Learn or get left behind! Is that a fair statement?

revhtree · Mar 6, 2020

Learn or get left behind! Is that a fair statement?

IMO if you're not learning well......you're getting left behind. In this hobby there is so much to know and so much to learn. We can get into keeping aquariums with a basic knowledge that will help us be successful with a basic tank set up but if you ever want to be one of the best at maintaining a reef aquarium, growing corals, keeping expert fish etc. you must read, you must try, you must fail, you must learn!

What have you learned over the years? What did you learn last year? What did you learn yesterday? If you're content with what you have and the level of hobbyist you are then stop learning. But if you want more, if you want to be the best then LEARN!

So let's roll with this topic today. I would like to get your feedback on what I just said by answering the following questions.

1. How important is consistently reading and learning to you becoming the best aquarium keeper you can be?

2. Have you learned anything new recently? If so what was it? SHARE!

ScottR · Mar 6, 2020

I’m interested into the chemistry of the hobby. I’ve learned a lot over the past year. But still interested in learning. (Thanks Randy). Hitchhikers interest me so much. Learned a lot from KJ. Tide pools are so fascinating to watch. And to see these things in tanks is always fun for me.

will25u · Mar 6, 2020

Still learning mainly the chemistry part. I’ll be a lifelong learner because I want to do the best I can for my tank and it’s residents.

Bob Weigant · Mar 6, 2020

I clicked on 75% or less and that’s probably kinda high. I can keep both my tanks alive and corals grow but I feel in this hobby you never stop learning

Quietman · Mar 6, 2020

I do love everything there is to learn in so many different areas. I don't see how it will ever stop. True the basics are well known, but there are still many areas of knowledge that are seeing advancements all the time.

Glott3133 · Mar 6, 2020

I learn something every time I log into this forum. I started this hobby thinking a good fish tank with simple water changes was all that was needed to keep any kind of fish and coral. Those thoughts went away the minute I started reading all of the posts.

ajhudson15 · Mar 6, 2020

I get on this forum about 30 times a day just to see if I catch a thread going by about something I don't know or something that may interest me in the hopes I learn something new.(surprise, I learn something new everyday on here)

Pickwun · Mar 6, 2020

Various studies have shown that if you ask people to rate themselves on a skill that they use often about 85% will rate themselves in the top 5%.

Greybeard · Mar 6, 2020

It's a hobby. There is no 'done'... and there is no end to the knowledge you can gain related to the hobby. Ain't nobody 100%.

Equipment is always advancing. It'd be a full time job just to keep up with all the latest technologies.

Science is always moving... hopefully, if you're involved in this hobby, the fact that our reefs are bleaching hasn't escaped your notice. Nor should it pass you by that some reefs are starting to show some signs of recovery!

This is a very technical hobby, with a steep learning curve. I've been at it since 1984 or so... I may one day soon learn something about it.

We've got lots of problems left to solve... IHMO, the most important currently is the state of our import businesses. I DO NOT ACCEPT that it's OK to get sick animals from a vendor. Saying we need to quarantine everything is a cop out. Why should we accept that sick animals are normal, and that it's our responsibility to nurse them back to health? NO. I won't do it... and if that means that I pay double, or triple, for a healthy animal? Fine by me. Well worth it.

W1ngz · Mar 6, 2020

Last week I got knocked off my high horse after making a pretty definitive statement that corals don't move. Except the post was asking about a plate coral, and as it turns out - plate corals move! Who knew?

There's wisdom in knowing that you don't know things. It's a mantra that my scuba instructors drilled into us, and the reason why we stick to depths, water conditions and activities underwater that we're certified for, because 60' down what you don't know could kill you.

I said 25%.

sp1187 · Mar 6, 2020

......just enough to be dangerous.

Auquanut · Mar 6, 2020

I voted 50% just because I don't how much I don't know. It's probably closer to 10%. I'm constantly learning new things, and occasionally applying them. Half of the fun of this hobby is gaining knowledge through research, interaction with other reefers, and experience.

AdamNC · Mar 6, 2020

I voted 25%. Been doing this reef thing since 2005 but still consider myself a novice. Way too much to learn and it’s constantly evolving the more we learn about it. The way we did things 10 years ago is a bit different than today and 10 years from now it’ll be different.

Rilo · Mar 6, 2020

Reefing is a broad topic.

There's the chemistry side I want to learn to give my corals there ideal environment.

There's the equipment side that will automate the system eventually. And will improve the system with more knowledge of the equipment I add/replace.

There's the livestock side. What can I have fish wise? Who will cohabitate with what? What is the care requirements for x? There's still plenty of fish to learn about. Then comes coral.

What's the care requirements for x coral?

There's plenty to learn about in this hobby to truly become the best. Once I hit the bar where I can see my tank coming alive with little nuisance algae and nuisance anything I'll know I reached where i want to be.

Peace River · Mar 6, 2020

Learning is important. I have spent a lot of time and effort in formal education and in the school of hard knocks. I am definitely a life long learner. That said, it is also important to be learning the right things about the right things.

DraggingTail · Mar 6, 2020

10%

1. How important is consistently reading and learning to you becoming the best aquarium keeper you can be?
Important. I have switched from reading how to set up tanks to books based more on marine microbiology. I have actually considered switching career paths after the realization that marine science needs boots on the ground to figure things out.

2. Have you learned anything new recently? If so what was it? SHARE!
Not sure about new discoveries. But, after reading about zooxanthellae clades and how different clades might be more suited to different environments, I am trying to determine a path for zooxanthellae clade diversity in the home aquarium. This way coral have options if the need to switch clades.

TheOldSalt · Mar 6, 2020

I've been at this for 48 years, long before we discovered the "basic" things about reefing that we all take for granted.
I'm a 75 percenter. A tremendous amount of new information has been coming at us at a rapid pace, but I'm doing a pretty good job of keeping up with it thanks to already having a solid base upon which to build. However, it's still pretty dizzying. I can only imagine how hard it is for the novices.
Lifelong study is essential.
Things change.

MaugieDawgieCorals · Mar 6, 2020

Greybeard said:
It's a hobby. There is no 'done'... and there is no end to the knowledge you can gain related to the hobby. Ain't nobody 100%.

Equipment is always advancing. It'd be a full time job just to keep up with all the latest technologies.

Science is always moving... hopefully, if you're involved in this hobby, the fact that our reefs are bleaching hasn't escaped your notice. Nor should it pass you by that some reefs are starting to show some signs of recovery!

This is a very technical hobby, with a steep learning curve. I've been at it since 1984 or so... I may one day soon learn something about it.

We've got lots of problems left to solve... IHMO, the most important currently is the state of our import businesses. I DO NOT ACCEPT that it's OK to get sick animals from a vendor. Saying we need to quarantine everything is a cop out. Why should we accept that sick animals are normal, and that it's our responsibility to nurse them back to health? NO. I won't do it... and if that means that I pay double, or triple, for a healthy animal? Fine by me. Well worth it.

Totally agree that we need to hold vendors responsible. How many times has a real reefer went into a store and fully knew they could run it better then the owner. I’m guessing it’s a lot. Almost every mandarin I’ve seen in stores looks anarexic. Always overstocked tanks trying to jam as much fish as possible in a 10 or 20g. Trying to unload whatever they can to make as much money as possible. One store sold me seahorses and a copperband even though I told them I’m brand new to Reefing and my tanks is a couple weeks old. That was over twelve years ago and once I really got a firm grasp on the hobby I felt that was a hundred percent sending those poor animals to their death. But didn’t matter to them since they were making good money on the sell. Iknow it’s wishful thinking, but as a whole if we banned together and put those types of vendors on blast for the entire community to know we would eventually force them to change their habits. I would say almost all of my best livestock purchases have come from a seasoned hobbyists looking to help out another reefer. And price wise you will almost always get a good deal from a hobbyist compared to a vendor. Countless times I’ve gotten a very good frag pack with 5-10 frags for around 100$ but if you look at the exact same frags in a store or online one of those frags are going for 100$ plus. I feel if we want to make the best of this wonderful hobby more reefers need to get on board with selling and trading with other hobbyist.