EP134: High End Freshwater Aquarium Installations w/ Mark Chen

Today, Eric delves into the world of high-end freshwater aquarium installations with guest Mark Chen—a renowned aquarist from TMK Aquarist. The two explore the intricacies of creating awe-inspiring aquarium setups that go beyond the ordinary. Topics covered include aquascaping, plant selection, fish species, and more.   In this episode, we talk about: Mark's passion for freshwater conservation and his approach to "conservation by appreciation" through his aquascaping work. Mark's journey of starting TMK Aquarist and how he found his calling in freshwater conservation. Using wood in aquariums and ponds, and how to deal with tannins leaching from the wood. Mark's journey to becoming an influencer on social media. The challenges of content creation and content creation strategies. Mark's plan to start an aquarium podcast called "The Aqua Naturalists" focused on aquarium-related topics and natural habitats. The enjoyment of observing interactions between different fish species in a tank. Observations of behavioral differences in cichlids when kept in larger tanks and in colonies. The importance of spending time in nature. The challenges of turning a hobby into a business and balancing the business demand with maintaining passion. The differences between aquascaping small tanks and designing larger ponds. Mentioned TMK Aquarist - YouTube   TMK Aquarist on Instagram (@tmk_aquarist)    TMK Aquarist on Facebook Links to resources:    The Pond Digger - https://theponddigger.com/   You can also check out The Pond Digger's products at: http://helixpondfiltration.com/    TWT Contractor Circle   TWT Contractor Power Circle   And follow his adventures in the pond world at: Instagram  Facebook  TikTok