AquariumAdvice.com under new leadership

[reefrunner69]

Dear Friends,

Aaron (fishfreek) and I would like to take this opportunity to thank you for being a part of our community and a part of our lives for the past 5 1/2 years. Aaron and I started this community to help fellow likeminded aquarists set up and maintain healthy tanks. While we hoped it would do well, we never expected the success the site has had, and it is owed all to you, our members. We have always taken great pride in the success of the site and the success of our members.

It takes a great deal of time, effort and expense to maintain a site the size of this one, which takes us away from our families and friends. Aaron and I have come to a time in our lives when we simply cannot commit the time and energy to maintain the site in the manner our members deserve. For that reason Aaron and I decided to sell the site to a third party. The sale will allow Aaron and I to put our time to good use, without the stress of neglecting AquariumAdvice.com.

With that said, let me introduce you to the new owner and Administrator of AquariumAdvice.com, Andy Robinowitz of Social Knowledge LLC (www.socialknowledge.net), Andy has extensive experience and knowledge in maintaining peer to peer forum communities. Aaron and I had a pretty lengthy dialogue with Andy before we committed to sell the site to him and we feel we are leaving AquariumAdvice.com in very good hands. Andy has shared with us a few of his short term plans for the site and we feel certain AquariumAdvice.com will thrive with Andy at the helm. Andy has the best intentions in mind for the site, and I hope you will welcome him to our community.

Thanks for your continued support, the members of this site have always been the best on the net.

 

[rubysoho]

I am sure you made the right decision. AA is an amazing community and it can continue to grow and thrive. Thanks for all you have done in the past. Without you, I would never have been bitten by the "tank bug" and certainly would not have developed such a passion out of this hobby. Now, go spend time with your families! Because they are very important. And obviously now that you have more time, I am sure you can add to your fish tanks as well.

 

[austinsdad]

Thank guys! I think you both went above and beyond on this whole thing with the time you gave.

Gonna be members at all? Posting from time to time?

 

[NoSvOrAx]

So how much did the forum go for?

 

[reefrunner69]

So how much did the forum go for?

I can understand that everyone is curious, but that is not a question we are going to answer, sorry that is a matter between Aaron and me and the new owner.

We will of course still be members, we just won't be responsible for the upkeep of the site.

 

[cmor1701d]

Kevin and Aaron,

Thank you for creating a truly wondrous place for those of us bitten by the bug. I have always felt welcomed here and the advice I have received is worth far more than I can every repay.

Enjoy the few moment you will get with your families between PWC's, feedings, fragging, etc. They deserve some of your time too.

 

[Sadielynn]

Does this include the other sites as well ?
I wish you well with your families and future endevors that you set out for

 

[fishfreek]

We have every intent on sticking around in some fashion.

 

[fishfreek]

AA.Com is the only site that was sold.

 

[Skyrmir]

Congrats on the sale. I hope the site continues to develop and grow with the same type of people that made this a great forum to begin with.

 

[Andy R]

I just wanted to jump in and say hello. I am Andy and I started my first forum about 6 years ago. Over the years I have adopted and acquired a few other forums and in 2005 I decided to leave my job to work with forums full time. I really love meeting all the members through the discussions and working with the mod/admin teams on each site.

I live a somewhat vagabond lifestyle since I have been traveling for 2.5 years. I am currently in Dallas, Tx for the holidays. Since I started traveling, I have been to 5 continents, 18 countries and about 7,000 miles of road tripping here in the USA. I do plan to settle down at some point in the next couple of years and then I will be armed with lots of great info to starting fostering my own aquarium!

I look forward to getting to know you all!

Regards,

Andy

 

[rubysoho]

Welcome to AA, Andy!

 

[black hills tj]

So we are now owned by someone who doesn't have an aquarium?

 

[Marconis]

So what.

 

[Andy R]

Black Hills, you are correct. Please don't let that worry you. I have been managing online forums for many years, some have been on topics that do not rank very high on my personal interest list. The number one thing I have learned over the years is that the community is not about me but about the members. I am not here to give advice about aquariums but to listen to the members see what we can do to make the community better.

I am looking forward to learning a lot more about aquariums and when I settle down I am planning to start watching Craigslist in hopes of finding a nice salt water setup for me to foster. I have a lot to learn which I am very excited about. In college obtained all my science credits studying marine ecology at Hoftsra University's marine biology lab in Jamaica. I have always loved being underwater have been scuba diving since I was 14 years old. Last year I was at the Great Barrier Reef and owning a salt water aquarium will be a big help for me in identifying species when diving. So I might not own an aquarium yet, I look forward to getting one once I am knowledgeable on the subject.

 

[black hills tj]

If you don't mind me asking, what other forums do you run?

 

[Zagz]

Welcome to AA Andy. I for one am looking forward to getting to know you and having you manage the site. If you have any questions or concerns I would be more than happy to help in any capacity I can. I do hope I can help you once you decide to get an aquarium. I got bit by the bug and now have 13 of them! LOL.

 

[Glenc]

Kevin and Aaron,
As already said, thank you both for creating a very cool, friendly place to learn and share. I learned everything I know about planted tanks from the good people on this site. I started with a ten gallon and now have a 75 and am picking up a new 125 this weekend. Couldn't have done it without you. I wish you both all the best in whatever you do, you are great people.
Glenc.

 

[Wizzard~Of~Ozz]

I hope you get to enjoy your free time, This site has been a great help to a lot of people and I hope it still will.

 

[An t-iasg]

Kevin and Aaron, thank you very much for your dedication to this site. I'm glad to hear that you'll still be members here!

Andy, welcome aboard! I will help out however I can also.