Forgive my Rant - Facebook Saltwater Groups...

[CastAway]

There can exist a basic and fundamental conflict of interest when vendor/commercial meets consumer/hobbyist. [{edit} ...with the exception of here on r2r of course]

 

[SeymourDuncan]

i agree, I have had some business owners irate because they try to use myths to their advantage and when i post the proven studies that say otherwise they act like the scientists are mythical creatures. I understand they need to make money but to me it would seem more profitable to push the facts. when someone goes home and assumes they were taught right and wind up with a whole stew of issues it (at least if it were me) would make them think twice about spending more money at the place who basically lied to them. The LFS nearest me is bad with fibs. They tried to convince me I needed a UV sterilizer to stabilize my parameters when I just asked them if they would order Kalkwasser for once...Ummm...the day light can create calcium is the day I start having sun in my cereal instead of milk. Then to the east, the LFS owner there says if I have too much sand it will turn into rocks. His parameters are out of whack, and not the ones in his aquarium lol. If you head south of here we have the stink pit. They sell all types of animals that poop, yet they employ people who dont mind piles of it stinking up the store. yep, I always pass it on my way to Premium Aquatics in Indy. At least they can honestly tell me something I may benefit from. How many times can someone walk into a store complaining before the owner changes how they operate? How many light bulbs does it take for a door knob to cross the road? Might as well just ask them if they sell saltwater turtles to feed your Orca because they would probably try to sell them to someone anyway.

 

[SeymourDuncan]

"Metal Halides will kill Marine Velvet and they are on sale for 5% off!"

 

[diesel3443]

This is too funny. I was just thinking the same thing.

 

[cdness]

I can't get through to anyone and would waste too much time trying to convince people. I am considering dropping out of it, but the correct information must prevail. I will stick with it for awhile until I get fully fed up and remove the group. However I hope we can get some new members in the process.

 

[stunreefer Verified Sponsor]

Unfortunately this is commonplace, on forums as well. You'll find regurgitated [bad] information everywhere. Those 'groups' are certainly the worst, however. People need to be skeptical, and verify information even if it's from a reputable source... we owe it to these animals, at the very least. R2R is has an incredible wealth of information... however we still see threads pop up by the minute that could be answered on their own with just a bit of research. Then people actually learn as opposed to just being told.

What I don't understand is why these people don't just google their stupid questions. Instead they get advice from 3 month veterans and or an LFS who just wants to sell some super reef safe ich kick.

Apparently books and articles are too much work for most people to go through, they want a three word answer for their specific problem, which obviously isn't going to cut it.

 

[GHill762]

I belong to about 4 or 5 local reef clubs on FB from the surrounding areas, luckily there are some pretty smart folks in these clubs.. I haven't encountered a lot of the bad info people are talking about. mostly good people looking for help, selling frags, etc.. occasionally I'll stumble on bad advice, but it's definitely not the norm..

 

[impur]

It really is amazing the number of posts that go:

I just bought this fish and put it in my tank is it reef safe?

And another amazing thing is just how many of those people get all their livestock at Petco.

 

[teddy13]

this one dont seem to bad but warning they are some posters who are again r2r and other similiar sites
https://www.facebook.com/groups/MedHatReef/688313631209018/?notif_t=group_comment_reply

 

[fallenstar38]

Hi everyone, i am a true newb. I have my sister-in-law helping me and she has had her tank for a long while now. However, i see a lot of you talking about not using tap water. So, here it is, what if i already did? i am only a few days in. i have live sand and rocks. I got a 46 gallon bow front from someone in the area that had given me most of everything i needed to start the tank. I have my salt lvls good now and am waiting on the testing kits to get here to test everything in the water. If i did use tap water have i ruined everything already?
Also, i wanted to say lol you are expecting to much from fb posts. I am glad vicky lee got me to this website to get more help. At least now i know not to trust everything i read on the fb sites.

 

[darian420]

I am assuming the main reason most ppl join those groups on fb is so they can see and answer. And see what others answered all in there fb timeline. However if u want to see anything from r2r you have to click a link in fb and wait forever for the sight to open... just a though but maybe r2r should make an open duscussion group on fb for r2r members... i myself have joined a saltwater group just so i dont have to click a link to see whats being talked about

 

[sdwashb]

I am a newb that is on one of the fb pages "who loves fish" and another one I forget the name I don't like it much. As far as the one I mentioned. There are some silly people on there. Whenever I have personally seen someone ask how to cure something and ask about a medication people tell them to do it as a last resort. I see many people urge them to stay away from dosing as much as possible. I don't know if its this one but a lit of the id this fish happens. That is one I don't understand. If you bought it. Shouldn't you have an idea? I did buy fish I shouldn't have when I started my tank. (2 damsels and a puffer). I've learned, they are not the fish for me. But for now I have made accommodations to ensure they have a happy life. Anyway. I just joined this site cuz I saw someone post on Facebook. The only thing I wonder is if you're trying to lure people over here. Don't you think you're going to lure the ones also who don't have a clue?

 

[vlmuke]

Its everywhere, not just on reef keeping sites but anything in general, but the thing is the Aquarium industry as whole is unreglated, I mean I can bottle up some food coloring and claim it cure all kinds of disease and not much can be done about it, but that's how it is, I mean like others have posted it, there is a lot of garbage spewing people out there, just wander around one of the big super pet store and you will see if there, I once overheard a clerk tell a customer all you need to do to make a saltwater aquarium is add salt, any kind will do table, rock, kosher. I had had to say something and I did, I also found out this clerk was their "expert" on fish.

 

[Railcar79]

Now wait just a second, I am running a perfectly healthy reef in my 30 long, 5 tangs a shoal, regal, naso, powder brown, vilamanji, marine land lighting, and the Cyano just feeds the tangs.... The emperator angel maske it popl

 

[vetteguy53081]

These forums are from a group of members.............. people with opinions and should be used as a source for reference and not problem solving in most cases. This hobby began on trial and error and still is as there Always new discoveries, new products and new methods. Make YOUR best decisions in husbandry of reef and not based on what someone else tried.

 

[SeymourDuncan]

This all reminds me of the Darwin Awards

 

[bct15]

I think I am a part of the group you are talking about, I joined it about two weeks ago and can't believe the advice people give. It is a bunch of noobs with no clue trying to give advice, then they jump all over somebody who gives good advice. Calling that person a **** or rude then demand 500 links to scientific articles supporting your claim. Then they will exclaim that just because things have been done that way a million times in the past their way that never had successful more then a couple months is better. People with there successful two month old tanks claiming to be experts.. Even a guy in there with 14 adult tangs in a 120 including a full grown valimingi claiming it isn't overcrowded.

I don't understand how so many noobs can get together and ask for advice then when they get good advice they try to refute it. It's actually sad.

 

[k2parkstar]

I think I am a part of the group you are talking about, I joined it about two weeks ago and can't believe the advice people give. It is a bunch of noobs with no clue trying to give advice, then they jump all over somebody who gives good advice. Calling that person a **** or rude then demand 500 links to scientific articles supporting your claim. Then they will exclaim that just because things have been done that way a million times in the past their way that never had successful more then a couple months is better. People with there successful two month old tanks claiming to be experts.. Even a guy in there with 14 adult tangs in a 120 including a full grown valimingi claiming it isn't overcrowded. I don't understand how so many noobs can get together and ask for advice then when they get good advice they try to refute it. It's actually sad.

I don't have patience for those kinds of people. I'm glad I'm not in these groups, I'd blow a gasket.

 

[bbtm64]

I agree there is a ton of bad advice being given out on the Facebook groups and some of the questions asked are what most of us would consider stupid. I'm sure there have been some advice I've given doesn't jive with everyone else's but I don't recommend anything that hasn't worked for me. That being said, I normally add that disclaimer, lol.

I always tell people to research. Not only does that show to everyone that you're making an effort but you also retain the info better. I worked at a LFS for 6 years. If I didn't know something I'd grab a book or ask someone with more experience than I.

Everyone has to start somewhere.

 

[tzsetzse]

You can't be all things to all people all the time. In other words, you can't reach out to the entire SW community to keep the record straight. Those that mature in the hobby will gradually come to realize that SOCIAL media for solid science in this endeavor is ENTERTAINMENT, not knowledge.
That you feel angst is commendable but certainly not practical. Help those that help themselves by coming to REEF2REEF and go from there. Otherwise, I fear you'll develop ulcers, LOL
I'm just sayin'