Where are the Posters

[A.Astore]

It came and went pretty quickly, only a couple responses. I thought about making a snotty reply but decided to let it go for a change

PS I agree with Grun too. I feel pretty bad when I tell somebody something and then find out I was wrong. It'd be better not to have posted. A good thing about this forum is there are pro's around to step in if I say something really dumb.

I caught that post and made a mental note not to reply ever again to that person and said problems asked about. Everyone starts somewhere and people can learn A LOT on here just by reading so discounting what a "newer reefer" posts as a solution is not practical.

I am by no means an expert but spent months upon months of researching every minute of my free time so I do attempt to help out when I feel I have something worth mentioning that won't definitely lead another member astray. I would feel horrible telling someone something that doesn't work out or is flat out wrong simply because I was able to do it and it worked out well.

The other thing is there are a few members that are flat out ignorant to beneficial advice. They ask a question or make a reply, get responses and then are like I am doing it my way anyway.

I would not take low responses as an indicator that there are people on the forum that don't care about helping, I would take it as there are people that don't know a good response, are on here to absorb as much as they can, or afraid they might give you the wrong answer mixed in with those that can help.

 

[reefwiser]

How is this forum any different than life. Most people choose not to get involved and only take and never give. That is why the world is the way it is. I have been in aquarium forums since 1987 on the internet. Yes there where forums back then. The vast majority of people through out the years read and don't get involved. I have helped thousands of people over the years answering questions. I am luck I have been a club president for too many years and so I deal with a lot of club members problems on a daily basis and get a lot of hands on with tons of aquariums and see a lot of the same issues come up over and over and over again. Most hobbyist just don't' get that deep into aquarium keeping they are just concerned with their own aquarium and not a whole bunch of peoples aquarium's that they don't even know. You miss out on a lot if you do not get involved you learn a whole bunch more than the average hobbyist thats for sure.
An you meet a lot of wonderful hobbyist's from around the world who share your same love for saltwater aquarium's.

 

[gone fishin]

It is difficult to know how much detail to give in a response. Especially in this forum I usually try to start pretty basic and if the OP wants more detail then expand on it. But some folks really do not want all the detail they just want the answer, which can be a tough nut to crack in this hobby.

To newer folks if an answer leaves you more confused than when you started do not be afraid to say I still don't get it.

 

[JMorris271]

My initial query was/is with regard to the ratio between the substantial number of hits on RC and the number of those hits that result in hobbyist that elect to stay and offer their assistance. The pool of those that can doesn't seem to grow. That is not to say we don't a wonderful group that do. In fact we have been blessed with such people.
On another note,I think that for some, there can be much that can be learned by a "dumb" question.

 

[Saltwaterw]

Instead of responding to a question "here's what you should do", the few times I've posted a response it was in the style "This is what I did and if it worked or didn't work out well for me and why I thought so".

My experience with FOWLR was back in the mid 80's with an undergravel filter and I'm going through a reboot using more modern techniques that I'm picking up here. But some of the basics are the same.

 

[fishchef]

I'm a bit Old School so I read books/magazines to learn all I could before getting into the Hobby. Been in SW since '91 and FW long before and even during. I joined a local Reef Club and talked to people with personal experience. It was only about the early 2000's that I felt the need to look for answers on RC. The LFS got tired of my questions probably. Can't even imagine learning all I know, which is not much, from RC. I do try to answer questions, but a firm basic knowledge is necessary before getting into SW.

 

[T Haynes]

A sump is, at its core, just a separate (but connected) body of water where you can put most of your tank's equipment. A refugium is typically where people grow macro algae and/or allow pods to reproduce. By growing algae there, it can help absorb excess nutrients in the water and reduce the amount of algae that grows in the display.

Good explanations thank you. Now I just need to figure out what the different stages are for so I can use my 40 b as a sump when I set up my 90

 

[Heatherabel3]

As a newer reefer I don't comment on peoples posts often because I don't feel like I know enough to give really solid advice. The flip side of that is that I have actually learned a lot more when I have jumped in and posted and had one of the "regulars" tell me where I was wrong and why. Those that have done it in a teaching, here's where your confused, kind of way I was okay with and really appreciated the input and the opportunity to learn. It's the ones that jump down your throat and treat you like your dumb that made me really gun-shy when it comes to posting. We are all learning every day in this hobby and to be made to feel really small about something you think you may have to offer sucks so I just stopped posting all together. I will still ask my questions, dumb or not, and evvvverry great once in awhile respond. Otherwise, I spend all of my time learning everything I can from the ones I feel are credible teachers.

 

[CStrickland]

... to be made to feel really small about something you think you may have to offer sucks so I just stopped posting all together.

That's a shame. The Internet can be annoying like that, on one hand people take it as an opportunity to make others feel small, and on the other hand sometimes things come of as harsh when they aren't meant to be. I've def seen posts that I thought were rude af but not enough to report, and I've also made posts that afterwards I realized were unnecessarily aggro.

There's probs a lot of people that get turned off by tone and just bail. That's a loss for the forum, and the rude people just keep keepin on. I appreciate you explaining it, maybe some of the ruder members (myself included at times) will read this thread and think twice about belittling people. Thank you!

 

[heathlindner25]

It's very hard to pick up the emotions over the keyboard, people just say what they know sometimes and that can come off blunt, I doubt any ill will is meant out of any members, just sometimes hard to read people.... or I have really thick skin and nothing bothers me...lol

 

[leviburns89]

It's very hard to pick up the emotions over the keyboard, people just say what they know sometimes and that can come off blunt, I doubt any ill will is meant out of any members, just sometimes hard to read people.... or I have really thick skin and nothing bothers me...lol

Key and peel have a skit on this. It's about misreading text messages. Look it up, it's amazingly accurate.

That being said, regardless of accuracy, I think everyone's opinion has weight, and only after weighing in several opinions, you can then make a decision on what YOU think is the best option.

We are a family here. Do most of us have different opinions, yes, do we all have different circumstances, absolutely. But do all of our opinions matter, hell yeah.

You just have to think of it like a thanksgiving dinner table. Most of the responses won't mean jack to your exact situation, but there will be that one that rings out like a prayer on high, that's when the magic happens, and that's why we do this.

Levi out

-drops mic

 

[TatorTaco]

I'm on here everyday, but because I'm new I have no dialogue that actually contributes to the conversation (including this message). From earlier comments, it appears many are in the same position.

 

[heathlindner25]

I'm on here everyday, but because I'm new I have no dialogue that actually contributes to the conversation (including this message). From earlier comments, it appears many are in the same position.

Welcome aboard!