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Biography:

Dr. Hovanec developed the aquatic research laboratory at Marineland Aquarium Products and was the Chief Science Officer at Marineland for nearly 17 years. 
Dr. Hovanec was instrumental in the development of the BioWheel® and other filtration systems. 
Dr. Hovanec was the first scientist to show that bacteria in the phylum Nitrospira, not species of Nitrobacter, were actually responsible for nitrification in aquatic systems such as aquaria. 
Dr. Hovanec developed BioSpira®, the first microbial based product that truly eliminated new tank syndrome. 

Dr. Hovanec has published several peer-reviewed, scientific papers on nitrifying bacteria, water filtration and fish culture. 
Dr. Hovanec has presented over 50 talks at a variety of venues including being a keynote speaker or invited speaker at scientific meetings, symposia, international aquarium conferences and aquarium society meetings.

http://www.drtimhovanec.com/index.html

Abstract:

(Pending)

Biography:

Terence hails from Salt Lake City, Utah where he works as a freelance technology marketing consultant. A technology geek at heart, Terence is a relatively new saltwater hobbyist having only maintained reef tanks for just over two years. However, in that short time he gravitated toward the technology side of reefkeeping with his involvement in aquarium controllers and automation. Terence currently maintains a 210g mixed reef, and a 135g frag tank in his garage -- both tied to a single Apex Aquacontroller.

In March of 2010 Terence co-founded the Utah Marine Aquarium Society (www.utmas.com), a club of reefkeeping enthusiasts. He is extremely passionate about the hobby and even more passionate about helping others enjoy it and, most importantly, to stick with it. 

Abstract:

We all know that opinions on reefkeeping are a little like armpits, every hobbyist has at least two strong ones. Aquarium controllers are no different. On one extreme you have the old salt luddites that say they are nothing but trouble waiting to happen, on the other you have die-hard technos that automate 30+ different things on their tanks. 

So, who is right? Well, neither of them!  In this workshop I will go over how the real reason to own a controller is insurance and piece of mind. The biggest reason people get out of the hobby are major catastrophes like stuck heaters and floods. With issues like those, your entire tank (not to mention your home) can be ruined in a matter of a couple of hours. Aquarium controllers help prevent these catastrophes and keep people in the hobby. Come to this workshop and find out why you need to get on-board with a controller, what to consider when buying one, and also what other cool things you can do with them outside of them being an insurance policy for your tank.

Biography:

Growing up in Tennessee meant being on the lake 8 months of the year and every spring our family would travel to Maui, Hawaii for spring break. I remember our first trip – I was 9 which meant that I couldn’t partake in scuba diving. All I could do was sit on the shore and wait for my father and older brother to come out of the ocean and tell me about what they had seen.
I remember hearing about different colored fishes, eels, which looked like snakes underwater, and even sea turtles. I was left to image what these creatures must have looked like as I couldn’t SCUBA – yet.
When I turned 12, that was my year. My year to get PADI certified and to see this underwater world that my brother and dad talked about. I sat through the 30 minute “intro” session and then I walked out onto the beach, into the ocean, swam out about 30 yards and then descended to behold the new landscape of ocean reefs. My addiction to the ocean had started.
Next up: salt water aquarium. My first tank was 75 galloon tank that sat in my bedroom.  In keeping this tank, I learned about nitrogen cycles, what fish played well with other fish and most important of all, what worked and didn’t work in regards to keeping a saltwater tank.
Fast forward 20 years and now I have a 90G tank that sports all kind of equipment that was virtually unheard of back then. And, I have corals – again something not commonly found in tanks in the late 80′s as no one knew about the lighting requirements of these animals and how to care for them.
The addiction continues and through this blog, I intend to provide a place to document what’s worked for me and what hasn’t as well as to bring timely information to readers.

Abstract:

Paragraph: LEDs are the hottest new product in the saltwater tank world right now. PAR measurements and energy conservation are the talk of the town, but I'll show you why neither one matters and why. I'll reveal the four critical questions you MUST ask before you make any LED purchase as well as how to decide if you want to build your own (DIY) LED fixture.

Biography:

Adam Blundell is an expert coral reef ecologist.  His areas of specialty include feeding strategies, reproductive & mating behaviors, unusual trait development, algae & herbivory, and more.  He spends his time teaching students, working with aquatic animals, and developing techniques to improve captive husbandry.  When not giving a lecture or working in the lab Adam frequently gives presentations and demonstrations to aquarium clubs, marine aquarium conferences, elementary schools, scout troops, and anyone else with a desire to learn.

Abstract:

With the amazing wonders of the seas now available for our captive care, we have a great opportunity as hobbyists to spread our love and appreciation for aquatic life.  Teaching children about coral reef ecosystems is one of the most enjoyable aspects of reefing.  There are many ways to share your passion for aquatic life and many ways to involve the rest of your family.  Along with this, many aquariums are well suited for young beginning hobbyists.  Several examples are provided with encouragement for children, teens, and beginning aquarists.

 

Biography:

The diversity of life has always fascinated me; but the systematics of mammals, birds, reptiles and amphibians was blown away by the expansiveness and degree of unknown of the fishes. Few people had "companion animals" overseas, but many friends had bowls and aquariums with goldfish, guppies and other tropicals.

I was born in Rhode Island, the smallest State of the U.S. but grew up in the orient as my father was career military. We had very few jobs "on base" for the "dependents" but I was fortunate to secure employment at a fish store that was associated with a restaurant in downtown Sasebo. Other vainglorious work overseas includes two years working for a Betta culture business, collecting and processing marines in Manila.
Back to the U.S. in the late sixties I stuck to the trade as a retail clerk, a livestock wholesale worker (for Pratt's in San Diego), and eventually formed an aquarium service business with a school friend. This business cycled larger and smaller, and supported me all through college and beyond. It eventually became an employee-owned corporation with aquaristic retail outlets, fabrication (principally large acrylic systems), water feature construction, manufacturing and distribution divisions. Subsequent to the tax law changes, water-shortage "scare", and general decline in the California and U.S. economy in the late eighties these businesses were sold and liquidated. I worked for three years as a consultant and buyer for the mass-merchandiser PetCo in their bid to upgrade their stores, incorporating livestock.
Is there a difference between what you do for money and for a living? Not me. Nowadays I write articles and books for the diving/underwater natural history and ornamental aquatics interests, and manage my rentals and securities. I browse the electronic bulletin boards to "chat" with others daily, and often travel, to go "hashing" (sort of running), writing and photographing with friends around the world.
Have been an avid hobbyist since first memories. Active in the local SDTFS from the sixties; helped in development of all three goldfish/koi clubs in San Diego. At times more active in scientific (AVMA, IAAAM, ASIH) and industry professional/business associations.

Have many wonderful friends in the hobby, trade and science of aquatics, and dearly enjoy my involvement; it is my life's work and passion. A/The central thread to everything I have attempted in writing, presentation or action in the interest has been/is "to enhance peoples love of their own lives through an appreciation of the living world". I see the hobby/business evolving, much like and approaching western Europe, with a real interest in biotopes, the underlying science, understanding the technologies employed... This is an era of consumer awareness; there are less aquarists, but more conscientious ones that are becoming more aware and demanding value. I look forward to the availability of many more species of tank-raised marines, real aquatic plants, and ready, inexpensive access to useful information and graphics.

Abstract:

In this presentation, I will discuss the evolution of reef aquarium lighting from the early days when I got started in this hobby to the present.  I will pay specific interest to the ever-increasing intensities we could generate, the longevity of the various types of lamps particularly in comparison to marketing claims, and their various efficiencies.  Along the way, I will share some data I recorded on LED and how they compare to metal halide fixtures of similar wattages.  And, I will also share some practical insights I have come to learn on how to maximize lighting output and preserve lighting systems.

Biography:

Ret Talbot is an award-winning freelance writer and photographer who frequently reports on the marine aquarium industry. Most often addressing topics at the intersection of the hobby, science and conservation, Talbot is a strong advocate for a robust and sustainable marine aquarium trade where aquarists serve a critical role on the front line of reef conservation. As a marketing consultant and editor, he has worked with many leading marine aquarium companies to promote that vision. When he isn't writing about saltwater aquaria (or tending to one of his five tanks), Ret is often fly fishing in either salt- or freshwater and writing about conservation issues related to angling and healthy fisheries.

Trained as a writer, Ret holds degrees in writing from both Wheaton College (Massachusetts) and the University of St. Andrews (Scotland). He has travelled the world as a mountaineering and fishing guide, as well as a writer seeking out stories in some of the most remote and inaccessible regions on the face of the Earth. His aquarium-related books include The Complete Idiot's Guide to Saltwater Aquariums (September 2009) and Coral (spring 2011). His aquarium articles can be found in print publications such as CORAL Magazine and Tropical Fish Hobbyist or online at Suite101.com, where he is the saltwater aquarium feature writer. Ret and his wife Karen, an artist known for her fish paintings, split their time between Laguna Beach, California and Jackson Hole, Wyoming.

Abstract:

 There is a lot of talk about sustainability in the saltwater aquarium hobby. For much of the past year, writer and photographer Ret Talbot has travelled for CORAL Magazine to many places where marine aquarium fishes are collected in an attempt to understand how sustainable the trade really is. From Papua New Guinea to Hawaii, the Solomon Islands to Belize, Talbot has interviewed fishers, government officials and anti-trade individuals in an effort to get beyond the rumors, rants and anecdotes. This talk shares some of those experiences and gives the average hobbyist a rare glimpse into the inner-workings of the collection side of the trade. 

www.RetTalbot.com

Biography:

Mark Vera has been keeping marine aquariums for 19 years, during which he has worked in most capacities of the aquarium industry including retail, wholesale and PR.  Mark had the honor of serving as President of MOFIB in 2009-2010, the Marine Ornamental Fish & Invertebrate Breeders Association and has extensive experience in public and private aquarium fish breeding projects.

Being an active Divemaster, Mark travels extensively throughout the world for exploring dive sites  and is a regular exhibit diver at the the John G. Shedd Aquarium. Vocationally, Mark owns and operates a specialty aquarium installation and service company and contributes to C… The Journal of Aquatic Science. He is also the creator of the Phyto2 and Zoo2 live plankton product lines and continues research on the value of plankton in the captive aquarium as well as refugium and natural life support system design.

Abstract:

With the growing advent of a new lighting technology, responsible reef keeping aquarists question if these lights work. We will take an in depth look at what makes up LED technologies, their limitations, the science of light in our reefs and the results from a quantitative study using zooxanthellate. Dig deeper than the fancy packaging and find out if LED technology has a future in your reef.

Biography:

Steven Pro has been working fulltime in the ornamental aquatics industry for over 15 years now primarily doing design, sales, installation, and ongoing maintenance of aquarium displays, but he has done his fair share of time working the sales floor at pet stores too.
He has also written over 40 articles for various aquarium publications and presented at more than 50 aquarium clubs and conferences across the US. Additionally, he has taken an active role in the aquarium hobby serving on the Board of Directors of his local marine society as well as national organizations such as the Marine Aquarium Society of North America and the American Marinelife Dealers Association and was Co-Chair of the 19th annual Marine Aquarium Conference of North America.

Abstract:

In this presentation, I will discuss the evolution of reef aquarium lighting from the early days when I got started in this hobby to the present.  I will pay specific interest to the ever-increasing intensities we could generate, the longevity of the various types of lamps particularly in comparison to marketing claims, and their various efficiencies.  Along the way, I will share some data I recorded on LED and how they compare to metal halide fixtures of similar wattages.  And, I will also share some practical insights I have come to learn on how to maximize lighting output and preserve lighting systems.

Biography:

Way back in 1972 before there was coral and live rock in aquariums I was an avid saltwater hobbyist that made regular visits to my local pet stores in Chicago. While studying Architecture at the University of Illinois I became hopelessly addicted to finding out where every pet shop in Chicago was that carried salt water fish to feed the seven tanks I had in my two bedroom apartment.
It wasn’t long after that I decided to find work as an Architect on the west coast in California to be near the ocean that has become my passion and be near the tide pools and ocean life. After searching high and wide during a recession I soon realized that a job was not available but I was not willing to leave the coast where I had easy access to the sea. I began calling my friends in the pet stores in Chicago to sell them what I was able to find in the tide pools and my career in this wonderful and fascinating industry began. I soon got a job at a LA wholesaler to “learn the ropes” and after about a year started the first service of its kind by hand picking fish orders from the few LA wholesalers that existed at that time to service the fish stores around the country that were seeking better quality and more variety.

After about 16 years as the only “hand picked” service (at that time) in LA I got an opportunity to move to Tonga in 1989 to run an export station that was in need of supervision. Soon after I arrived in Tonga with my wife Deborah and two small children the owners of the station decided to quit but I refused to leave and bought the license to start on my own. This was the time that Reef Tanks were building in popularity and the timing was right since I was more interested in the coral as a new horizon for me.
After almost 7 successful years in Tonga the Fiji Government invited me to expand my operation to Fiji and help set the standards of an emerging industry through our sustainable and responsible harvest policies.  I was also attracted to the potential of more flights and larger reefs to service my customers and better schools and lifestyle for my family. The frequent flights with larger planes made it possible to expand the Live Rock export and “Fiji Premium” was born. 

In 1998 I ran my first experiments in coral farming in Fiji and was highly enthused with the success of this pioneering effort. In about the same year I also began to experiment with artificial live rock. Today I have over 90,000 pieces of coral that we planted on racks in the sea and more than 100 tons of man-made live rock at all times in the on various farm sites throughout Fiji. I have been credited as a pioneer in this field and am honored to be a part of an industry that I love with a passion.
In all this time Deborah has been by my side as my partner and is an integral part of the business and my children have grown and are now on their own with Fiji as their homeland. We have received the “International Ecotourism Award” in 2007 for our “Coral Walk” at the Hideaway resort in Fiji and are proud to say that we have taught thousands of visitors the responsible and sustainable way that a resource can be beneficial to the local economy.  

Abstract:

(Pending)

Biography:

Julian Sprung was born in 1966 in Miami Beach, Florida and is a graduate of the University of Florida, with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Zoology. He is President of the aquarium industry company Two Little Fishies, Inc. that he co-founded in 1991.
Julian has been keeping marine aquariums for more than 30 years, and is an aquarium design consultant, author, and photographer. He has dived in various Caribbean locales as well as in the Red Sea, Australia, Solomon Islands, Fiji, Japan, France, Croatia, Maine, and Oregon.
Julian's books include The Reef Aquarium, volumes One, Two and Three, which he co-authored with J. Charles Delbeek, Corals: A Quick Reference Guide, Invertebrates: A Quick Reference Guide, and Algae: A Problem Solver Guide. Julian resides in Miami Beach with his wife and son, five marine aquariums, one freshwater aquarium, and a Westie.
www.TwoLittleFishies.com

Abstract:

The reef aquarium hobby, on the surface, covers a discipline mainly focused around the biology of creatures found in the vicinity of tropical coral reefs. It involves establishing model ecosystems in closed recirculating aquariums, so it offers insights into ecological processes too. The hobby also involves a fair amount of chemistry, and the maintenance of theses systems can provide endless fodder for marine chemists wishing to study chemical processes. Students of engineering may find a reef aquarium niche in the study of water flow regimes, pumping systems, filtration methods, control devices, lighting, temperature control, automation, aquarium suitable materials, architectural design, among other options. While we aquarium hobbyists know and appreciate these things, there are still many unexplored areas that are ripe for research involving our aquarium systems or the living things housed within them. This lecture is an overview of some fascinating mysteries that can be studied using reef aquariums in the academic setting. The benefits of these studies are far-reaching, not just for the aquarium hobby.