemistry. He then formed his own company, the Coral Reef Ranch in Miami, where he began commercially culturing over 30 species of corals. In early1997, Oceans, Reefs & Aquariums (ORA) was formed and he was recruited to join the company to begin marketing the fish produced at Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institution (HBOI). After a sales team was implemented, Kevin began getting involved in the production side of the business. He was Hatchery Manager for over two years and then became Vice-President and Chief Operating Officer before being promoted to President and Chief Executive Officer. Through his previous work with corals, ORA began commercially producing over forty species of hard and soft corals in 2001. He increased ORA’s product offerings, the world’s largest marine ornamental producer, with expansions in both new and existing species of fish and invertebrates. In addition to his duties with ORA, Kevin also has become active in coral reef restoration through the use of cultured specimens. Through his work with sea fan corals in 2002, HARBOR BRANCH became the first in the United States to re-seed a damaged reef with corals grown in captivity. In addition, Kevin also managed a Tridacna clam and coral farm in the Republic of the Marshall Islands that produces protected species for both commercial and re-stocking needs. Kevin has lived in Vero Beach, FL for the past 11 1/2 years with his wife, Tina and their two children, Chase Elizabeth, age 10, and Gage, age 4. He enjoys diving, fishing, surfing, motorsports and reef aquariums. He currently works with Quality Marine, a large marine wholesaler in Los Angeles, and is actively involved with developing corporate accounts, large pet store chains and public aquarium sales. [/FONT]

Dissolved Organic Carbon: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly


Ken Feldman
Pennsylvania State University


Tracking the fate of organic carbon through the marine aquarium can provide insight into the role that this essential but often neglected nutrient plays in the successful husbandry of the tank's inhabitants. Photosynthesizing organisms like phytoplankton and corals produce DOC from inorganic CO2. This DOC, in excess, may contribute to coral mortality. Thus, a means for excess DOC removal become paramount for successful aquarium husbandry. Protein skimming plays a major role in this necessary maintenance function. A discussion of acceptable levels of DOC in marine aquaria will follow. The development of a quantitative assay for measuring protein skimmer performance in removing DOC will be described. This latter advance enables (a) assaying the effects of either gas flow velocity or liquid flow velocity on skimmer performance, and (b) direct comparison of different skimmers in terms of their efficiency of DOC removal from aquarium water. Data on all of these points will be presented.
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Ken Feldman
was born and raised in Miami Beach, Florida, where a proximity to, and an affinity for, the Atlantic Ocean dominated his early years. Days (mis?)spent fishing and snorkeling fostered a keen interest in all things marine, a fascination that continues today. In 2004, that interest finally culminated in a plunge into the marine aquarium hobby, and today he is the proud caretaker of a 175-gallon reef tank housing a host of fish and corals whose behaviors continue to educate him on a daily basis. He is joined in his aquarium avocation by his daughter Leah, who has been instrumental in aquascaping the tank, as well as in choosing both fish and corals. Ken has a day job as well – Professor of Chemistry at the Pennsylvania State University. He spends his aquarium down-time focusing on teaching and research in the area of Organic Chemistry. He has published numerous articles on the organic chemistry of molecules found in the reef environment, particularly from sponges. Currently, his research interests include (a) devising the means to synthesize sponge- and coral-derived metabolites that elicit promising chemotherapeutic responses against some cancers and against some immune system malfunctions, and (b) to elucidate the molecular mechanism by which these biological properties are manifest. [/FONT]
 
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Bob 1000

Advanced Reefer
Location
Staten Island
Rating - 100%
122   0   0
I'm really looking forward to the dissolved organic carbon talk... I've been following Matt's thread and it is very interesting.. But I must admit it seems to be more complicated than it actually matters at this point...
 

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