*** MARINER OF THE MONTH: February Edition! Sponsored by EShopps, Top Shelf Aquatics, Premium Aquatics, and SaltwaterAquarium.com! ***

[jazlyn]

​

Do you dream of creating a stunning reef tank that captures the beauty and wonder of the ocean? Are you passionate about exploring the endless possibilities of reefing and sharing your story with a thriving community? The Mariner of the Month contest is your opportunity to shine! It’s a celebration of dedicated hobbyists who inspire others and bring the underwater world to life.

Each month, one outstanding hobbyist will be crowned Mariner of the Month through voting on Reef2Reef, earning a fantastic prize package and a custom trophy to mark the achievement. Monthly winners will also compete for the ultimate title of Mariner of the Year 2025, with a grand prize worth over $12,000!

We’re looking for hobbyists who showcase creativity, commitment, and a love for the community. This contest celebrates more than just your reef tank—it’s about your journey and the passion that drives you. Are you ready to Dream, Explore, and Discover? Let’s dive in!

REQUIREMENTS TO ENTER

• Must be an R2R member (new members welcome!)
• Have a tank thread on R2R
• Be 18 years or older (minors may participate with parental consent) and living in the continental US
• Monthly winners can only win once in the year but automatically qualify as a finalist for the Mariner of the Year selection!

HOW TO ENTER

To submit your entry, please include the following in a single post in this thread:

• A photo of yourself and a photo of your reef tank. (These can be separate photos or combined, but separate photos may better showcase your tank.)
• The name of your reef tank—or name it now if you haven’t already!
• Your response to this month’s Mariner of the Month prompt: How does having an aquarium affect your daily life? (Your answer should be at least 5 sentences long.)
• A link to your build/tank thread on Reef2Reef. Don't have one? Our Members Aquarium Showcase is a great place to do that! CLICK HERE and get yours going!

Want to nominate another member? Here's how to do it:

• Tag the individual you would like to nominate.
• Share a nomination statement of at least 5 sentences, explaining why this person deserves to be considered. (Your statement will serve as an endorsement in the final voting thread.)
• Nominees must accept the nomination and complete the entry requirements in this thread to be considered as a Mariner of the Month finalist.

Entries and nominations must be submitted by January 21, 2024.

PRIZES

Our Community Selected MARINER OF THE MONTH for February 2025 will receive:

Total Prize Value is $1,000!! Here's what the winner will get:

• Mariner of the Month Trophy!
• Eshopps C-120 Skimmer
• Premium Aquatics Gift Card/Store Credit: $250
• Top Shelf Aquatics Frag Pack: $250
• SaltwaterAquarium.com: $250
• Bragging Rights!!!

https://www.eshopps.com/product/c-120/







Mariner of the Year 2025: An ultimate prize package including a Mariner 130, a substantial gift card selection, and thousands of dollars in accessories!

RULES FOR ENTRY SUBMISSION AND WINNER SELECTION

Entries must be submitted by January 21, 2025. The top 20 entries will be selected by @ESHOPPS.INC staff. A new voting thread will be started by January 22, 2025 with 20 finalists for the community to select the MARINER OF THE MONTH. Winner of MARINER OF THE MONTH will be announced on February 3, 2024.

At the end of the contest, the winner's username will be tagged in the winning announcement. We will not email, PM, or contact the winner other than tagging their username. Be sure to check back to claim your prize.

Thanks so much to @ESHOPPS.INC for putting together this awesome event! Let the search for the Mariner begin!!

My reef tank is named bikini bottom, just cuz I liked SpongeBob growing up lol.
How does having an aquarium affect my daily life? Well I struggle with mental illness so it’s a stress reducer. It’s also something I can focus on to clear my head. I love watching the current in my tank flow through my gsp. Focusing on water changes and tests calms me. I love my reef tank and I’m always open to learning new things about reefing!

​

Do you dream of creating a stunning reef tank that captures the beauty and wonder of the ocean? Are you passionate about exploring the endless possibilities of reefing and sharing your story with a thriving community? The Mariner of the Month contest is your opportunity to shine! It’s a celebration of dedicated hobbyists who inspire others and bring the underwater world to life.

Each month, one outstanding hobbyist will be crowned Mariner of the Month through voting on Reef2Reef, earning a fantastic prize package and a custom trophy to mark the achievement. Monthly winners will also compete for the ultimate title of Mariner of the Year 2025, with a grand prize worth over $12,000!

We’re looking for hobbyists who showcase creativity, commitment, and a love for the community. This contest celebrates more than just your reef tank—it’s about your journey and the passion that drives you. Are you ready to Dream, Explore, and Discover? Let’s dive in!

REQUIREMENTS TO ENTER

• Must be an R2R member (new members welcome!)
• Have a tank thread on R2R
• Be 18 years or older (minors may participate with parental consent) and living in the continental US
• Monthly winners can only win once in the year but automatically qualify as a finalist for the Mariner of the Year selection!

HOW TO ENTER

To submit your entry, please include the following in a single post in this thread:

• A photo of yourself and a photo of your reef tank. (These can be separate photos or combined, but separate photos may better showcase your tank.)
• The name of your reef tank—or name it now if you haven’t already!
• Your response to this month’s Mariner of the Month prompt: How does having an aquarium affect your daily life? (Your answer should be at least 5 sentences long.)
• A link to your build/tank thread on Reef2Reef. Don't have one? Our Members Aquarium Showcase is a great place to do that! CLICK HERE and get yours going!

Want to nominate another member? Here's how to do it:

• Tag the individual you would like to nominate.
• Share a nomination statement of at least 5 sentences, explaining why this person deserves to be considered. (Your statement will serve as an endorsement in the final voting thread.)
• Nominees must accept the nomination and complete the entry requirements in this thread to be considered as a Mariner of the Month finalist.

Entries and nominations must be submitted by January 21, 2024.

PRIZES

Our Community Selected MARINER OF THE MONTH for February 2025 will receive:

Total Prize Value is $1,000!! Here's what the winner will get:

• Mariner of the Month Trophy!
• Eshopps C-120 Skimmer
• Premium Aquatics Gift Card/Store Credit: $250
• Top Shelf Aquatics Frag Pack: $250
• SaltwaterAquarium.com: $250
• Bragging Rights!!!

https://www.eshopps.com/product/c-120/







Mariner of the Year 2025: An ultimate prize package including a Mariner 130, a substantial gift card selection, and thousands of dollars in accessories!

RULES FOR ENTRY SUBMISSION AND WINNER SELECTION

Entries must be submitted by January 21, 2025. The top 20 entries will be selected by @ESHOPPS.INC staff. A new voting thread will be started by January 22, 2025 with 20 finalists for the community to select the MARINER OF THE MONTH. Winner of MARINER OF THE MONTH will be announced on February 3, 2024.

At the end of the contest, the winner's username will be tagged in the winning announcement. We will not email, PM, or contact the winner other than tagging their username. Be sure to check back to claim your prize.

Thanks so much to @ESHOPPS.INC for putting together this awesome event! Let the search for the Mariner begin!!

I names my reef Bikini Bottom because I loved SpongeBob growing up.

How does having an aquarium affect my daily life?
Well, for me it’s a huge stress reliever. I love being able to just sit and watch the current through the corals and fish. I also find myself researching a lot of new things on my reef on a day to day basis. I’m always trying to learn as much as I can about my specific tank. I love the beach as well and having a part of my own little ocean is amazing to me. I want to try and make sure within time I have the best equipment possible. Being able to focus and care for my tank helps with my mental health a lot being able to sit and focus on water changes or testing my parameters.
My R2R tank thread link is:

Https://www.reef2reef.com/showcase/bikini-bottom.646/

Ps idek if I’m eligible for this but I’ll give it a go anyways, seems fun.

 

[Slocke]

Limerick:

There once was a reefer named Sam,
Whom I nominate because he's a good man,
He really likes wrasses
Has no time for *****
Yet somehow he's part of the fam.

Haiku:

Slocke is competent
Wrasses flash in his presence
I want him to lose

Free Verse:

Crystal waters swirl as the sacred wrasse knowledge is shared.
Turbulent beauty.
Speak latin.
Fin.

There was an old man who liked orange,
….
….
Uggh I don't think poetry is my thing

 

[JoJosReef]

Sammy and Matty swimmin' on the reef
A-R-G-U-I-N-G
One whips a tail
The other nips a fin
But neither gonna get it, 'cuz Tim's gonna win

 

[Fish Styx]

Erroneous post removed

 

[tbrown]

My reef tank is named bikini bottom, just cuz I liked SpongeBob growing up lol.
How does having an aquarium affect my daily life? Well I struggle with mental illness so it’s a stress reducer. It’s also something I can focus on to clear my head. I love watching the current in my tank flow through my gsp. Focusing on water changes and tests calms me. I love my reef tank and I’m always open to learning new things about reefing!

I names my reef Bikini Bottom because I loved SpongeBob growing up.

How does having an aquarium affect my daily life?
Well, for me it’s a huge stress reliever. I love being able to just sit and watch the current through the corals and fish. I also find myself researching a lot of new things on my reef on a day to day basis. I’m always trying to learn as much as I can about my specific tank. I love the beach as well and having a part of my own little ocean is amazing to me. I want to try and make sure within time I have the best equipment possible. Being able to focus and care for my tank helps with my mental health a lot being able to sit and focus on water changes or testing my parameters.
My R2R tank thread link is:

Https://www.reef2reef.com/showcase/bikini-bottom.646/

Ps idek if I’m eligible for this but I’ll give it a go anyways, seems fun.

Anyone qualifies! Good luck

 

[jazlyn]

Anyone qualifies! Good luck

Thanks! You too if your entering

 

[tbrown]

Thanks! You too if your entering

I don't qualify since I already won but I'm still going to answer the question and nominate people.

 

[Usarmy227]

Brian’s Reef Tank

My name is Brian Chandler. I’m a 100% permeant and Total Disabled Army Veteran with PTSD and multiple respiratory Disabilities.I was deployed to Afghanistan in June 2009-June 2010 and May 2011- Sept 2011. I then was honorably medical discharged in June 2012. I got into reefing in August 2024 as an alternative treatment for my PTSD. So far Reefing has been a great outlet. It’s calming and keeps my mind busy daily with all the reminders going off, testing, water changes, dosing, feedings, and just flat out Researching on reef2reef. It has been an amazing experience. I take hours out of my day to reflect and take notes in my journal about my progress. I can say that I have fell in love with reefing. Never have I thought that fish and coral can be a treatment. I hope to pass on all my progress to all veterans I know so I can help them. My dream goal has came true. I just recently received a Pro-Star 90 to start setting up. Once I make the transition to the bigger tank. My little 15g will be Donated to another veteran with PTSD.

https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/brian’s-reef-tank-build.1082830/

 

[TangerineSpeedo]

Thanks @JoJosReef! I will have to do this over the weekend

 

[JoJosReef]

Thanks @JoJosReef! I will have to do this over the weekend

That when you'll have your body temperature back up to normal??

 

[*GAREEF*]

​

Do you dream of creating a stunning reef tank that captures the beauty and wonder of the ocean? Are you passionate about exploring the endless possibilities of reefing and sharing your story with a thriving community? The Mariner of the Month contest is your opportunity to shine! It’s a celebration of dedicated hobbyists who inspire others and bring the underwater world to life.

Each month, one outstanding hobbyist will be crowned Mariner of the Month through voting on Reef2Reef, earning a fantastic prize package and a custom trophy to mark the achievement. Monthly winners will also compete for the ultimate title of Mariner of the Year 2025, with a grand prize worth over $12,000!

We’re looking for hobbyists who showcase creativity, commitment, and a love for the community. This contest celebrates more than just your reef tank—it’s about your journey and the passion that drives you. Are you ready to Dream, Explore, and Discover? Let’s dive in!

REQUIREMENTS TO ENTER

• Must be an R2R member (new members welcome!)
• Have a tank thread on R2R
• Be 18 years or older (minors may participate with parental consent) and living in the continental US
• Monthly winners can only win once in the year but automatically qualify as a finalist for the Mariner of the Year selection!

HOW TO ENTER

To submit your entry, please include the following in a single post in this thread:

• A photo of yourself and a photo of your reef tank. (These can be separate photos or combined, but separate photos may better showcase your tank.)
• The name of your reef tank—or name it now if you haven’t already!
• Your response to this month’s Mariner of the Month prompt: How does having an aquarium affect your daily life? (Your answer should be at least 5 sentences long.)
• A link to your build/tank thread on Reef2Reef. Don't have one? Our Members Aquarium Showcase is a great place to do that! CLICK HERE and get yours going!

Want to nominate another member? Here's how to do it:

• Tag the individual you would like to nominate.
• Share a nomination statement of at least 5 sentences, explaining why this person deserves to be considered. (Your statement will serve as an endorsement in the final voting thread.)
• Nominees must accept the nomination and complete the entry requirements in this thread to be considered as a Mariner of the Month finalist.

Entries and nominations must be submitted by January 21, 2024.

PRIZES

Our Community Selected MARINER OF THE MONTH for February 2025 will receive:

Total Prize Value is $1,000!! Here's what the winner will get:

• Mariner of the Month Trophy!
• Eshopps C-120 Skimmer
• Premium Aquatics Gift Card/Store Credit: $250
• Top Shelf Aquatics Frag Pack: $250
• SaltwaterAquarium.com: $250
• Bragging Rights!!!

https://www.eshopps.com/product/c-120/







Mariner of the Year 2025: An ultimate prize package including a Mariner 130, a substantial gift card selection, and thousands of dollars in accessories!

RULES FOR ENTRY SUBMISSION AND WINNER SELECTION

Entries must be submitted by January 21, 2025. The top 20 entries will be selected by @ESHOPPS.INC staff. A new voting thread will be started by January 22, 2025 with 20 finalists for the community to select the MARINER OF THE MONTH. Winner of MARINER OF THE MONTH will be announced on February 3, 2024.

At the end of the contest, the winner's username will be tagged in the winning announcement. We will not email, PM, or contact the winner other than tagging their username. Be sure to check back to claim your prize.

Thanks so much to @ESHOPPS.INC for putting together this awesome event! Let the search for the Mariner begin!!

The name of my reef tank is Sublime.
I began my reef tank journey in 1996.
I was immediately captivated by living coral and read and re-read all of the literature at the time available to me. I became very successful at keeping coral alive and thriving rather quickly.
This became a side job and then a permanent job for many years, until I Joined the Army in 2002.
While in the Army I was stationed in Germany and got to see some of the most amazing reef aquariums that I’d ever seen and quickly started a reef tank.
Shortly after this, I was deployed to Iraq for thirteen months, starting in 2004 and ending in 2005, where mostly I was a gunner on top of a truck on a combat patrol team. We performed security escorts, reconnaissance and were a QRF team.
This experience changed my life forever, not only from the explosions that caused a brain injury but the loss of life that I had never experienced before. The experience also resulted in moral and ethical injuries that will never leave me.
Returning from Iraq, I still kept and maintained reef aquariums but over the years I wasn’t experiencing the same happiness from it as I once use to. Eventually, I became an alcoholic, developed extreme anger issues and my mental health and well being declined so bad that I ended up in a stand off with the sheriffs department and I had two officers pinned to the ground.
Luckily for me, a lady named Lory Ott that was a news reporter got involved and help create a veterans court which lead to treatment instead of prison for me.
I got sober and my mental health gradually was getting better and I got back into reef keeping.
After few years of sobriety and reef keeping and aquarium maintenance as a profession again and obsession again, life started to throw me a few curve balls and I started drinking and using drugs.
This went off and on for several years and again I left reef keeping but this time it was for 8 years.
I ended up institutionalized and released into to a new program the VA started implementing, called WRAP. After 2 years of sobriety and meeting with other Veterans daily in this program, I started to feel better but still had quite a bit of anxiety and depression. One of my peers in the program asked me what do I do that makes me happy, truly happy and something that I can do to break away from when things aren’t going well.
There were many things I thought of, like walking my dogs in the woods, fishing, my garden etc…
But I was told to keep looking and those aren’t what really make me happy. When I really started to think about it she was right, because while I enjoyed doing these things, they were more of a routine for me that I kinda enjoyed.
So for two years I was asked this question and my answers never satisfied my peer support counselor. Well after two years in the program I finally found it and it was right there all the time, I just couldn’t see it. I found reef2reef and started reading about everything. Some things have definitely changed in the last ten years but It sparked my old passion that I never thought would come back to me like it once was and that I remembered.
So in October 2024 I started a reef tank and I’m on cloud nine again. I love to get on reef2reef and help people that are new to reef keeping and I love looking at all of the members reefs and pictures of their corals.
My Sublime and reef2reef is my happy place.
My reef tank thread…

Build Thread - Red Sea MAX Nano G2 XXL

I’ve been out of the hobby for 8 years. I’ve been keeping reef tanks since 1996. I started this tank in October 2024. 30 lbs or so dry rock and about 5 lbs of cultured rock. Substrate is crushed coral labout 3/4 inch deep. I used Dr. Tim’s and ammonia to start cycling along with a few other...

www.reef2reef.com

 

[Daniel@R2R]

Bumping this up for more entries!!!

 

[TangerineSpeedo]

That when you'll have your body temperature back up to normal??

For some who didn’t get the joke…
Jumped in the ocean and swam with the Polar Bears New Year’s Day.
It was brisk…

 

[JoJosReef]

For some who didn’t get the joke…
Jumped in the ocean and swam with the Polar Bears New Year’s Day.
It was brisk…

Love that you did that. I'm currently checking on water temperatures in Cabo to see if that's a viable cruise stop for spring break with the kids and their grandparents. Looking more tolerable!

 

[tbrown]

For some who didn’t get the joke…
Jumped in the ocean and swam with the Polar Bears New Year’s Day.
It was brisk…

Wait, @Brisk was there???

 

[exnisstech]

For some who didn’t get the joke…
Jumped in the ocean and swam with the Polar Bears New Year’s Day.
It was brisk…

Aren't you in Cali? They did it here but had to break ice to get in. I just watch lol

 

[56longroof]

I nominate @vetteguy53081

 

[TangerineSpeedo]

Aren't you in Cali? They did it here but had to break ice to get in. I just watch lol

Yes! The water temp was in the mid fifties…