If you are a regular subscriber, you probably remember seeing an announcement for our 20th anniversary contest in our March issue — but have you entered yet? The contest features a great prize, the biggest our magazine has ever had: a 180-gallon aquarium with a stand, filters, sumps, heaters, lights and more! But that’s not all! There’s also $500 to spend on livestock and $500 to spend on other necessities. Entering is easy. Just tell us how Aquarium Fish International has influenced you in the hobby. Turn to page 72 for more details.
As aquarists get more experience in the hobby, the tanks usually get more complicated. Freshwater aquarists may start keeping plants as they progress (if they didn’t before) or may go on to saltwater fish. After successfully keeping marine fish, reefkeeping may be the next step. Reefkeeping means more complex (and hard-to-care-for) animals and more equipment, while plantkeeping requires the monitoring of additional elements, such as carbon dioxide.
But what if there were a simpler side to both of these facets of aquariumkeeping? Is it possible, for example, to keep a tank without filtration and other equipment? This very idea is discussed this month in “Going Natural” by Miller Morgan (page 44). Plants happen to be a main feature of this setup, so Miller’s not talking about a bare tank — just a tank with a lot less fish. It can be a challenge, but this would be a great tank for an intermediate or advanced aquarist.
What about exploring a different approach to reefkeeping that requires a minimalistic type of reefscape? This type of reef setup is discussed in “The Minimalist Reef Tank” by Richard Harker (page 74), where he addresses how the “traditional fruit stand” type of reefscaping may not always be the way to go — and he offers an interesting alternative.
Another one-of-a-kind topic covered this issue is in “U.S. Native Fish” by David A. Lass (page 52). Want to know more? Read on!