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A New Crewmember? Dear Bob, <Remus> I am a doctor and my wife is a vet. We migrated few years ago to New Zealand from Europe. Since then I have discovered the science behind close(d) aquatic systems. It is indeed far from just water, fish and conditioners. I have my own recipes about treating fish or keeping them alive in a commercial setup where the problems can start cycling. <Ahh! If there were time, interest, I'd greatly enjoy going over your discoveries, practical solutions... perhaps help in getting them into print, wider circulation> If interested I am able to answer a wide range of questions. I like more the marine setups, but I am also very happy about pond or freshwater questions including compatibilities. I have tested almost everything is on the market and I am disappointed as there are only very few players that can say they know what they are manufacturing. <Agreed> All the best, Remus <Bob Fenner> <Sorry for being so daft... but am I given to understand you have time, interest in helping us respond to Queries? Amazing, and am grateful if so. BobF> When one Crewmember Questions Another - Lighting Advice Hi Bob, <Marina> I know it's not the norm to question other crewmembers' advice, but I see that James is offering a lighting "Rule of Thumb" that, to the best of my knowledge, is outdated and might be considered simply incorrect. I'd rather discuss this with you and, more importantly, those crewmembers who might/would know otherwise. I thought maybe Scott, Anthony, Jason, The Adams might want to review this and offer up their advice. I do not want to take this up "publicly", because I believe James will take offense and it might hurt his feelings. <Mmm, James is an adult... and does appreciate "constructive criticism" as such> < Rule of thumb is 4 to 5 watts per gallon. Deep tanks may change the rule some. James (Salty Dog)>" <Well... "rules of thumb" are such... James has yet to fully realize that what we offer must be gauged toward... more than just the stated circumstances... that folks will read this stuff into perpetuity... and that "qualifiers" like stating the (what may be obvious) "in your case", or "given your circumstances"... or offering links... may be more useful to all. He IS learning.> Anyway, I am unsure about how to address some particulars because he really seems to be bothered, and his messages take on a decidedly terse tone. I do NOT want to drive away good help, so I'm bringing this up privately with you. <... not a problem... believe me... I DO read all responses before filing... and do amend spelling, grammar... and will add in double carrots my input if I believe answers are too vague, incomplete or just outright wrong... Some items are a matter of opinion... e.g. the above rule of thumb, "you should have a good cup a day in your skimmer". Some are just incorrect <<my stmt.s re Xeniids being non-photosynthetic>> I have also read on another site that Rich Ross has resigned from WWM. I must say I'm sorry to see him go, I feel he had a lot to offer us as a whole. <Yes... he stated a couple of run-ins with you...> If you think I should just shut up, then tell me so and I'll quit my yammering (never heard that word till you once told me to stop it.. <giggle>). Marina <All are doing fine in my estimation... and we continue to provide a valuable, needed service to others, the industry/hobby/science of aquaristics and the human condition. I am satisfied that we are individually and collectively doing so. Bob F> You've gotta see these photos... A guy named Mike Dandaneau just joined WWF and he posted a bunch of cool shots. He's had marine tanks since '68, has 681g of FOWLR tanks at home, and several spawning pairs from the looks of it. http://wetwebfotos.com/Home?actionRequest=userview&userID=5051 <Wow! Spawning convict gobies and scorpaenids! Walking batfish!!! Maybe he'll join us in answering queries on WWM... Bob> Recruiting WWM crew members 5/4/04 "are you interested in being a mentor with us, and answering WWM crew mail?" I'm flattered!! I do consider this every time I join a board, as it seems I always have an answer - at least to me anyway ;-) LOL!! Let me ask you a question. How much time is required? <no minimums at all... just consistency is requested (daily or near daily checking/clearing your mailbox so that needy queries do not get delayed). You can answer one per day or a dozen per day... whatever time allows> I honestly have very little to offer - time and experience wise. <don't be so cocky <G> I .....actually, maybe not. lol. <we all have something to contribute my friend... no experts here, per se> My wife would kick my ***! "YOU NEVER SPEND TIME WITH MEEEEE!!!!" LOL!!! <indeed a much more important draw on your time... her desire to see you/spend time with you is valid> Thanks anyway. If I get a divorce I'll let you guys know. <with an attitude like that, you may just get your wish. I hope not :)> Oh wait! Any perks? I can use something like that to my advantage. ;-) <ahhh... the pleasure of helping others succeed in something you enjoy/admire too. Priceless wouldn't you say? No worries... be chatting soon. Anthony> Wet web media tanks Hi guy's great site - I visit this site every day can't get enough of it. I was just wondering do you have some pics on your own personal fish tanks and set ups. You guys give so much valuable advice it would be great to see how your tanks look and what you use as your set ups . <Some of the Crew have pix of their systems posted on www.WetWebFotos.com but you need to know their "street names" as well as log-ons there. Otherwise we have short bio.s for most posted on WWM. Bob Fenner> Keep up the good work, Werner Schoeman RE: WWM and you Date: Mon, 22 Dec 2003 14:28:30 -0500 (EST) Hi Bob, <John> Here is a copy of the email I had sent you on 12/1/03. You can also contact me at jchamplin@ambrosiasw.com -=-=-= <Okay... and I never saw this... another "ghost in the machine"?> Good evening. I recently have been contacted by an acquaintance of mine, Jeni (lovingly referred to as Pufferpunk). She had thought that I would be able to help your awesome site with answering questions. I guess the help i have given Jeni in the past makes her think that I'd be right up your alley. I must say that the thought of helping out such an impressive site is extremely exciting. I have visited your site for many years and gained quite a bit of knowledge myself, and would love to be able to give something back to your for all the help over the years. <Outstanding> I'm 25 years old, and have been keeping tanks for close to a decade now. Started the way many people start into this hobby, i purchased a dollar goldfish and a 10 gallon tank. Well The goldfish is still alive and well (about 10 inches long now), and since the 10 gallon tank, I've expanded to at one point having over 15 tanks going between my home and my office. With the economy taking a weird turn, I was forced to cut back on many of my tanks. But, I still have 7 tanks (ranging in size from 3 gallons to 150 gallons) going at home, with my 8th being a 100 gallon marine puffer tank due to be set up within the next month. I've kept Freshwater, Brackish, and marine tanks over the years. Focusing on two varieties of fish (not kept in the same tanks mind you). But, I used to raise many different varieties of knifefish (glass, African, royal clown, albino clowns). My largest and most impressive knife was my 24 inch long female clown knife. Which was given her own 150 gallon tank. But, my true love was caring for Pufferfish. hence the reason i had gotten into brackish (for my figure 8's and my Green spotted puffers) thus leading me into my marine tanks. I've kept Emeralds, South Americans, Green spotted, figure eights, dogface, porcs, Burrfish for many years. Many of these fish were given to me, i kept them for months, cared for them nursed them to health and found them suitable homes. I have also cared for many other fish and animals over the years. I've kept Eels, lungfish (which was adopted by my brother and his coworkers as their company mascot), barbs, bettas, catfish, happy community fish (tetras, gouramis, etc...), Scats, Gobies, saltwater fish like triggers, morays, Clowns, and much more. I realize a long sentence with fish names isn't that exciting, so lets leave it at.. I've cared for quite an assortment of fish. <Yes, and more to go> I'm currently in the middle of setting up my one website, but at least i do have some photos up online if you would like to see them. (please excuse the mess... just placed them online until i finished the layout and style sheets for the future site) a few random pics thrown on a table. Here you can see my large clown knife. http://xanadu.ambrosiasw.com/~jchamplin/table.html my nano reef tank. http://xanadu.ambrosiasw.com/~jchamplin/images/animal/nano/update/fullreeftank9_10.jpg <Very nice> I currently haunt quite a few forums answering questions for people in fresh, brackish, and saltwater areas. But, more specifically I'm moderating a great new website called Reefnut (www.reefnut.com). Where I was contacted by the site owner to write an article dealing specifically with pufferfish. You can see the article at: http://www.reefnut.com/Puffer%20Article.htm I had turned him towards puffers the previous months, and he was quite impressed with my knowledge, and was honored to be asked to write a featured article on his site. I'm an animal lover, I live on a farm, have a small herd of cows, a horse, a cat, lost my dog to cancer sadly, and a home full of fish tanks. I'm more than willing to send you a bio and references about my experience and knowledge. <This will suffice John. You obviously are learned, passionate re the hobby, desirous to share> If you have any questions please feel free to write me back, or you can also ask Jeni (luluwonderdog@yahoo.com) who is a member of your crew if I'm someone you would like to consider joining your ranks. thank you so much, John (aka Magnus) Champlin Help for WWM Hi Crew, I am sending a puffer friend & marine enthusiast to you. His name is John Champlin. He said he offered his services, but never heard back from you. <Mmm, bizarre. I never heard of/from him...> I told him to write you again. He is very knowledgeable about FW, BW & SW puffers (I know nothing about SW puffers BTW) & SW in general. He has recently written this article on SW puffers: SW Puffers I hope you will consider him for the Crew of WWM. Jeni/Pufferpunk <Thank you for the lead/help Jen. John, where are you? Tell us about yourself. Bob Fenner> Volunteering My Services "A call for WWM help Crew, in anticipation of the coming return of even more and new aquarists (we about double come September)... and in view of the many hours it is taking to respond to their queries and maintain the sites... I am asking you to think about who we might recruit, particularly for help with freshwater aquarium issues and the dunning daily moving et al. of FAQs. The latter could take just one person a good 2-3 hours (or more) per day, and when I'm "out", Jason and Marina are over-taxed (to put it mildly)... What to do?" Bob Hi, Ananda just sent this to me & asked if I wanted to help you out answering questions (or be a Crew Member?) for your website. You can check out my profile & tanks to see if I fit your qualifications. Jeni (Pufferpunk) <Hello Jeni. WWF BB is not coming up right now (strange) <Here tis: I have been keeping fish for over 25 years. Presently, I have 10 tanks ranging from 2g (Betta/snail breeding bowl)-125 (Fahaka tank) gallons. 6 are puffer tanks. I have a total of 14 puffers. A 12" Fahaka (Filbert),2 (6") GSPs (Cricket & Bozo), a 5" Ceylon (Cammie), 2 SA puffers (Ethyl & Edgar), a dwarf (Lil Bugger), & 3 F8s (Pee-Wee & 2 new unnamed guys). I just got 4 new SA puffers, that are in quarantine. I have a cycled tank waiting for a red Congo (t miurus). I am a scuba diver & underwater photographer. I ride my own 1982 custom Shovelhead Harley-Davidson. My Jack Russell Terrier (Lulu the Wonderdog) rides on the back. I love to garden.>. Would you tell us/WWM and the public a bit about yourself, maybe copy and paste what bio. you have here for posting? Will be asking the present crew re your helping. Do you have an hour or so most days to read over, respond to folks queries? What topics, types of systems are you more familiar with? Thank you for your consideration. Bob Fenner> WWM sub sub subdividing <Who wants to hail the division of at least separate Daily FAQs for Freshwater (and soon brackish)... with concurrent division of tasks/folks to move all about, create new content? Bob> Seems like a very good idea to me... much easier for the readers... and a smaller bite for any crew member interested in helping with master tasks. Antoine <Agreed. Bob, who has been "timed-out" by Billy G and the folks at MS> A call for WWM help Crew, in anticipation of the coming return of even more and new aquarists (we about double come September)... and in view of the many hours it is taking to respond to their queries and maintain the sites... I am asking you to think about who we might recruit, particularly for help with freshwater aquarium issues and the dunning daily moving et al. of FAQs. The latter could take just one person a good 2-3 hours (or more) per day, and when I'm "out", Jason and Marina are over-taxed (to put it mildly)... What to do? Bob RE: NMA order/WWM crew volunteer Date: Sun, 15 Jun 2003 11:08:45 -0700 (PDT) [Bobster... if ye agree and/or want to float this by the rest of the crew... a reply/invite and crash course for Ryan. Seems like an enthusiastic chap with neat interests besides marine only topics. Proffer the key to the city/mailbox if so? Thanks bub] <Ryan has not written back to me, and I don't see his email address below. I will add a folder to the WWM mail system. Please (if you have the address) send him the password to the mail and welcome him aboard. Bob> Cheers, Ryan 'Tis very good to hear from you, my friend. I do believe we can use the interest and expertise that you have in areas outside of reef topics especially. Let me encourage you to always be realistic regarding your participation on the site. No worries if your time is limited. Consistency and longevity will really benefit us all: your work as a mentor, that which you learn researching/archiving to help answer queries... and simply enjoying yourself. Be sure to take some time to read through our FAQs on FAQs to glean tips on how best/easiest to answer your queries re: format for the folks that actually place and upload our replies. About a third of the way down the page particularly beginning with the message "WWM mail answering": http://www.wetwebmedia.com/faqsonfaqs.htm The gist of it, though, is: * Give your query a title (and date)- the title should indicate clearly the topic(s) of the query... witty if you like, or simply cut and past the subject field if accurate/apropos * answer your queries with a standardized return onto the next line and within carrots- < your reply here> * delete any extra spaces within the text, headers above it, and any signatures, old messages, etc below it. All that should be left when you finish your message is a tight (space saving) titled message * the spell checker in the WWM mailbox presently does not work... please use your own means (like cutting and pasting into WORD for checking) for tweaking the message. If you have any questions... please do not hesitate to call on one of use. Note the crew member's e-mail addys in the broadcast welcome. Beyond the feel goods of helping folks/creatures in need... you will learn so much more as you archive and research answers to queries. Above all... have fun! Good to have you aboard. :) Anthony NMA order/WWM crew volunteer Hey, Bob :) If you didn't notice it yet (Jas mentioning), we got an enthusiastic volunteer for help at WWM on an NMA RI order. Please see the customer note below from his comments field. Into FW/Africans a nice plus Ciao, bub BTW... just curiously, do you prefer I e-mail you at WWM or this hotmail account? <This one is best> ---------- Note Referral: I'm a regular!!! >Insert something profound here< ;) Note Comments: Great, great thing you all are doing. I'd like to help. I am aquarist of 2-3 years experience, 22 years old. I have depth in African Cichlids, FOWLR, FO, and simple reefs. I feel that I could respond to some fairly sophisticated queries with accuracy. I reference your FAQs quite frequently. Please, I would love to help. My contact information is included with this order, and please email me: XXXX@metropcs.com if you could use another respondent. Regards, Ryan Bowen <Do you have a handful of hours per week... on a more or less regular basis to respond to queries? How do you feel about very general, basic questions re freshwater? Please tell us (for posting on WWM) a bit more about your history in the hobby, your personal goals. Bob Fenner> Thanks and Best Wishes To all the gang: <Howdy> Thanks so very much for all your assistance these past few years. Your timely insight has transformed me into an addict for this rewarding hobby. Both my wife and I spend countless hours watching and playing with these creatures from the depths. Never in my wildest dreams would I have imagined myself as a marine enthusiast...but, here I am, three years later! To Anthony...my Hippo tang has been moving decorations around like crazy this week. No doubt he is gearing up for the big Monday night battle! May Xmas come early and you end up with Warren Sapp in your stocking singing the virtues of the Steelers after they dismantle the Bucs on Monday night! <Will send your msg. on to that avid Steelers fan> To Bob>>>My LFS is Jim's Exotic Fish in El Segundo on Sepulveda. He speaks very highly of you, my friend! <And why not!?> Happy Holidays and Happy New Year! <And to you and yours. Bob Fenner> Mitch Re: WWM crew help I have been a saltwater aquarist for a little over five years and a soft coral reef gardener for the last twelve months. I am an educator by profession with a masters in music education. I have traveled extensively and I've done some snorkeling in the Atlantic. I am planning on earning a diver's certification in the near future. I am thirty-two years old and reside with my family (wife and baby) in Las Vegas. Regarding expertise: I possess a wide array of knowledge at the beginner and intermediate level of saltwater aquarium keeping: basic chemistry, appropriate and inappropriate specimens, setting up a tank, maintenance, lighting, substrates, etc. My weakest areas are scientific terminology and the more advanced sps reef issues.>I am a long time reader of WWM and the WWM facts. I have learned a lot about aquaria and I've also learned a lot about myself! <Well-stated, realized... a biology corollary of the Schrodinger Equation/s?> I guess I sort of envision myself working behind the scenes: helping arrange/rearrange the facts, answering email if you were "in a pinch", cataloguing facts, etc. I possess computer skills as well as writing skills and I want to help WWM in whatever capacity is needed. <Very good... are you familiar with MS Frontpage, similar program? Do you feel comfortable making files et al., once you're familiar, comfortable?> If you need more information, please don't hesitate to inquire. Sincerely, David Dowless <Thank you David. Gang? Bob F> Re: WWM crew help Hi Bob, I'm thrilled to accept David's help behind the scenes...for many reasons. <Let's hear them!> Per Anthony's request, that you three will be even busier on the book...I'd like to continue taking as much pressure off you with the dailies but we know it can be a daunting task. <Yes!> (Heaven forbid we get behind one day on filing and we won't even talk about what happens beyond one days worth!) <Please... don't> When you're gone, I make sure that the work gets done but it can be demanding when other things are going on here so help would be great! <Agreed> While you were gone...I determined I must have been a cranky English teacher in a previous life. The questions sent in are becoming worse and worse regarding punctuation and grammar...abbreviations of words that might not be understood by our foreign readers has me spending a great deal of time editing. I really wish there was a polite way to ask the readers, who no doubt realize their messages will subsequently filed, that they take a minute to clean them up but I realize this is not possible. What is possible is that we ask the crew members to help with their responses...again. They need to use spell check. Typos at times are making it difficult to even know what they're trying to express...and quite time consuming. <Glad to find your (you're?) joining with me here... I do want what we present (from our, others input) to be up to par language-wise... but it does indeed take time, patience, perseverance...> Take care, Barb-- Wait! Curious as to where you filed the drama messages I left on *TBPFAQS*? <An interesting "case study"... liked Steve.P's ultimate responses. I put them in the non-calc.ed, non-linked "admin subweb" under "Steve's Biz". Bob> Re: WWM crew help There would be a learning curve using Frontpage. I have a periphery knowledge of Frontpage and I'm willing to spend the time to gain expertise...just tell me where to begin. <Mmm, am thinking, keying out loud as it were here... would be ideal to have all of us go through some sort of exposure, "training" re our sites, the software itself... routines that have been tried... ones we might collectively adopt/adapt... but "rapid immersion" (aka OTJ) is likely our/your destiny... Do you have a copy of Frontpage (we use 2000). I'll send to you otherwise... there's not much to go "wrong" (we have lost the Navigation View a couple of times (cringing)... but most all activity involves low coefficients of disaster... and some fun! The site/s are very large... there are thousands of non-linked files for example... and there is the potential for a whole bunch (scientific term) of material (insert your own euphemisms here) being 'fronted' at times (the not-distant future)... Would you like to answer queries for a while (perhaps a few weeks) to gain familiarity? Bob F> David Dowless |
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