Are the forums dead?

I'll take a different tack. While I don't doubt traffic here (and at RC) is down, I do not think FB or social media is the reason. RC just hasn't kept up. Its so difficult to post photos here wo getting some other app like tapatalk or some 3rd party image host (I don't bother with either). They should develop an RC mobile app to integrate with the website and improve ways to post images (that's a still a major draw despite all the empiric data that's here). Letting the tank of the month thread die, I suspect also cut down on traffic.
 
Spartan, I think you're right on. RC has remained essentially unchanged for 10 years... Or more?

My excuse is I have no tank running at the moment. Been making plans though...
 
What came first the fish or the egg?

Are people leaving because there isn't much going on or is nothing happening because no one is here?

I still check in. Advice is hard to come by. I follow Upstate Reef Society on FB but it is mostly people selling. Not much discussion. I still read a lot on RC just not in the URS forum.

Still trying figure out what to do with my gient Sarco:(
 
not much traffic makes people log on less. I think its just a cycle facebook stuff kind of annoys me 1200 different pages to follow was nice when this was the only place to be
 
its the lack of a mobile site here that keeps people away...

most people want to look at it on the go, and tapatalk is junk....

********* has an amazing mobile sight and that is why its busier there... its not hard to install a mobile sight module to forum software....
 
Dead forums

Dead forums

I find the same thing....but what I like on the forum is u can search and find results where as on facebook once the topic is discussed and a few days go by good luck finding the post with the info..i have always wanted a chat group similar to what Yahoo was years ago so u could actually talk to someone kinda live when u are having a issue.. jmho
 
On a related note...

Do most people want a more casual, social interaction? Or more informational/research?

I think how you answer that can largely dictate whether you like a traditional forum style, something mobile, or social media-based.
 
It would be great if RC could save all of its data and update its interface to keep up with the times. R 2 R definitely has that feel. Much of that is beyond me. There is definitely an abundance of quality information there. Randy Holmes-Farley is over there as well as other trusted names.

What I always Loved about URS is that despite being this weird pocket of people mainly in Buffalo in Rochester, there were/are many trusted names that are major contributors to the site. A few of them named TOTM. We gave the deeper benched major cities in NY, Mass, Florida, Cali, a run for their money with regard to membership and traffic.

As with many niche hobbies there can be a great deal of snobbery. I never felt that here. I cant Say the same or “the other place”. Then again, that may be a reflection of society at large. Keyboard cowboys. Faceless bullying that plagues social media. I do Belong to one other forum for my other major hobby. It too is substantially different than it was say 5 years ago. There are still quality, qualified, people willing to help there. However, there is a much larger contingency of folks that create pointless noise based on one upsmanship cast down from very high horses that make it less attractive and less appealing.

I cant Imagine what it’s be like to be a noob at anything these days given all the static. Ain’t nobody got time for that!
 
Frag swaps aren't even the same anymore. It used to be a fun. Now everybody tries to sell stuff at store prices. Everybody thinks a coral should be named. FB bullying is common. I started dumping sites where the moderator contributed to the bullying.


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Feels washed up. good people here. I don't do fb. Probably should. wish we did more events. Had fun with the crawls/ swaps. I try to peak in a few times a week. Tank is limping along. wouldn't take much to get me more involved with the hobby.
 
forums aren't dead

forums aren't dead

That's my opinion.
I don't find much snobbery anywhere- reefers seem to be a very friendly group of people! (There are always exceptions!)
I've only ever blocked ONE PERSON on RC. I've NEVER blocked or defriended anybody on fb (okay... maybe one person that was getting too political LOL!)
I do think that it's never been a better time to get into reefkeeping (or any niche type "hobby") for many reasons- mostly because you can connect with others into the same thing!
Pictures DO help prove a point- and to that end fb WINS simply because posting pix and video to a forum is much more challenging than posting almost anything fb.

Look- I'm not trying to sell anyone on anything here. There are RC members already on fb and some that will never get on fb. I get it. It's not a snobbery thing. If I could snap a pic or video of my aquarium right now and include it in this post I would- but I can't. (It would take multiple steps to post it here and now.)
I can do the one click thing on fb- and I do.
I also connect with reefers of my choice all over the world. It's difficult to do that on RC.

Tip: here on RC check out the reef aquarium of glennf
 
I just pop in once in awhile but FB is easier to communicate with.

I definitely miss the old frag swaps where we just trade and not worry about the market prices or names.

I held one of last Old school Frag swaps a couple of years ago. I may do another one now that I'm not on the road as much anymore.

Ellery

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I feel like the advice people give on the Facebook saltwater groups is always terrible. If I want good legitimate advice on a topic it's reefcentral.
 
Good point.
Perhaps change the groups you're in?

The way I see it.

Facebook is widely used by all ages but the vast majority of Facebook users are the younger millennial generation. They're younger and have a lot less experience in the hobby so the solid and WISE advice about the hobby is lacking. Also, typically with the younger crowd money is tighter as they don't have the higher paying career yet. This makes it harder for the younger crowd to afford the higher end equipment and I see a lot of people cutting corners when they can't afford equipment. Perfect example is a qt setup. I see so many people on Facebook say a qt isn't important.

With the generation x crowd, Internet forums is more their style. They are normally more experienced and dedicated to the hobby. Hence why they are on a specific site for reef keeping and not going through Facebook that has a combination of personal posts unrelated to saltwater tanks.
 
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