Reef Central's mission statement

[Gary Majchrzak]

Reef Central is an online community where quality information about the marine and reef aquarium hobby can be exchanged among all levels of hobbyist from beginner to advanced. Our goal is to help educate people about the saltwater aquarium hobby and enhance awareness of the fragility of coral reefs around the world. We hope you will join us and that you find this site useful.

To this end I feel it's the responsibility of all of us to educate each other. No one should ever be afraid to discuss topics that further our knowledge and understanding of all things reef related

 

[RyanEG]

Its a little imposing for some of us with less experience(like myself) to introduce a new topic here sometime. Some peoples manerisms almost become belittling, without intending to I think, and this is one of the more civil boards on RC.

 

[toddmh]

Its a little imposing for some of us with less experience(like myself) to introduce a new topic here sometime. Some peoples manerisms almost become belittling, without intending to I think, and this is one of the more civil boards on RC.

hehe I wouldent know,this is the only board I post on..I make sure I never would say anything I would not say to someone in person because posting here that is a real possibility :thumbsup:

 

[mynock11]

Its a little imposing for some of us with less experience(like myself) to introduce a new topic here sometime. Some peoples manerisms almost become belittling, without intending to I think, and this is one of the more civil boards on RC.

This is why i have kept to a low post. due to my past experience.!!

 

[Bluephish13]

You got it todd.. exactly what i was thinking.


This is the only board i post on.

 

[becon776]

all of us were new at some point. it's especially important for the "beginners" to ask questions so that the amateur's can answer them We are a welcoming bunch.

 

[Gravesj1s]

WOW,

Are you guys serious? I have'nt really been here long but if thats true,I hope thats a wakeup call.

Although,not to play devils advocate but one thing to consider is perception of "tone".Unless someone is typing in all caps it can be interpreted completely wrong.Big difference when someone is standing in front of you engaging in conversation and trying to bring the "exact same tone" in a written format.Sounds easy but if you think about ,not always.
Glad you guys brought this to discussion.
-Graves

 

[Namyar]

Re: Reef Central's mission statement

i have experienced the tone or lack of knowledge brought to my attention about myself at one point. i stoped posting but then moved on and said forget it.

 

[Gravesj1s]

You know, reading this thread brings back some interesting memories. When I first got into reef keeping the only way to get any info. was through aquarium magazines or pretty dated books for the most part.
Then their was this knew online Compuserve fishnet forum.You want to talk about about rude@$$ people.If was the rave of its time though,lots of heated debates ,julian sprung ,martin moe ,theil,shimeck,bingman...ect..ect...you name it they were their.But if you posted ,you really would feel intimidated and some of them would let you know,rather quickly pouncing on you..Just ask Randy H. Farley what that forum was like.
I mostly just read ,I think I only posted a handful of times at best.I don't want to name names but they basically beat each other until no one was left.
-Graves

 

[toddmh]

even the worst stuff i've seen on here is easy street compared to most of the video game forums I is to visit..

Now those folks/kids are brutal lol

 

[tmz]

Post away .
The more q and a and debate the better for everyone. None of this should be personal. Challenges and debates are a good way to test information. Sometimes the effort to convey good information results in a bit of bluntness that is sometimes taken as a personal affront. Sometimes unclear or incorrect information is conveyed with the best of intentions and when challenged defensiveness takes over followed by personalized drama. Now I'm up for a fight from time to time and will stand my ground but won't make it personal unless it is and even then it's best to try to cut it short.
Two helpful attributes for participation in my experience are a thick skin and a thin skull.:spin1::beer::furious::reading::mixed:

 

[tahoe61]

Noobie

Noobie

I try to promote this RC mission statement, and could not agree more that individuals seeking assistance despite experience level should recieve it in a constructive and respectful manner. And I am guilty of a short fuse as well, problems arise when.

1. New hobbyist is provided with sound assistance, yet their agenda is to get the response they want, they become very defensive when provided with constructive criticism. Then the OP creates multiple threads seeking the answers they want.
2. Persons offering advise or guidence to the OP are called into question by other individuals of this forum that do not agree with the advice. If a member feels that the individual is recieving grossly inaccurate advice, they should use the PM option instead of trying to one up. Trying to one up only confuses the OP more, hi-jacks the thread and discourages open lines of communication.
3. There is nothing I hate more than see a new hobbyist seeking guidence with their tail between their legs, apologizing for seeking assistance,and using the label Noobie. I do not believe someone should need to develop a thick skin to use this forum effectively.

 

[tent boy]

I haven't been on here all that long, compared to many of you.I have learned that some people are just very blunt when the communicate. Some people are not and just talk in circles, hoping never to step on anyones toes. Some people have no idea what they are talking about, yet offer advice. Its a giant melting pot. And somewhere in the mix of answers seems to be the truth. I couldn't afford to stay in this hobby if it were not for the information that I have learned from this site.

 

[Maraschiello]

Todd, Where do you live in NT? I live on 17th ave

Paul

 

[Flanders]

2. Persons offering advise or guidence to the OP are called into question by other individuals of this forum that do not agree with the advice. If a member feels that the individual is recieving grossly inaccurate advice, they should use the PM option instead of trying to one up. Trying to one up only confuses the OP more, hi-jacks the thread and discourages open lines of communication.

totally disagree. if someone is receiving what someone else perceives to be bad advice on a public forum it should be called into question publicly. people will disagree, it's the nature of a public forum. knowledge comes from disagreements. it's not about one-upping each other.

 

[tahoe61]

Mission Statement

Mission Statement

totally disagree. if someone is receiving what someone else perceives to be bad advice on a public forum it should be called into question publicly. people will disagree, it's the nature of a public forum. knowledge comes from disagreements. it's not about one-upping each other.

Of course I agree that if the the information provided will result in a bad outcome for their system or inhabitants, it should be addressed accordingly. I stated grossly inaccurate, there is no value gained by open arguements between individuals who ego's do not allow for the possiblity that someone has a valid point. The mission statement in my interpetation is to benifit the hobbyist not our egos.

 

[Flanders]

Of course I agree that if the the information provided will result in a bad outcome for their system or inhabitants, it should be addressed accordingly. I stated grossly inaccurate, there is no value gained by open arguements between individuals who ego's do not allow for the possiblity that someone has a valid point. The mission statement in my interpetation is to benifit the hobbyist not our egos.

the trouble is, these things are totally subjective. what you may see as someone with an ego trying to one-up someone else I may see completely differently. hence encouraging the free exchange of information.

there can be value in the types of arguments you described. I don't know if anyone was around for the DSB/BB debates, but I learned a lot as a hobbyist and there were plenty of egos involved.

 

[Gary Majchrzak]

somehow I never connected egos with aquariums.

Tom posted something similar to what I would have:
Post away .
The more q and a and debate the better for everyone. None of this should be personal. Challenges and debates are a good way to test information. Sometimes the effort to convey good information results in a bit of bluntness that is sometimes taken as a personal affront. Sometimes unclear or incorrect information is conveyed with the best of intentions and when challenged defensiveness takes over followed by personalized drama. Now I'm up for a fight from time to time and will stand my ground but won't make it personal unless it is and even then it's best to try to cut it short.
Two helpful attributes for participation in my experience are a thick skin and a thin skull :fun2:

 

[Neoz]

I joined this site back in 2006 I believe because I was ready to start my first tank. Well life got in the way and I never started my first tank till July of 2009.

I still remember looking at all the equipment under the stand and just going wow I'm never going to understand what all that does or how to operate it. But I dove in anyways with the help from this forum.

Do I feel intimidated and hesitant to post and ask for help on this forum. Sometimes but not too often. It depends on the topic. It gets easier everyday with the helpful members on here.

The thing I like the best is when you ask a question it gets some kind of response. Not just the typical other forum answers of read read read noob. Don't get me wrong I love to read and learn as I go. But being new the wealth of information that is out there on reefkeeping is overwhelming to say the least. Not to mention how does a newcomer know what is outdated and old? We don't. We look for guidance from others that have come before us and learn from their trials and tribulations so as not to make the same mistakes they have. But the biggest thing I have learned from this board and its members is that there is more then one way to get the desired results.

Trust me I am grateful for this board and the knowledgeable members that frequent here and answer our *noobie* questions. One day I'm sure I'll look back and laugh at some of my questions that I asked. Hell I already do. Everyday we all grow and and as I say you never stop learning till you die. Learning never gets old....

 

[toddmh]

well me ...I have thick skin,if I am messing up something i'd rather get blunt replies than flushing 100's or even 1000's of dollars down the toilet