A: Working at Aquarium Co-Op has been quite different than my last couple jobs which were in more of a corporate setting. My favorite aspect of this job so far has been the incredible people I get to work every day. From local club representatives, brand ambassadors and my co-workers, there is never a dull moment. It’s a joy to make people happy and see their reactions when they surprise them with goodies. I love the relaxed attitude of everyone here. We get a lot done but it’s great being surrounded with friends.
I obtained my degree in Pennsylvania at Lebanon Valley College – a Bachelor of Science in Digital Communications. As far as the hobby, I primarily aquascape, but I have only competed once so far. I was sixth in Aquatic Experience’s nano aquascaping contest. I intend to keep competing!
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. Seeing their surprise and excitement was so rewarding!
A My day-to-day job is to finish many of the on-going programs and projects. This includes anything from improving the product pages on the website, sending out care packages to ambassadors and members, coordinating with local aquarium clubs for donations and events and doing many other day-to-day tasks and reminders for Cory so that he can focus on larger picture items. Though I am still learning the ropes, I hope to get as many projects completed as I can to continue driving business forward.
A: My absolute favorite fish are Golden White Cloud Mountain Minnows. They have so many great aspects. They can thrive in tanks without heaters, which is why I prefer an aesthetic aquarium that doesn’t use any equipment. I find them to be very fascinating!
A I would love to have a large aquascape that resembles a nature aquarium. I have always wanted the opportunity to see Florestas Submersas by Takashi Amato, his 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. It would be a great idea to hire staff to look after it.
– Tanks Type This is a high-tech planted aquascape. How many years has it been in place? 2! However, it was re-scaped once. – 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. Although it was easy to establish my cycle, I still have occasional outbreaks when the balance of light, nutrients, and CO2 is adjusted. Most recently, staghorn algae caused by too much light.
A I have never seen an Aquarium Co-Op product which I didn’t like. 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 a great product that I love. I’ve been using it in my aquascapes since they were new. My plants grow lush and healthy when I give them a few pumps after each water change. They’re actually growing like weeds.
Do not rush! This applies to pretty much everything – cycling, spawning, growing plants, aquascaping. 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. It’s important to research everything before you buy anything. 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. Although they aren’t always right, they have a vested financial interest. Do what makes YOU happy. Artificial plants are available if you wish. If you want rainbow gravel, go for it. Everybody has a different style, so your aquarium should be unique. Do not listen to the internet about what is appropriate and inappropriate for your tank. You should let your imagination take over! – 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 consider all possible causes, research and speak to others to learn from their experiences. There is a high chance that someone has experienced the same problem or experience as you. Learn first, and then make informed decisions. – Increase your water intake. This is my number one piece of advice. Your fish, plants and other livestock appreciate nice, clean water. Don’t you? You will also see less waste/nutrient accumulation, which means less algae.