Be taken seriously!! Post those tanks!!

[timkenagy]

First off let me start by clarifying my intention of this post.. It's not meant to single anyone out but to put a spotlight on an issue I've noticed that's bothersome to me.. One trend I have noticed over the last couple years is certain people wanting to be right. The old know-it-alls/my way or you're certainly gonna fail people. I'm at that point in the hobby where I can usually sniff these people out really well. Unfortunately I'm pretty bad at biting my tongue when engaged in discussions with these types because I've seen first hand the damage they can do to a beginners tank. I understand the people that want to be able to answer every question.. As it can be frustrating when you have an issue and you're not getting a response. But as a responsible reefer don't ever make up an answer just for the sake of giving an answer.. Give it time and someone that knows or has some experience with that particular subject will come along. The people I don't understand is the my way is the only way guys.. Ive literally seen guys tell others they're going to fail because they don't have a UV sterilizer.. (Just an example) these people will usually pop up in the middle of any discussion and derail the thread

But the one trend I've noticed when it comes to these cowboys of the reef. They NEVER have a build/tank thread. They have all this wisdom and knowledge in our hobby.. Brag about their success, never have failures ( I wish I didn't) and you'd think they'd want to show off these wonderful reefs. But they never ever seem to have them.. I always ask for pics and usually I get an "I don't have any at the moment" or if actually do get pictures it's exactly what I expected.. A pile of rocks with a couple half dead frags stuck to them.

To sum up,
If you don't really know the answers.. Don't fake it.. You can really cost people a lot of money and put animals lives at risk.. Take the time and learn the hobby. I see a lot of negative product reviews about products they've personally never tried. (Or positive for that matter) Just because it cost less than the one you bought last year doesn't necessarily make it a lesser product. there's hundreds of posts everyday I don't know the answer to.. I skip them and let our more experienced members get them.

If you do know your stuff PROVE IT! Post your tanks in the member tank threads and brag about them!! I have beautiful parts and ugly parts in this hobby.. It's all learned, and I'm not to proud to hide any of it.

Newbies.. If I ask a question and I don't know the person responding.. Or it sounds iffy.. I ALWAYS click on their name and look for thier tank build(s).. So a little advice to you.. When seeking advice, if they have anything to be proud, 90% of the time it will be there.

 

[Diesel]

Some ^^^^^^points^^^^^^^ make sense but a really important one NOT.

As you state "look at their build and you will know" if they are trust wordy or not!

If some one has a not so great build but gives you all the good advice of a treatment against AEFW cause he/she is a expert that would bring that person in doubt for a newbie in your statement.
Some one who hires a Aquarium Maintenance Company for $2000 a month and this tank knocks everybody out the park and post pics or a build here without stating he hires someone for it but at the same time gives advice and has no knowledge of how to do things other than just feed the fish........... make that his statement trustful??

Btw, what I do know is that this is in the wrong forum "Meet and Greet"

 

[Tahoe61]

Moved to-----Reef Discussion.

On every topic on every type of forum you'll find the same issue.

Typically I chalk it up to anonymity offered by the net or immaturity.

Just like everything else in life a person is responsible for sifting through the material and finding what is meaningful and applies to their need or concern.

 

[Diesel]

IMO it should be worth as discussion just to make ppl aware of it but also who to trust but mainly to educate yourself.

 

[twilliard]

What is the definition of "experienced reef keeper"?

 

[Diesel]

What is the definition of "experienced reef keeper"?

Correct!!
You can Google that but that ain't mean a thing!

 

[shoelaceike]

I agree.....Reef2Reef should definitely add a a direct link to a reefers build on their profile popup so we can see where we are getting advice from.

 

[twilliard]

I agree.....Reef2Reef should definitely add a a direct link to a reefers build on their profile popup so we can see where we are getting advice from.

So the condition of the tank determines their skill?
http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/experienced

For instance, I study reef pests. My tank doesnt look the best so where does that place me?
I started my work in 2005, do I need a better looking tank as proof of my pest control knowledge?

 

[Mike in CT]

I think part of the "welcome to the forum message" should state there are endless ways of setting up and maintaining a tank and all advice should be carefully considered before acting on. I really have not run into many people on here that state their way is the only way, I have seen people who I thought were incredible reef keepers give horrible advice once in a while.... .My only problems are with people who take them to seriously.

 

[shoelaceike]

So the condition of the tank determines their skill?
http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/experienced

For instance, I study reef pests. My tank doesnt look the best so where does that place me?
I started my work in 2005, do I need a better looking tank as proof of my pest control knowledge?

It's not fool proof but it gives a better idea on who your getting advice from. They can also have a bio, that can be faked easier but can still be helpful.

 

[shoelaceike]

I think part of the "welcome to the forum message" should state there are endless ways of setting up and maintaining a tank and all advice should be carefully considered before acting on. I really have not run into many people on here that state their way is the only way, I have seen people who I thought were incredible reef keepers give horrible advice once in a while.... .My only problems are with people who take them to seriously.

Most know this but it still would be nice to get an idea on who you are getting advice from.....

 

[143MPCo]

I strongly agree @Diesel and others here, we have members that have tanks that might be considered less than desirable but the same members are at the forefront of knowledge not for what their tanks look like but for what they do to them in an attempt to learn and in my opinion are advancing the hobby! Judging expertise based upon what someone's aquarium looks like is of no benefit in my opinion!

 

[Tahoe61]

If I am taking advice or seeking advice I always look for the posters tank thread, always.

One experience with one product, one fish or one coral does not make that individuals experience a generalization. Example I had to keep many Octopus before I had a true handle on their husbandry.

No one can know it all in this hobby if a poster comes across as having all the answers or too readily thinks their method is the only correct answer then red flags appear to me.

When you've been on the forums long enough you learn to separate the wheat from the chaff.

 

[shoelaceike]

You don't ask a poor guy how to become rich.

 

[twilliard]

I strongly agree @Diesel and others here, we have members that have tanks that might be considered less than desirable but the same members are at the forefront of knowledge not for what their tanks look like but for what they do to them in an attempt to learn and in my opinion are advancing the hobby! Judging expertise based upon what someone's aquarium looks like is of no benefit in my opinion!

This was well stated!

 

[rayn]

I like to think that any reefer offering their opinion on a subject isn't out to derail anyone else's tank.

What makes a experienced reefer? Time? Ability to keep a certain animal? Knowledge of a subject?

I consider myself knowledged on certain aspects of keeping a tank. Klowledged doesn't mean expert in any way. Having a full blown reef doesn't make one a expert either.

That said, there can be and are certain posters that seem to want to fight to prove their point, even if it has been proven wrong or to bad results in the past just because it works for them.

I am one that gives advice only if I know a sound answer and it has worked for me. It is my experience. If it works and turns out good I will post that. If I try and it turns out bad I will state that as well.

Remember anyone searching for a answer or doesn't know, there is reefsquad to call on.

 

[cu455]

You can learn a lot from a persons tank thread but I wouldn't judge a person by how their tank looks. My friend is breeding yellow stingrays, marbled catsharks and a few clownfish, all on one system. His setup looks like a mess, cheap dyi stands, algae on the glass (nothing on the rocks and ornaments), cheap low light fixtures and tanks full of PVC. People will look at the system an think what the heck.

While his system might not look as nice as someone with a custom stand, halide lighting with LED supplements, nice rock epoxied into great shapes and who cleans his glass everyday, he is probably more knowledgeable in some area then the person who has the nice looking tank. Sometimes you should look st a persons post as a whole then an individuals tank thread.

I also find alot of tank threads that look nice end up crashing and the threads are not updated anymore. You only know a small piece of the large picture. When this happens people stop posting updated pictures of their tanks and just post the same old pictures from when their tank looks nice.

I see where the OP is coming from but instead of just looking at a tank thread people should look at a persons threads as a whole. For example @Humblefish references Al Parazo (sp?) pretty often in his write ups. While Al Parazo doesn't have a nice tank thread, you can tell by his posts and videos he is very knowledgeable and very experienced. Once in a while he will post a picture of his setup in random threads which is a couple of thousand gallons. There are a few times where I just PM him a question because I trust his opinion even though he doesn't have a tank thread.

With that said I enjoy seeing pictures and posting documentation definitely adds some credibility to the person. There are lots of people that give bad advice or is to opinionated but the individual just need to filter through that.

 

[143MPCo]

At the end of the day, it's your responsibility and no one else's if you listen to someone's opinion on something and choose to try it, I'm fairly certain that person wasn't standing over you threatening bodily harm if you didn't do so!

 

[shoelaceike]

You can learn a lot from a persons tank thread but I wouldn't judge a person by how their tank looks. My friend is breeding yellow stingrays, marbled catsharks and a few clownfish, all on one system. His setup looks like a mess, cheap dyi stands, algae on the glass (nothing on the rocks and ornaments), cheap low light fixtures and tanks full of PVC. People will look at the system an think ***.

While his system might not look as nice as someone with a custom stand, halide lighting with LED supplements, nice rock epoxied into great shapes and who cleans his glass everyday, he is probably more knowledgeable in some area then the person who has the nice looking tank. Sometimes you should look st a persons post as a whole then an individuals tank thread.

I also find alot of tank threads that look nice end up crashing and the threads are not updated anymore. You only know a small piece of the large picture. When this happens people stop posting updated pictures of their tanks and just post the same old pictures from when their tank looks nice.

I see where the OP is coming from but instead of just looking at a tank thread people should look at a persons threads as a whole. For example @Humblefish references Al Parazo (sp?) pretty often in his write ups. While Al Parazo doesn't have a nice tank thread, you can tell by his posts and videos he is very knowledgeable and very experienced. Once in a while he will post a picture of his setup in random threads which is a couple of thousand gallons. There are a few times where I just PM him a question because I trust his opinion even though he doesn't have a tank thread.

With that said I enjoy seeing pictures and posting documentation definitely adds some credibility to the person. There are lots of people that give bad advice or is to opinionated but the individual just need to filter through that.

Completely agree....

 

[Humblefish]

I see where the OP is coming from but instead of just looking at a tank thread people should look at a persons threads as a whole. For example @Humblefish references Al Parazo (sp?) pretty often in his write ups. While Al Parazo doesn't have a nice tank thread, you can tell by his posts and videos he is very knowledgeable and very experienced. Once in a while he will post a picture of his setup in random threads which is a couple of thousand gallons. There are a few times where I just PM him a question because I trust his opinion even though he doesn't have a tank thread.

I'm not even sure if @alprazo has an account here on R2R. But he's on another forum I visit, and I believe he has a tank build thread over there (sharks/rays). Not impressive from what I remember, but without his knowledge the usefulness of Chloroquine phosphate for treating external parasites would have been lost to ignorance.