Ron Hessing has had a lifelong passion for reef keeping that began with regular visits to a local pet shop as a child. This interest grew over many years of reading, visiting other reef keepers, and sharing knowledge within the reef keeping community. In 2003, Ron began giving talks at a local fish shop that attracted over 200 people, sparking him to begin writing articles and speaking more widely. Since then, his experience and expertise have led him to travel internationally, write extensively online and in magazines, and host his own reef keeping events in the Netherlands to educate others about this hobby.

1. parents-in-law emigrated to the Dutch
Antilles, Curacao, in the Caribbean.
This meant that we are now able to visit
them usually 3 times a year. The first
time we went out there and I went snor-
kelling... WoW!!! I thought to myself ‘I
must get myself an aquarium’.
Later that same year I met a guy who
is now my very good friend Andre.
He owned a fish shop and I asked him
how much it would cost me to set up a
marine aquarium. He told me that to
do it properly was going to cost at least
10,000 Gilda; This was 1990, I was
young, I didn’t have that kind of money
and so I started reading. I read and read
and spoke to as many people as I could,
constantly learning and finally 9 years
later in 1999 I bought my first tank, a
trigon 350 bow-fronted corner tank.
Even though I had read so many books
and had spoken to so many people I still
made every mistake there is. It was a
massive lesson for me, and the biggest
thing I learnt? Balance! You can have 15
fish, the system works perfectly then add
the 16th, tip the balance, the system can
no longer cope and things start to die.
Finding the balance is the key to it all.
UltraMarine.
UM: So you worked with the Trigon for
what, 5 years?
RH: No, not at all, I had that tank for
maybe 1 year before upgrading to a fully
custom made system. It was 2m x 1m x
meets..
1m viewable from 3 sides as a room di-
vider. It was an awesome system; I loved
By Jon Brydon & Scott Booth. that tank dearly and ran it for 6 years
All images © Scott Booth, Keith Man before stripping it in 2006! The biggest
thing I learnt from this system was stabil-
ity. I am a firm believer that an aquarium
Ron Hessing
should never be started with SPS corals.
I think you should start with soft corals
and filter feeders for 1 year, as so much
happens in a tank over a year that we just
W elcome back to another feature of
‘UltraMarine meets’ where this
issue we have travelled over to Holland to
regularly with fellow hobbyists around the
world, and makes a mean cup of coffee.
and enjoy a drink and a sandwich from the
bar. As I grew up and got older I began to
take my girlfriend at the time along there,
cannot see or test for. only after the tank
has been stable and running for a year
can you start to alter the system, and
meet Ron Hessing. For those of you that Ron is most widely recognised for his mag- we’d have coffee and sandwiches and ad- make it more specialised.
live in caves/up trees/in shopping trolleys azine writing, his internet site and being a mire all the beautiful aquariums together,
[delete as appropriate] you may well be guest speaker at various events around the and it was incredible. Sadly though it has For me this was Stony corals. My tank
thinking ‘Ron who?’ Don’t worry, we world; but how did it all happen? since shut down, but that girlfriend is now endured a 6 month turnover period after
won’t hold it against you... my wife! that initial year, I removed the soft corals
Ron Hessing: I have always been very that I didn’t want to keep and added
Ron is a much respected reefer from the interested in fish and corals. As a small boy UltraMarine: So that’s what sparked the Stony corals in their place. I wanted
Netherlands, born in Utrecht some time I used to go to a local pet shop every Satur- interest then? to keep some soft corals but in the end
in the sixties, -or was it seventies? You day without fail. They had a bar area in the you will always end up with chemical
know what, it doesn’t matter. All you need centre of the store that was surrounded by RH: Yes very much so. How I ended warfare between soft and hard corals,
to know is he knows his stuff, shares it aquariums. I used to visit for several hours up getting involved is when my now and soft will always win!

2. UM: And that takes us up to 2006. You
did more before 2006 than just run a
successful reef tank?
RH: I had made many friends in the
hobby by then. once I had an aquarium
set up, my wife and I would attend to
my friend Andre’s shop, who I men-
tioned earlier. one of the things that
irritate me is those people who complain
about the price of corals. Now, I go to
Andre’s shop and these days I take my
wife and my kids. others arrive with
their families. We will stop and talk
to each other and other customers for
many hours. A whole Saturday is used
up in one visit, meeting and having fun.
At the end of this day I might buy a 100
Euro coral, but my family has had a
day’s entertainment: it’s little price to
pay. We have been going every Saturday
for many years, always speaking to
people.
It was back in 2003, that people started
to say that they liked talking to me as
I had a way of putting things into an
easy to understand language. Andre
suggested that he organise a beginner’s
day in his shop so that I could talk to an
audience. I was suspicious and thought
nobody would be interested. Andre was
confident though and said he would get
it arranged.
3 months later and the Saturday “I would have been more than happy to see 20 -30
arrived; I talked about simple things, Above:
aquascaping a tank, phosphates, break- An overview of Ron’s Fantastic home system at tending the beginner ’s day, but in ac tual fac t in excess
ing it all down into really simple terms.
I would have been more than happy to of 230 people arrived, it was incredible! This is the day I
see 20-30 attending the beginner’s day, I did. on the back of this I was asked to I will never forget that first time I
but in actual fact in excess of 230 people write for the Internet on zeewaterforum. called and spoke to David’s assistant. look back on and call it the star t of the roller coaster.”
arrived, it was incredible! Andre was org, which I did! She said ‘Mr Hessing please hold, I’ll
so confident he had 180 chairs ready, just put you through’. I was so scared
but we had far more people than chairs. I travelled all over, visiting reef- but he was really nice, invited me over.
People came for the beginning, and then ers, taking pictures of their systems I drove to London, it was a really busy
stopped for the whole thing. Everyone then writing it up for others to enjoy. day for traffic and the first time I had others, then after this event David offers others in New York I then returned to to allow my fellow countrymen to enjoy
enjoyed it. This is the day I look back on If I heard of an incredible system in ever driven on the left side of a road. I to take us out to dinner in London. the USA to talk at Boston. So as I say, a what I have enjoyed. I was very nervous
and call it the start of the roller coaster. Switzerland, I’d get in the car and drive arrived at David’s house and he invited There I am sat eating dinner with the roller coaster, I now talk at 12-14 society about the numbers, but provided I could
to Switzerland. Nobody in Holland at me in. He asked if I was just a photog- likes of Saxby, Debelius... it is still the meets per year across Holland and get about 150 people, I would class it a
UM: Roller coaster? this time were bringing stories in from rapher or whether I was also a reefer. I best reefing evening I have ever spent. Belgium. success. I had Anthony Calfo come over
outside Holland. one tank I had heard reached into my pocket and produced to talk to us; he is so knowledgeable on
RH: Yes, definitely. Attending that much about was David Saxby’s reef pictures of my 2m reef tank; he smiled Having met Joe Yuillio I then get UM: And then last year you decided so many subjects and has such an easy
meeting were some of the big names in in London. I waited at Andre’s store broadly, slapped me on the back and was invited out to meet him as he was that this wasn’t enough and you decided way of putting his knowledge across.
Dutch fish keeping. The governing body one time to catch the D-D aquarium really interested in speaking with me. speaking in New York. I go of course to host your own. What possessed you
of the Dutch fish keeping societies were solutions representative when he was and when there I meet Anthony Calfo to do such a thing? Everybody who attended loved it, and
there and liked what they heard. They delivering stock. I asked if he could get once I had posted the 15 page article and Julian Sprung. Anthony had not loved how it was interactive. It was well
asked me if I would be willing to speak me in contact with David Saxby to visit on the Internet I got invited over to the been to Manhattan before and neither RH: Well I have been very fortunate worth the effort and expense that I put
at society events around Holland, which his aquarium. He said he would see D-D seminar in Birmingham. I met had I. Anthony arranged for some local in where I have been and what I have in. That event was funded by Andre,
I did. I then got asked if I would be will- what he could do and 3 weeks later I with Joe Yaiullo, Helmut Debelius and reefers to take us around and give us the seen, so I decided it was time that the Danny and myself. In the USA their talks
ing to write for Dutch magazines which had a telephone number. the late, great, Greg Schiemer amongst tour; it was fantastic! Through meeting Netherlands have something of its own, and meetings are more commercial, and

3. it works for them; but here in Europe, I do for a living, visiting reef keepers and We have visited Ron in the past, outside of this
think that it has to be free for reefers to writing articles for magazines, and my magazine, and can honestly tell you that he is a
attend, this is why we did it. This year site marineaquarium.nl which receives man that will literally do anything for you, he
though, I am hoping to host our meeting about 6000 hits a month. I don’t know goes out of his way for his fellow hobbyist. That
in September but it is going to cost a lot if this is good or not but it keeps me said, I notice that yet again neither of us left
more, so I am probably going to be look- happy. It all keeps me happy. with a frag of that stunning Acropora Florida,
ing to get sponsorship. As long as it is free but I guess that just gives us another excuse
to attendees it will be ok. UM: We are glad you brought your for a return journey. We also attended his first
website up as it’s a firm favourite of ever reef-keeping event last year and enjoyed it
UM: Can we be cheeky and ask for an ex- ours, especially as you write many tremendously.
clusive on who you may have attending? articles in English.
The English spoken talks out-numbered the
RH: of course, ha ha! But you must RH: I write a lot of stuff in Dutch Dutch ones and the whole trip was very worth-
understand these are not confirmed 100%. but try to put on as much as I can in while. No doubt as we get closer to the time Ron
There is still much to plan but I am asking English as I get more English speaking will be releasing dates and fixtures for this year.
Anthony Calfo, Joe Yaiullo, Mike Palletta readers obviously. In 2005 I paid a visit If you fancy a weekend abroad with a bunch
and maybe Eric Borneman...Anthony has to Martin Lakin in Rochester, another of nutters talking reefs we urge you to attend:
also suggested his fiancée Christine Wil- guy I met through David Saxby. He hotels are cheap, travel expenses can be shared
liams: she is a specialist in fish diseases. took me on a tour of aquariums around if you fill a car with fellow reefing friends, and
As lovely as it would be to hear her talk, I the London area which was very nice. of course as he states above, the event itself is
am worried that she may be too advanced on this tour I met a guy called Nick free. Furthermore, Ron is also giving a number
for what is a more open, easier-to-digest Jones. Nick is a great guy, when I write of talks on reefing at this year’s Reefkeepers
event. an English article I send it to him for Weekender at Pontins in Pakefield between Fri-
editing, to make it more readable for day the 29th of August and Monday the 1st of
UM: So moving back to you. You work the English readers. I send him an arti- September. Joining him will be Anthony Calfo
in software development and support, but cle and in two days maximum it is back and other speakers. Yet another event which
we are wondering why aren’t you a profes- to me, improved and ready for release. cannot be missed! Call 01502 502 900 or visit
sional in the marine trade? He paid me a nice compliment; every Ultimatereef.net for more details.
time I receive an article back he tells
RH: I love my job dearly. I have worked me that he has had to edit less and less, If there is one lesson that can be learnt from
at the same company for many years so my English must be improving. speaking to Ron it is to get out there as much
and hold a great position there. Like my as possible and talk with your fellow hobbyist.
aquarium I like balance; I have my family We’d like to thank Ron and his family It’s more than just meeting like minded folk, it’s
time, my hobby time and my work time for donating their time (and coffee) to let about the passing on of information, comparing
and all mix really well. I don’t do any- us come and visit them at their home in experiences, making friends and contacts. We
thing in my life that I don’t enjoy. In the Holland. We’d also like to thank God that will continue to bring you the musings from
USA, again, there are more opportunities once more we managed to avoid being eaten other prominent figures in Reef-keeping circles
to work professionally in reef keeping by Ron’s Bull Mastiff ‘Mack’ -a big stupid and we hope you enjoy them. In the meantime,
circles, but here in Europe it is not so easy, beast that for no apparent reason takes we look forward to bringing you the next issue
not so secure. My job is very secure and exception to anybody sporting a laptop, and hope to one day meet you at one of the
so I am happy where I am, doing what I camera or a pulse. many reefing events that are held these days. 