TOTM Diversity. Where is it?
- Thread starter mile sq. reefer
- Start date
OnoIgotICH
In Memoriam
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12307735#post12307735 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by melev
Don't take this the wrong way: Perhaps your aggressive tank full of Ich would be a nice alternative.
If i had ich.
The point is no one appreciates their time consuming efforts being called "the same crap every month" with nothing constructive to add. As seapug pointed out, that's not the point of this thread, nor, do I think, will the mods allow it to go in that direction.
dcombs44
New member
It seems there's a thread similar to this every couple of months, and every time, someone posts links to past winners with tanks that are not SPS dominated. The fact of the matter is, that SPS are typically the most difficult coral species to keep in the hobby, so that's what people advance to as they improve their skills in the hobby. The tanks that are successful long term are typically those owned by people that know their stuff. Those that know their stuff want to keep the hardest stuff to keep. They top out at SPS by default.
Here are some past non SPS TOTMs.
P.S. Kudos to the RC and RK staffs for providing us with stellar articles each month and being a wealth of info for us all.
There was a zoa dominated tank from a while back (I think) that I couldn't find. That was one of my all time favs.
http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2006-06/totm/index.php
http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2006-05/totm/index.php
http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2006-04/totm/index.php
http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2005-05/totm/index.php
Here are some past non SPS TOTMs.
P.S. Kudos to the RC and RK staffs for providing us with stellar articles each month and being a wealth of info for us all.
There was a zoa dominated tank from a while back (I think) that I couldn't find. That was one of my all time favs.
http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2006-06/totm/index.php
http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2006-05/totm/index.php
http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2006-04/totm/index.php
http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2005-05/totm/index.php
dcombs44
New member
Ooh..here it is. Love this tank.
http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2004-08/totm/index.php
Granted, there's a new editor now, but beware, as this was posted as the the TOTM in the not too distant past.
I may also add, that I'm doubting that anyone here is paying anything to RK Mag for their product, and no one is making you read it
http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2005-04fools/ltte/index.php
(Guessing this was an April Fools Joke, but I'm also guessing the complaint was real)
http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2004-08/totm/index.php
Granted, there's a new editor now, but beware, as this was posted as the the TOTM in the not too distant past.
I may also add, that I'm doubting that anyone here is paying anything to RK Mag for their product, and no one is making you read it
http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2005-04fools/ltte/index.php
(Guessing this was an April Fools Joke, but I'm also guessing the complaint was real)
Last edited:
seapug
Premium Member
agreed. It's a big effort and all of them are awesome. The owners and the RC staff are to be commended for the work that goes into them. That Zoa tank is awesome-- and from 4 years ago. If there's one family of corals that has new kinds being found all the time it's the Zoanthids. I would love to see a new zoa tank (that's not a bunch of frag plugs) featured.
macreefster
New member
i have to say that all of the TOFTM are fully deserving and i've not found a one boring in the least. as a matter of fact they have inspired me to create a reef worth of them! while my tank is only a 70 i enjoy it immensely, but i yearn for the time when i can create a much larger reef tank. i think its merely a natural progression to the larger SPS tanks, but that doesn't take away from from other forms of biotypes and i believe some of them have been represented in past TOFTM's ( realize it took me quite a while to figure out what that stood for...lol). in closing i can only say that each and every TOFTM has inspired me greatly and i look forward to having my own such tank in the future.
macreefster
New member
i knew i could count on you to get all technical melev...lol. i'll put it simply. show me ONE tank of the month that isnt worthy. nuff said. maybe this is one case where size doesn't matter.... guess i can put away my tube sock now...lol.
OnoIgotICH
In Memoriam
how bout I clarify it up alittle bit.
What im trying to say is, Most of the tanks is SPS dominated yes, crammed with corals. It looks nice and you have obviously put time and work into it, but its just not about cramming corals. Why no "out of the box" designs like some of the lagoon tanks or the "airplane crashed into my tank" scene. I find that alittle more interesting than looking at an SPS filled tank that I just saw the month before that. There was a guy who got nominated, I forgot where he was from but international guy. I think he had a 400 gallon system that was amazing. He had all type of corals yet his design was "out of the box"
Why no fish only tanks? There was a guy with a 300 gallon tank who had a Conspic, Clarion, Cleaner, Bandit, Black Tang, and other rare fish, all he contained was bleached white coral, kept his tank spotless of algae and only contained a Skimmer and a wet/dry who got beat out, by an SPS dominated tank.
What im trying to say is, Most of the tanks is SPS dominated yes, crammed with corals. It looks nice and you have obviously put time and work into it, but its just not about cramming corals. Why no "out of the box" designs like some of the lagoon tanks or the "airplane crashed into my tank" scene. I find that alittle more interesting than looking at an SPS filled tank that I just saw the month before that. There was a guy who got nominated, I forgot where he was from but international guy. I think he had a 400 gallon system that was amazing. He had all type of corals yet his design was "out of the box"
Why no fish only tanks? There was a guy with a 300 gallon tank who had a Conspic, Clarion, Cleaner, Bandit, Black Tang, and other rare fish, all he contained was bleached white coral, kept his tank spotless of algae and only contained a Skimmer and a wet/dry who got beat out, by an SPS dominated tank.
bklynmet
New member
Could you make certain months dedicated to non-sps dominated? Maybe twice a year where the guys putting the TOTM together purposely focus on a non-sps tank? The other 10 months, it works like it works now - leaving the possibility of more than 2 non-SPS tanks a year.
You might be reading this and think 'affirmitive action'. No, it's not affirmative action because I do believe the bar set for TOTM (in terms of aesthetics, husbandry, etc.) should still be high.
If the staff needs more nominations, then the idea of enticing people to nominate with the possibility of winning a prize may be a good idea. Heck, $20 giftcard is a cool prize!
You might be reading this and think 'affirmitive action'. No, it's not affirmative action because I do believe the bar set for TOTM (in terms of aesthetics, husbandry, etc.) should still be high.
If the staff needs more nominations, then the idea of enticing people to nominate with the possibility of winning a prize may be a good idea. Heck, $20 giftcard is a cool prize!
Ephraim
New member
I love the TOTM that have been featured since I started frequenting this site over a year ago, they have provided endless inspiration and are always a source of stunning backgrounds for my desktop. (if i had a nickle for everytime a co-worker asked me if thats from my tank an I replied "I wish!"). But I think what the tank of the month is missing is creativity. I think that seeing ideas and concepts not conventionally seen in aquaria would be great, such as a skimmer operated by a midget blowing bubbles through a crazy straw (not really but, you get what i mean right?). Personally I love the end that we always see in TOTM but the means is something i think needs to be looked into more.
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