A: Working at Aquarium Co-Op has been quite different than my last couple jobs which were in more of a corporate setting. One of my favorite aspects so far is the amazing people I get to work with every day. Every day is a new adventure, with brand ambassadors, local club representatives and co-workers. I love making people happy with what they do, and seeing the reactions of people who are surprised by my goodies. I enjoy the laid back attitude of everyone. Although we accomplish a lot, it’s wonderful to be surrounded with friends.
I received my bachelor’s degree from Lebanon Valley College, Pennsylvania. It was a Bachelor of Science (Digital Communications). The hobby I am most passionate about is aquascape. I have competed only once. I was sixth in Aquatic Experience’s nano aquascaping contest. I will continue to compete as much as possible!
A: I’m sure I’ll have many more since I’ve only been around a short time… But, my favorite so far was watching our brand ambassadors open their first care package. It was amazing to see their excitement and surprise!
A: In my daily job here, I work to complete many of our on-going projects and programs in the pipeline. These include improving the product pages of the website, sending care packages out to ambassadors and members, coordination with local aquarium clubs in order to donate and organize events, and many other daily tasks and reminders that Cory can use to help him focus on bigger picture items. While I’m still learning the ropes, my goal is to finish as many projects and continue driving business forward.
A: My absolute favorite fish are Golden White Cloud Mountain Minnows. They possess so many wonderful aspects. They can thrive in tanks without heaters, which is why I prefer an aesthetic aquarium that doesn’t use any equipment. They’re just so cool to me!
A: My dream aquarium would probably be a giant aquascape in a nature aquarium style. I have always wanted to see Florestas Submersas, Takashi Amano’s largest aquascape. I would like something like that in my house with a couple thousand nano fish schooling around, preferably ones to go with the native habitat of the plants in my giant aquascape. I would also hire staff to manage it.
– Tanks Type: It’s a high tech planted aquascape – How long has it been setup? 2 years! It has been re-scaped once though. – List the fish in it: Right now, I have green neon tetras, celestial pearl danios, blue dream neocaridina and black rose neocaridina shrimp, Amano shrimp and a couple nerite snails. What was your greatest goal or challenge in setting up this aquarium? The biggest challenge was keeping it from getting algae. It wasn’t difficult once my cycle was established. However, there are still occasional outbreaks when the right balance between nutrients, light and CO2 has been adjusted. Most recently, staghorn algae caused by too much light.
A I have yet to meet an Aquarium Co-Op product I wouldn’t recommend. One of my favorites is the sponge filter. I have a small size one and it’s perfect for my betta fish, he is never bothered by flow and his water stays really oxygen rich, so he doesn’t have to swim to the surface for air continuously. Easy Green is also a favorite of mine. It has been used on my aquascapes for many years. My plants grow lush and healthy when I give them a few pumps after each water change. They’re actually growing like weeds.
Don’t rush it. This is true for all aspects of aquascaping: spawning, cycling, and growing plants. This hobby is not instantly gratifying, in order to properly take care of your fish buddies and plants, take your time! Rushing can cause equipment or livestock to be lost. – Research, research, research. Seriously, before buying anything on a whim, investigate it first and make sure you’re not biting off more than you can chew. The internet is your friend. However, you should always take your LFS’s advice with a grain of salt. You can also do your own research at your home. They’re not always wrong, but they also have a vested interest to make money, so keep that in mind. – Do what makes you happy. Artificial plants are available if you wish. If you want rainbow gravel, go for it. Not everyone has the same style and your aquarium should match you. You don’t have to follow the advice of others on what your aquarium should look like. Let your imagination run wild! – Don’t jump to conclusions about your fish. Although this is hard for me to do, if something seems wrong with your fish, don’t assume that you have the right answer. Always think about all possibilities. Do some research. Talk to other people. It’s highly likely that someone else out there has had the exact same issue or experience, learn first and make a well-informed decision afterwards. – Make more water changes. This is one of my biggest pieces of advice. Your fish, plants and other livestock appreciate nice, clean water. Don’t you? Also, less waste/nutrient buildup equals less algae.