Bob Goemans' Biography

I have been in the aquarium hobby for well over fifty years. I was born and raised in Queens, New York and started with freshwater aquariums as a young child. My first marine aquarium was in 1956. At an early age I was a member of the Jamaica Aquarium Society and became the first person in the United States to own an undergravel filter. In fact, I've actually maintained at least one aquarium for the majority of my years in this hobby and have collected specimens for past aquariums from the South China Sea to the Caribbean.

I have written for Marine Fish Monthly for over fourteen years and may have had the world's longest running marine column as I had written 178 straight monthly articles for that publication without ever missing one month! Unfortunately, that magazine recently ceased publication due to the editor’s health. I currently write for Freshwater And Marine Aquariums and Tropical Fish Hobbyist in the US, and Practical Fishkeeping and Marine World in the UK.

About five years ago I retired from a subsidiary of General Motors where I was the Environmental Contracting Manager. Besides numerous writing endeavors I have aquarium, and environmental consulting businesses. I've also provided question and answer sessions at new "Store Openings," spoken to aquarium societies worldwide, and even appeared in a TV hobby show for an ABC station in my home town of Tucson, Arizona. Have also provided many question and answer sessions for local school children and other interested aquarists at my home or in their schools.

I have never been an employee of any aquarium product company and have no allegiance to any aquarium product company. I consider myself a truly independent voice with nothing to gain but satisfaction in helping my fellow aquarists. Yet, because this is 'my' webpage, I will allow brand names to appear in the questions posted and mention those brand names I think will help the situation. My Doctorate is in Business Management and I have been a long-term Sierra Club member.