Common Misconceptions In the Hobby

[davidryder]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10652902#post10652902 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by fishdoc11


And all you other guys....why don't you show off what you have accomplished

Chris

I thought we were talking about common misconception, not filling the thread with personal pictures. There are a dozen other "Show off your tank threads" that may be better suited for showing your tanks off.

I think we are already having a hard time staying on track

 

[RichConley]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10654348#post10654348 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by fishdoc11
IMO moving a reef tank is worse than moving a house.

Do you have any previous pics you would like to share?

How about you Peter? Want to share a picture of your tank?

Chris

Dont have many, but heres my old clowns in there anemone. It (was) a 20" or so heteractis crispa. The Cutting-it-in-half-like-a-bta experiment was a complete and utter failure.

I'll see if I can find some more.

 

[Peter Eichler]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10657237#post10657237 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by davidryder
You are attempting to derail the thread. What is the correlation between discussing misconceptions and showing off livestock?

Here's a misconception for you...

The most knowledgeable aquarists will have the best looking aquariums.

I've come to find that the "experts" will often have pretty basic setups, sometimes even to the point of being neglected. JUst because someone has the knowledge does not mean they do a good job with maintenance or even have the ability to set up a good aquascape. I do feel there is a certain art to reef aquariums and not everyone is good at creating a good aquascape. Sometimes it's just a matter of money, reefing is not a cheap hobby and all the knowledge in the world won't buy a large aquarium full of live rock and spectacular corals.

 

[SDguy]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10657420#post10657420 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Peter Eichler
Here's a misconception for you...

The most knowledgeable aquarists will have the best looking aquariums.

I've come to find that the "experts" will often have pretty basic setups, sometimes even to the point of being neglected. JUst because someone has the knowledge does not mean they do a good job with maintenance or even have the ability to set up a good aquascape. I do feel there is a certain art to reef aquariums and not everyone is good at creating a good aquascape. Sometimes it's just a matter of money, reefing is not a cheap hobby and all the knowledge in the world won't buy a large aquarium full of live rock and spectacular corals.

I also think that people that know a lot may also not have the best looking tanks because they are constantly experimenting with equipment, tank parameters, etc. Not all experiments are to the tank's benefit, as Rich's anemone can serve as example

 

[Peter Eichler]

By the way, GO VOTE! The GFO guys are pulling away a little bit

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=1193958

 

[Peter Eichler]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10657443#post10657443 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by SDguy
I also think that people that know a lot may also not have the best looking tanks because they are constantly experimenting with equipment, tank parameters, etc. Not all experiments are to the tank's benefit, as Rich's anemone can serve as example

I know that's true for me, though I'm certainly not making excuses and certainly not proclaiming myself an expert. I've experimented a lot with SG/salinity levels in my aquarium to get a feel for what level starts to stress out inhabitants. I've also messed around a lot with increasing feeding to levels that most people would never even consider. As a result I've hit some bumps along the way but I feel I know my system a little better going forward.

Oh, and one last thing, go vote for thread of the month

 

[Aquarist007]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10652902#post10652902 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by fishdoc11
OK Ninong I can't take it anymore...lets see your clams
Here are mine:

And this little guy:

Certainly not the rarest or hardest to find varieties but I like them.

And all you other guys....why don't you show off what you have accomplished

Chris

I hope you are going to be a clam vet your talents would be wasted on dogs :smokin:
It would be a great learning experince if you and the others could say why you have been so successfull---what you keep your tank parameters are, how much light you have etc.

 

[RichConley]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10657443#post10657443 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by SDguy
Not all experiments are to the tank's benefit, as Rich's anemone can serve as example

Yeah, that experiment pretty much...failed.

I lost the anem, the clowns, a whole bunch of acros... was a good time. Bought a purple LTA a couple of weeks ago to replace it.... had it for about 3 days before it decided to wander off into a powerhead. $70 down the drain. I miss that Crispa...such a pretty, though in a subtle way, animal.

And for those of you who are voyeurs, heres my orange striped pipes doin it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BDTuO_qTNX0

 

[Peter Eichler]

Pipefish porn, so hot!

 

[RichConley]

yeah, they really go at it... its not like the clowns who take turns rubbing against a rock.

 

[Peter Eichler]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10657714#post10657714 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by RichConley
yeah, they really go at it... its not like the clowns who take turns rubbing against a rock.

Some day I hope to have a tank dedicated to pipefish. Perhaps when I upgrade I'll keep my 65 going for just that reason.

 

[fishdoc11]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10657237#post10657237 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by davidryder
I thought we were talking about common misconception, not filling the thread with personal pictures. There are a dozen other "Show off your tank threads" that may be better suited for showing your tanks off.

I think we are already having a hard time staying on track

I totally disagree IMO tank pictures are one of the best ways to show one knows what they are talking about. I remember when I started reefing looking at pictures of people's tanks that wrote the articles I read really helped me make some decisions about what methods I wanted to employ. Since this is a thread debating different misconceptions looking at pictures of the people's tanks that discount/support those is a great idea IMO.
Reefing to me has allways been about taking little bits of information or methods from different people that are getting results I like and putting them all together in my own tank. There is no better way to visualize what you are looking for than to look at pictures IME.

Chris

 

[fishdoc11]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10657420#post10657420 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Peter Eichler
Here's a misconception for you...

The most knowledgeable aquarists will have the best looking aquariums.

I've come to find that the "experts" will often have pretty basic setups, sometimes even to the point of being neglected. JUst because someone has the knowledge does not mean they do a good job with maintenance or even have the ability to set up a good aquascape. I do feel there is a certain art to reef aquariums and not everyone is good at creating a good aquascape. Sometimes it's just a matter of money, reefing is not a cheap hobby and all the knowledge in the world won't buy a large aquarium full of live rock and spectacular corals.

I agree sometimes they won't always have the best looking aquariums but it's pretty easy to look at a tank and tell if someone knows what they are doing mainly from the type and health of the inhabitants....not necessarily from the size or amount of $ spent. I've seen several cases where people talked like they knew what they were talking about and I saw their aquarium and could tell they didn't
As far as experimenting that's great but if you want a nice looking reef tank, and I think that's most people's goal, you are not going to do a whole lot of experimenting.....at least not on a level that would put the livestocks health in danger. The information is out there to have a sucessfull, very nice looking reef tank.
Chris

 

[RichConley]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10658421#post10658421 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by fishdoc11

As far as experimenting that's great but if you want a nice looking reef tank, and I think that's most people's goal, you are not going to do a whole lot of experimenting.....at least not on a level that would put the livestocks health in danger. The information is out there to have a sucessfull, very nice looking reef tank.
Chris

I disagree. A very large percentage of us who are active learners can't help but experiment. Its just our nature.


We never intend to put the livestock's life in danger, but it happens.

 

[SDguy]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10658421#post10658421 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by fishdoc11
As far as experimenting that's great but if you want a nice looking reef tank, and I think that's most people's goal, you are not going to do a whole lot of experimenting.....at least not on a level that would put the livestock's health in danger. The information is out there to have a successful, very nice looking reef tank.
Chris

I disagree. IME, especially for people involved with these types of online forums, people can't help but experiment and tinker with their tanks...constantly. I don't think anyone does anything to purposely but their livestock in danger, but unexpected things happen.

The guy (or gal ) who sets up a beautiful tank and just does routine maintenance (or even pays for it) doesn't even frequent these boards, more than likely. At least from what I've seen locally.

 

[fishdoc11]

Your reply reminds me of Lyle Lovett song "She wasn't good but she had good intentions" :lol:
If your primary goal is a healthy looking tank stability is what it's all about(within ceartain limits) and you are not going to do anything to alter that. Experimenting, or moving as well as is your case, does not promote stability and often ends up as a crappy look looking tank with stressed livestock.
So it's typically not a good idea to actively experiment with your main display if you want it to look nice
If you have to experiment all the time then expect that the tank won't be as sucessfull. Or you can setup other tanks to test your hypothesis.
There are ways to actively learn and not go to extremes. Making smaller changes and closely watching the effects over the long term is one way of doing that. You just have to be patient.....and patience is truly a virtue when it come to reef tanks.

Chris

 

[RichConley]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10659081#post10659081 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by fishdoc11
If your primary goal is a healthy looking tank stability is what it's all about

speaking of reef myths.....

 

[fishdoc11]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10659091#post10659091 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by RichConley
speaking of reef myths.....

There was a within ceartain limits after that Rich

And FWIW I see you saying your tank looks like crap because of instability(moving etc...) but stating that stability being good for a reef tank is a myth.

 

[Aquarist007]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10657442#post10657442 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Peter Eichler
By the way, GO VOTE! The GFO guys are pulling away a little bit

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=1193958

thanks for everyone for giving me inspiration by showing what can be done with time and patience.
I realize my tank is acutually where it should be at this point --11 months---these pictures motivate your thinking into what my tank could be if I continue associating (well over head ) with the experinced on this site.

I would vote again and again for this thread if I could? everyone seems to be avoiding asking that question

 

[Aquarist007]

Another misconception:
Bigger and more powerful protein skimmers are what is needed to be successful. I have been told that you can't have a big enoughskimmer. Yet common sense tells me that there must be adverse affects to skimming to much. So what is the "skim er scoop " on protein skimmers?

I am assuming everyone has "clammed up" on the last misconception

sorry couldn't resist