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We have a vast array of contributors here at Ultramarine from
all over the world; these include many highly regarded and
widely published authors, well-respected reef enthusiasts,
experts in marine biology, aquarium chemistry, tank physics
and oceanic conservationists.
 Alf
Jacob Nilsen
Alf Jacob Nilsen (born 1954) lives with his wife Lise
at “Hidra”, a small island on the south-western
coast of Norway. He is educated as a teacher from the
Academy of Teaching in Stavanger and as a biologist
from the University of Bergen. He now works as a teacher
in his local community.
For many years Alf J. has taken an interest in coral
reef biology and worked the coral reef aquarium. He
has visited reef areas all around the world and has
studied the natural coral reefs habitats up close. Together
with his co-author, Svein A. Fosså, he has published
a number of books dealing with the coral reef aquarium.
He has given lectures in many countries and also written
a lot of articles on the biology and techniques of reef
biology and the coral reef aquarium.
Alf J. also takes an interest in nature photography
and runs the photo agency Bioquatic Photo (www.biophoto.net).
His photographic works spans from photographing the
universe through telescopes to the macro-life of the
marine aquarium seen through a microscope.
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 Robert
Fenner
Bob has “lived” the science, hobby and business
of aquatics in the Philippines, Japan and United States.
All phases: collector, wholesale, jobber, retail, design,
construction and maintenance. All levels: manager, owner,
hatchery work, retail clerk, technician. Published works
include several studies on aquatic biological and chemical
questions, and an extensive publishing and photographic
background in the industry and hobby of aquatics in general. |
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 Clayton
Smith
Clayton Smith was born in London in 1972, he got his
first aquarium when he was 6 years old and has been
keeping fish and inverts ever since. He graduated from
Liverpool University in 1996 with an Honours degree
in Zoology with Marine Biology. He has worked in the
Philippines and Australia on coral reef conservation
and research projects and in the UK as The London Aquarium’s
Senior Aquarist. He has had several articles published
on his breeding work on marine fish which have included
Damsels, Clowns, Cardinals and Dottybacks. In 2004 Clayton
started the UK’s first dedicated coral culture
business Reefworks which he continues to run today.
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 Eric
Borneman
Eric Borneman is a Ph.D. candidate supported by an NSF
fellowship in the Department of Biology and Biochemistry
at the University of Houston. Eric’s primary research
area is in the field of apoptosis and stress-related factors
in coral disease. Eric received the “Aquarist of
the Year” award by the Marine Aquarium Societies
of North America in 2002 for contributions to the field
of coral husbandry, and has written two books on the subject,
including the acclaimed book, Aquarium Corals. Eric is
also involved in aquarium trade sustainability issues,
sexual and asexual coral culture for research, diseases
and reproduction in captive corals, and is currently conducting
coral disease research at the Texas Flower Garden Banks.
He hosts the new Corals and Coral Reefs Forum, an advanced
coral husbandry forum at Marine Depot, having hosted six
similar forums over 15 years, and is a science editor
of ReefKeeping magazine and Reef Hobbyist Online. Eric
has contributed hundreds of articles to both the scientific
and the international reefkeeping communities and has
lectured worldwide on the subject of coral husbandry.
He has been diving and photographing coral reefs of the
world since 1978. |
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 James
Fatherree
James Fatherree has been an aquarium hobbyist since childhood,
has been keeping marine aquariums for well over a decade,
and has spent many days diving in Florida, Hawaii, the
Bahamas, Japan and Indonesia. He also managed a large
retail aquarium store, owned and operated an aquarium
design, installation, and maintenance business for several
years, and spent a summer working as a diver/collector/slave
for an aquarium livestock wholesaler in Florida. James
has also published well over 100 articles and 1,000 photographs
in various aquarium magazines in the U.S. and Europe,
and has written and illustrated five books on the topics
of reef organisms and marine aquariums, too. If you’d
like to know more about the author, visit his homepage
at www.fatherree.com/james. |
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 Simon
Garratt
Now living in Southampton UK with my fiancé Emma.
A practicing reefkeeper for over 26 yrs, with a background
in engineering and flow dynamics, I’ve been very
lucky to be able to link these three passions by designing
and building not only my own, but to also consult on,
or build numerous reef systems both private and professional
across the UK and farther afield. I can regularly be found
on www.Ultimatereef.net under my real name. I also have
a passion for photography, with images being used regularly
by various reefing publications worldwide. When not building
and designing reef systems, much of my time is spent promoting
reefkeeping through my own site
(www.reef-eden.net)
which has grown over the years to become one of the largest
and most utilised private reef aquarium sites on the net. |
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 Tony
Wu
Tony’s images have received international awards
in Japan, Europe and the US, and his writing appears regularly
in publications worldwide. His first book, Silent Symphony,
received the award for “Best Book of the Year”
at the 28th annual Antibes Festival of Marine Images in
France. Tony actively promotes marine conservation issues,
and among other achievements, organised efforts that led
to the removal of sharkfin soup from the in-flight menus
of two national airlines in Southeast Asia. He believes
that education is the key to change, and adopts a cooperate
non confrontational approach. |
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 Anthony
Rosario Calfo
Anthony is a lifelong aquarist and published author
of numerous articles and several books, read in over
40 countries. He has worked at most levels of the aquarium
industry as an importer, coral farmer, merchant and
grower of ornamental tropicals. His pioneer reference,
The Book of Coral Propagation, is now in its seventh
printing and second edition - fully illustrated and
hardcover (2007). His latest work includes a new photo
magazine, C... the Journal of Aquatic Science, Travel
and Adventure. Anthony volunteers daily on free content
websites and travels frequently to visit organizations
to present information on the aquatic sciences. He can
be reached for comments or for information about consultations,
reef magazines, books or reference posters at: www.ReadingTrees.com
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 Tony
Vargas
Tony Vargas has been an avid aquarist since the age of
seven. He started with freshwater fish and invertebrates.
His introduction to saltwater began with under gravel
filters in the 70s and he became a coral-a-holic in the
early 80s. Tony was among one of the first in the United
States to successfully keep and maintain Acropora alive
in captivity long term in the mid to late 80s.
Tony started to write articles on the husbandry of many
different types of coral and reef fish. His articles have
been published by several national publications, first
in the US, with a monthly column called 'Feature Coral',
then published overseas. He has been acknowledged in the
Carden Wallace textbook on Acropora (Staghorn Corals of
the World), and many others.
Mr. Vargas is a successful SCUBA diver who spends his
free time diving around the world observing many of these
creatures in their natural environment. And, with his
writing he has effectively communicated his experiences
and observations. An accomplished photographer, with many
dives in the Indo-Pacific and the Caribbean, many magazines
and catalogues seek after his photos. A consultant and
frequent lecturer, he has travelled the States and Europe
to express effectively his findings on corals and reef
fish husbandry.
Tony’s motto is simple: Observing these fascinating
creatures in their natural environment will allow us better
understanding on how to keep these extraordinary creatures
successfully in captivity. Please visit his website at
www.vargas-reef.com.
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 Jake
Adams
Jake Adams is a professional marine aquarist from Colorado.
He has a Bachelor's degree in Marine Science and he has
worked with spawning corals in Puerto Rico. Jake is the
founder of Coralidea.com and he is the senior editor of
the popular reef aquarium blog, Reefbuilders.com. He has
consulted on the design and installation of large reef
tanks, retail stores and research tanks and when he isn't
speaking to reef clubs or writing for marine aquarium
publications, Jake also likes to work with new-school
freshwater planted aquaria. |
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 David
Wolfenden
I’ve found the alien environment
of the sea utterly compelling, from as far back as I can
remember. Following my joint honours degree in Zoology
and Botany at Reading University, I developed my practical
skills as the Senior Aquarist at the Sea Life Centre in
Portsmouth. During my five years in public aquaria, I
worked with a very wide range of fish and invertebrates,
large and small, tropical and temperate, and gained experience
with the variety of life support systems necessary for
their successful husbandry. I find all marine life fascinating,
but have to admit to becoming interested (or more accurately,
obsessed) with cephalopods and jellyfish – to me,
they’re just the most captivating animals... Whilst
at Sea Life, I became a keen SCUBA diver, which served
to deepen my interest in the marine environment.
After a further year within the aquatics industry,
I became a lecturer in Animal Management at Merrist
Wood College in Surrey, specialising in managing and
tutoring on higher education courses – and of
course, running numerous aquatics courses!
I have been at Reaseheath College in Nantwich since
2007, where I primarily lecture in topics related to
aquatic animal management, zoo animal management, exotics
and animal behaviour, as well as managing foundation
degrees in Animal Behaviour and Welfare and Zoo Management
(the College does, in fact, hold a zoo licence and is
a member of BIAZA). When not lecturing, I can often
be found getting my hands wet in the College’s
burgeoning Aquatics Facility!
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 Scott
Fellman
My name is Scott Fellman, and I’m the consummate
reef geek! I bleed saltwater! Much of my life centres
around tweaking my protein skimmer, scraping algae, cleaning
spills, or figuring out how to unglue my fingers. I owned
my first aquarium at age 5. I’ve been keeping saltwater
aquariums since I was 12 years old. I love this hobby
and the people in it! It’s truly been a lifelong
obsession.
I’ve mentored fellow hobbyists since 2002 on
Bob Fenner’s WetWebMedia.com site, and I was Co-Editor
of WWM’s Conscientious Aquarist online magazine
for several years. I’ve written articles for Freshwater
and Marine Aquarium Magazine, “C” Journal,
Reef Builders, UltraMarine and several other online
venues.
In addition to speaking at clubs and events throughout
the U.S., I am past President of my local club, the
Marine Aquarium Society of Los Angeles County, presented
at MACNA XIX in Pittsburgh, IMAC 2008 in Chicago, MACNA
XX in Atlanta, IMAC West in Long Beach, and will be
speaking at MACNA XI in Atlantic City. I’m really
trying to complete a book on marine biotope aquaria
and aquascaping before this century is over!
When I’m not trying to replicate the ocean in
my aquarium, I’m usually surfing at my local beach
(my other obsession), or SCUBA diving in exotic places.
I reside in the Los Angeles area.
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