A desperate plea to "Newbie" aquarist

tripdad · Nov 2, 2016

I sit and read on these forums and my heart bleeds for the new folks getting into the hobby. They come on here and ask for help and most of the time they are offered some sound and sage advice. My problem is that they can get...., let's say "misled" very easily as this is a hobby with a huge amount to learn. They ask a question and people respond..."you must have PO4 below .02" You can't put that in with that", You can't have your LED"S turned up that high", etc., etc. I think we, old farts, have all seen tanks that blow all the " rules" away and methods that "should" end up in disaster create absolutely stunning tanks. Are there some basic rules? Sure, absolutely but I don't think there are many "Absolutes" and stating your "beliefs" as absolutes only confuses the new aquarists. So my point, For you "Newbs", find a tank that is a success, a person that has success and model what they do until you have some success. Taking a piece from this tank and a piece from that methodology will rarely work at first. Once you have gained some experience then start taking bits and pieces and putting them together. You will be much more able to solve problems when they arise after you have had a little success first. I also think you will be more likely to stay in the hobby if you have a little success first instead of failure after failure. For you experienced reefers, try stating things as "your opinion" instead of "facts" unless your dead sure of what your saying, I know I rarely am that sure. So my desperate plea is this..... For you Newbs try keeping in mind that a lot of what you will read is opinion and not "fact". In fact, assume it's an opinion unless stated otherwise and even then be a skeptic. I mean think on it, can you get the same answer from more than one source? Does it make sense? Is it coming from someone with a successful tank? Is the source up to date? So on and so on.Use the "Stickies"threads that are at the top of each forum. I am not saying that you have to be a "Master" to give good advice, just saying that you should say..."My opinion/advice is you may want to try this..." Stating things as absolutes can be dangerous, especially to those new to the hobby. By the way this is all JUST MY OPINION. Happy reefing!

AdamNC · Nov 2, 2016

Wall of text here but a lot of good basic advice.

Salty1962 · Nov 2, 2016

That's why this site is so great, folks here try to give the best advice available, through experience or education, when answering questions. Our Reef Squad is the best and there are many experienced hobbyist that give well rounded answers to questions. There's no better place that a "Newbie" can be than here. JMO

steve&mari · Nov 2, 2016

Thanks @Salty1962 well said. Definitely agree with the op that starting out it's overwhelming it seems when different options or opinions are posted. As those in it awhile most here try to give best rounded answers possible I think and genuinely want to help others succeed. Many ways to do things and options for your budget and time. But everyone should think things through before acting. I do think R2R is the best for helping without bashing or rudeness because a question is asked repeatedly. The team works to provide best answers we can and we all have strengths and weaknesses ourselves so work together to be the most helpful to others. Our members are tops for all they contribute and help out.

jenreefer · Nov 2, 2016

Read, read, read. This is a marathon, not a sprint. Most of us have been in noob shoes many times over. I learn something good every day. This is a great site for good information, but every tank is different. What may work in one, may not work in the next. Here are a few givens:
1. Every tank goes through cycles, both early and over and over for at least the first year.
2. Every tank gets brown algae and other blooms. especially early on. It is nothing wrong, it is not fixable, it is not the rock, it is not the fish, it just is. Measure the obvious and make sure they are within range, and then if they are, sit back and wait it out.
3. Learn how to keep your tank stable. No ups and downs. Quick changes are more damaging than the original problem.
4. Educate yourself and make good decisions. Depending on others to solve all your issues will only lead to disaster. While all have good intentions, no one can really know what is going on in each situation, so their suggestions are only as good as the information they are working from. It is 50/50 at best.

This is just my opinion and should not be taken as gospel.

Happy Reefing.

Jen

Newb73 · Nov 2, 2016

No two tanks are alike, no set of equipment identical, no city water the same, no tank owners the same.

Some will try and do the exact perfect advice that is the consensus and fail (been there).

Others will do stuff that just absolutely should not work and succeed.

It ends up being trial, error, test, adjust..........over and over and over as infinitum as you find what works for YOU (where i am now)

ahiggins · Nov 3, 2016

Was this prompted by the anemone thing!? lol
I totally agree. I think people are so used to regurgitating what they think to be correct instead of trying to figure it out for themselves.
Read read read, get as many opinions as possible and then make up your mind

tripdad · Nov 3, 2016

No, just a coincidence, it was actually an accumulation of stuff. And just to clarify.....I do feel this community is head and shoulders above some others.

mushroomrob · Nov 3, 2016

Good advice. This hobby ain't easy.

tripdad · Nov 3, 2016

AdamNC said:
Wall of text here but a lot of good basic advice.

Yes, sorry about that but I felt short and sweet would feel like an arrogant A.. admonishing people. Tried to be clear, not attacking.

Tahoe61 · Nov 3, 2016

tripdad said:
..... For you Newbs try keeping in mind that a lot of what you will read is opinion and not "fact". In fact, assume it's an opinion unless stated otherwise and even then be a skeptic. I mean think on it, can you get the same answer from more than one source? Does it make sense? Is it coming from someone with a successful tank? Is the source up to date? So on and so on.Use the "Stickies"threads that are at the top of each forum. I am not saying that you have to be a "Master" to give good advice, just saying that you should say..."My opinion/advice is you may want to try this..." Stating things as absolutes can be dangerous, especially to those new to the hobby. By the way this is all JUST MY OPINION. Happy reefing!

Pretty much sums it up perfectly.

ahiggins · Nov 3, 2016

tripdad said:
No, just a coincidence, it was actually an accumulation of stuff. And just to clarify.....I do feel this community is head and shoulders above some others.

I thought...I wonder if...haha

tripdad · Nov 3, 2016

I didn't notice it before but look at that.... someone from Cleveland and someone from Chicago getting along just fine, ain't this world a wonderful place.

ahiggins · Nov 3, 2016

hahahaha congrats by the way

I dont follow baseball much

Joey waid · Nov 3, 2016

What really gets me is people on here give advise and when they are contradicted they say oh, I learned something, I did not know anyways. Why give advice when you do not have a clue??? That's why there's so much bull on here and misinformation.....

Tahoe61 · Nov 3, 2016

Joey waid said:
What really gets me is people on here give advise and when they are contradicted they say oh, I learned something, I did not know anyways. Why give advice when you do not have a clue??? That's why there's so much bull on here and misinformation.....

In their defense I have given or ID'd incorrectly and learned from my error. I do not think the vast majority of members are giving advise with complete certainty. Yes I do see some advise although rarely were they heard or were they read the material but have no 1st hand experience on the topic. Again in their defense it take might awhile for responses and people in general just want to be of assist.
There are no other hobby type forums were you do not run into misinformation, it's just a reality.

tripdad · Nov 3, 2016

Hey Joey, thanks for checking this thread out. I really believe that the vast majority of people on these websites are sincerely trying to help. That said, sometimes we don't know what we don't know, make any sense? Sometimes we can all get caught regurgitating what we hear in trying to help and accidentally steer someone wrong.

JackDE · Nov 3, 2016

Agree with OP. I appreciate all the help you all have given me since I started my tank in January of last year. I tell people this every chance I get so I have to brag about this now....Since starting this tank in January, I have lost 0 fish and 0 coral! It's all thanks to you all!
When I have a question I try to search through the information already here before posting a question. There is often lots of advice and you just have to be smart enough to sort through it all.

jenreefer · Nov 3, 2016

JackDE said:
Agree with OP. I appreciate all the help you all have given me since I started my tank in January of last year. I tell people this every chance I get so I have to brag about this now....Since starting this tank in January, I have lost 0 fish and 0 coral! It's all thanks to you all!
When I have a question I try to search through the information already here before posting a question. There is often lots of advice and you just have to be smart enough to sort through it all.

You just jinxed yourself, lol