Obituary on Norbert Tunze
Norbert Tunze, a pioneer of aquarium engineering has left us forever.
Norbert Tunze passed away unexpectedly shortly before his 75th birthday.
In his lifeââ"šÂ¬Ã¢"žÂ¢s work, his inventions and methods showed new ways to facilitate and improve everyday life of an aquarist.
In Munich in 1960, the young master radio and television technician and involved aquarist started building a new type of aquarium pump. At the time, the demand was very poor; apart from fish feed, air pumps and heaters, there was nothing else. During this period Norbert Tunze developed a new type of aquarium pump, and coined the name of ââ"šÂ¬Ã…"œTurbelleââ"šÂ¬Ã‚Â, well-known all over the world nowadays, from the German words for ââ"šÂ¬Ã…"œturbineââ"šÂ¬Ã‚Â(ââ"šÂ¬Ã…"œTurbineââ"šÂ¬Ã‚Â) and ââ"šÂ¬Ã…"œdragon flyââ"šÂ¬Ã‚ (ââ"šÂ¬Ã…"œLibelleââ"šÂ¬Ã‚Â). Thus, the first step into ââ"šÂ¬Ã…"œaquarium technologyââ"šÂ¬Ã‚ had been done ââ"šÂ¬Ã¢â‚¬Å“ a term, which Norbert Tunze contributed to establish right from the beginning. During the following decades he got the world of aquarium technology interested in his ideas and inventions, and today leaves unmistakable traces for future marine water aquarism. He had numerous patents and property rights in Germany and foreign countries for his ideas.
The development of the controllable TurbelleÃ"šÃ‚® submerged centrifugal pumps and TurbelleÃ"šÃ‚® electronic as well as compact filters in numerous variants was a huge success. Also, the first motor-operated TUNZEÃ"šÃ‚® skimmers remain to be one of the mainstays of todayââ"šÂ¬Ã¢"žÂ¢s company. With these new products, he laid the foundations for the development of salt-water aquarism and the optimisation of the conditions for our todayââ"šÂ¬Ã¢"žÂ¢s aquarium biotopes. He was the first to question biological filtration, and understood the necessity to extract dirt by quick-run filtration and protein skimming.
In his capacity as an electronics expert, Norbert Tunze also worked on the development of the first measuring instruments for aquarism in particular, thus creating conductivity meters, pH meters and lux meters. In 1973, the young company TUNZE Aquariumtechnik GmbH moved into new larger workshops in Penzberg located in the German region of Upper Bavaria. After further growth two works were required for production. In the following years Norbert Tunze was able to market with great success a great variety of ideas, such as a pump control for wave simulation as well as simulation of tidal currents, modular and compact SYSTEM filter plants, the unique Osmolator, the electronic submerged motor-driven pumps, the Comline components, which have become essential components in aquarism.
In 1994, his son Axel Tunze took over the company. Till the very end, Norbert Tunze continued to make his experience and knowledge available to the company and was able to enjoy its success. A fact many aquarists will not know is that Norbert Tunze also was a renowned art connoisseur in Germany. With dedication and passionate enthusiasm, he devoted his time in particular to ââ"šÂ¬Ã…"œPietre Dureââ"šÂ¬Ã‚Â, the gemstone mosaics from all over Europe, on which he wrote a noteworthy book for experts,
Up to the end of his life, he was not only a multitalented person in his profession and as an entrepreneur in aquarium technology, but also an active music enthusiast. His family and friends will always remember him as a generous and fair person with ideas of lasting value. With this obituary, the family and TUNZE Aquarientechnik GmbH bid farewell to their founder Norbert Tunze, in deep mourning, remembering him with honour.
Norbert Tunze, a pioneer of aquarium engineering has left us forever.
Norbert Tunze passed away unexpectedly shortly before his 75th birthday.
In his lifeââ"šÂ¬Ã¢"žÂ¢s work, his inventions and methods showed new ways to facilitate and improve everyday life of an aquarist.
In Munich in 1960, the young master radio and television technician and involved aquarist started building a new type of aquarium pump. At the time, the demand was very poor; apart from fish feed, air pumps and heaters, there was nothing else. During this period Norbert Tunze developed a new type of aquarium pump, and coined the name of ââ"šÂ¬Ã…"œTurbelleââ"šÂ¬Ã‚Â, well-known all over the world nowadays, from the German words for ââ"šÂ¬Ã…"œturbineââ"šÂ¬Ã‚Â(ââ"šÂ¬Ã…"œTurbineââ"šÂ¬Ã‚Â) and ââ"šÂ¬Ã…"œdragon flyââ"šÂ¬Ã‚ (ââ"šÂ¬Ã…"œLibelleââ"šÂ¬Ã‚Â). Thus, the first step into ââ"šÂ¬Ã…"œaquarium technologyââ"šÂ¬Ã‚ had been done ââ"šÂ¬Ã¢â‚¬Å“ a term, which Norbert Tunze contributed to establish right from the beginning. During the following decades he got the world of aquarium technology interested in his ideas and inventions, and today leaves unmistakable traces for future marine water aquarism. He had numerous patents and property rights in Germany and foreign countries for his ideas.
The development of the controllable TurbelleÃ"šÃ‚® submerged centrifugal pumps and TurbelleÃ"šÃ‚® electronic as well as compact filters in numerous variants was a huge success. Also, the first motor-operated TUNZEÃ"šÃ‚® skimmers remain to be one of the mainstays of todayââ"šÂ¬Ã¢"žÂ¢s company. With these new products, he laid the foundations for the development of salt-water aquarism and the optimisation of the conditions for our todayââ"šÂ¬Ã¢"žÂ¢s aquarium biotopes. He was the first to question biological filtration, and understood the necessity to extract dirt by quick-run filtration and protein skimming.
In his capacity as an electronics expert, Norbert Tunze also worked on the development of the first measuring instruments for aquarism in particular, thus creating conductivity meters, pH meters and lux meters. In 1973, the young company TUNZE Aquariumtechnik GmbH moved into new larger workshops in Penzberg located in the German region of Upper Bavaria. After further growth two works were required for production. In the following years Norbert Tunze was able to market with great success a great variety of ideas, such as a pump control for wave simulation as well as simulation of tidal currents, modular and compact SYSTEM filter plants, the unique Osmolator, the electronic submerged motor-driven pumps, the Comline components, which have become essential components in aquarism.
In 1994, his son Axel Tunze took over the company. Till the very end, Norbert Tunze continued to make his experience and knowledge available to the company and was able to enjoy its success. A fact many aquarists will not know is that Norbert Tunze also was a renowned art connoisseur in Germany. With dedication and passionate enthusiasm, he devoted his time in particular to ââ"šÂ¬Ã…"œPietre Dureââ"šÂ¬Ã‚Â, the gemstone mosaics from all over Europe, on which he wrote a noteworthy book for experts,
Up to the end of his life, he was not only a multitalented person in his profession and as an entrepreneur in aquarium technology, but also an active music enthusiast. His family and friends will always remember him as a generous and fair person with ideas of lasting value. With this obituary, the family and TUNZE Aquarientechnik GmbH bid farewell to their founder Norbert Tunze, in deep mourning, remembering him with honour.
