Sam Gamble

It's with great pride that I introduce Sam Gamble, a person I consider a mentor and a dear friend. A person that has opened my eyes and put my brain into high gear when it comes to the importance of microbial processes, as they are the true foundation of all aquariums.

Sam sees aquarium husbandry as something similar to 'farming.' He began has life as a farm boy in North Eastern Ohio near Salem. His interest in biology grew to include aquariums and aquaculture. There is a saying in his family, "once a farmer always a farmer." Perhaps it's true.

His family moved from Ohio in 1960 to Winter Haven, near central Florida. Shortly thereafter he got his SCUBA license at age thirteen. Additional SCUBA experience was gained with cave diving in limestone springs and he quickly graduated to ocean dives in the Keys and Cay Sal Bank in the Bahamas.

He graduated from the University of West Florida in 1971 with a BS degree in Biology, Marine Science. From there his horizons broadened. No matter how difficult the day-to-day stresses of everyday life were, as he is a hearing challenged individual, the denominator of marine biology was always present as both short and long-term goals. There were behavioral research studies on a 67 foot research vessel anchored off the Dry Tortugas with marine mammals in free release conditions; as a Merchant Marine Seaman on a research vessel from Woods Hole Oceanographic on loan to Harbor Branch Foundation (HBF); biological laboratory technician at HBF; aquaculture of penneid shrimp; aquaculture of Artemia salina; and, Aquarium Biologist at John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park (JPCRSP) for about ten years. That is where he met me, (Bob Goemans) and our friendship has grown ever since.

Sam was always an active reader of trade magazines and always enjoyed the information and slant that I gave the hobbyist through my Salt Corner column in Marine Fish Monthly. He decided to write me in 1994 after the aquariums at JPCRSP survived the aftermath of Hurricane Andrew. It was a miracle that had to have an explanation. It defied conventional wisdom, which is what I was doing with my personal interest in the Jaubert/NNR method.

It was my position that controlled experiments could resolve the mysteries of the plenum and its natural, yet highly efficient natural nitrate reduction (NNR) processes. He agreed and we joined forces. Possibly it would shed light on why the aquariums at JPCRSP with only undergravel filters faired better than deep sandbeds after 5 days without power. What has unraveled become volumes of correspondence and information dug from a multi-disciplined field of sources. It went beyond "simple." Each discovery brought about new questions and further investigations.

Today, his consulting business is in the research and development of new public aquariums and new aquarium and aquaculture products. He is currently working with the founders of the only public aquarium in Brazil at the Basilica at Aprecida, and Dr. Jean Jaubert. And his research includes that of the study of magnetic field effects on water and its potential in aquarium filtration. He feels as I do nature and plenums can all be tied into these concepts and the future holds many promising improvements.

We are both in a unique position, as we want to apply biology to aquarium science. We want to interpret measurements and observations in aquariums and understand the reasons for their occurrence. In ecological studies the ultimate explanation must be tied back to the microbe in nature. Even if careful measurements of the response of a microbe are made in the laboratory, we still need to know if the microbes will respond in the same way in aquariums. Any study that just reports laboratory-derived data is not truly an ecological study and the same applies to that in individual aquariums. But if we base our observations on a collection of sound scientific results we are then headed in the correct direction. Relevant applications will result.

Now that we have switched our focus toward nature and ecology, the plenum is making more sense. The benthic ecology that supports it is becoming more meaningful. The physics and chemistry involved is becoming demystified. The energy pathways the system utilizes is less of an abstract. However the total concept is still a myriad of events and conditions to construct and maintain. We have accomplished a lot from trying to understand and apply our knowledge. We want to pass it on as "we are all family" trying to achieve success in our chosen hobby and profession. And I believe the attached collection of articles authored by Sam will enlighten all that read them. Enjoy.