Where are the Posters

[JMorris271]

I notice that there are several hundred members that are usually in these RC rooms at a time. There is however, a disproportionate few of those members that take the time to provide very good and timely advice to questions posed here and those that lurk and could contribute if they choose to share their knowledge.
I wonder why that is.

[Kardjunkie]

Wonder if most people in this room are beginners that really don't have enough experience to answer questions. I am one that lurks here looking for information and asking questions but don't have enough experience to be much of a help.

[SNAKEMANVET]

I lurk on here quiet often,but don't give advise or answer a question that I am not really sure about.

[CStrickland]

I think there's a couple things.
There are bots, like a program that goes around the internet looking at sites, and spammers make profiles some times too. So not all the people are people.

After that it's just a matter of whether somebody's in here reading and learning, but not interested in posting. Or they just figure somebody that knows more will do it. I can see how less, better advice is more helpful. Especially in the new reefer section. There was a thread a week or so ago about how new people should shut up and let pros answer questions in here.

I'm not sure about all that, it doesn't seem necessary for sk8r to personally respond to every "omg my ph is .01 too low, how much buffer should I add!!!1!" thread. Also, that thread made me think people might feel unwelcome. But at the end of the day this section is for helping noobs reef, and people with a lot of experience helping them are very good at explaining things with enough info to be clear, but not going on tangents or overwhelming folks. It does get kinda messy when a lot of people chime in with crackpot solutions to a simple problem. Like, ugh the ich threads can be insufferable.

[thegrun]

In the end it is better to give no advice if you are not sure of your answer than to lead someone astray. I suspect a lot of members feel that way and are reluctant to dispense of advice that could be incorrect.

[gone fishin]

There was a thread a week or so ago about how new people should shut up and let pros answer questions in here.



I missed that one.

This particular forum seems to go in cycles. It seems certain times of the year more folks get tanks. But overall there seems to be a core group of folks that help out.

[CStrickland]

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.

[JMorris271]

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.
With all of the great help you provide on here, I was thinking you are a pro.
:beer::beer:

[CStrickland]

Lol tell that to my bryopsis ;(
But thanks, I learn a lot by running my big mouth

[JMorris271]

Lol tell that to my bryopsis ;(
But thanks, I learn a lot by running my big mouth
B careful. That sounds too political.:p

[leviburns89]

Yeah its pretty crappy when I find out I gave someone false advice, and then have to defend my honor.

That being said, I feel like a lot of "mentors" stay in the shadows because 90% of the questions being asked, have been answered a million times before.

If you don't want to put in the time to read, and learn, how can you ever expect to grow, and thrive?

[T Haynes]

I think there's a couple things.
There are bots, like a program that goes around the internet looking at sites, and spammers make profiles some times too. So not all the people are people.

After that it's just a matter of whether somebody's in here reading and learning, but not interested in posting. Or they just figure somebody that knows more will do it. I can see how less, better advice is more helpful. Especially in the new reefer section. There was a thread a week or so ago about how new people should shut up and let pros answer questions in here.

I'm not sure about all that, it doesn't seem necessary for sk8r to personally respond to every "omg my ph is .01 too low, how much buffer should I add!!!1!" thread. Also, that thread made me think people might feel unwelcome. But at the end of the day this section is for helping noobs reef, and people with a lot of experience helping them are very good at explaining things with enough info to be clear, but not going on tangents or overwhelming folks. It does get kinda messy when a lot of people chime in with crackpot solutions to a simple problem. Like, ugh the ich threads can be insufferable.

The issue I'm running into is the answers are too professional and to specific and very hard for some people who are new to salt water to understand. I still don't know what exactly a sump and ref do. Have a basic idea but not enough to be able to make my own which is a problem to me since I'm very hands on and generally really good with my hands

[Itchy fishy]

9 time out of 10 I'm absorbing info.

[JMorris271]

If you are annoyed with or don't want to deal with newbie questions, don't come in a room and be bothered where that may happen. It's all subjective. Who'sent to judge?

[Xxero]

Gun shy.....

You can put all of the "IMO" & "IME" disclaimer pretexts that you want to, but be a little off on the correct reply and you get torn to pieces. Nobody likes public embarrassment, so I believe that most people keep quiet here unless they have a specific problem.

IMHO. :bigeyes:

[CStrickland]

B careful. That sounds too political.:p
Wouldnt be my first infract for that ;)

I still don't know what exactly a sump and ref do. Have a basic idea but not enough to be able to make my own which is a problem to me since I'm very hands on and generally really good with my hands
Have you been to this site? http://www.melevsreef.com/node/710
That page is a great overview of sumps, and he has lots of other good info in there as well.

IMHO. :bigeyes:
IMHO; just my $.02; KISS; HTH

[Breadman03]

The issue I'm running into is the answers are too professional and to specific and very hard for some people who are new to salt water to understand. I still don't know what exactly a sump and ref do. Have a basic idea but not enough to be able to make my own which is a problem to me since I'm very hands on and generally really good with my hands


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.

[heathlindner25]

I only answer if I've had personal experience with the subject matter in question...hth

[oldhead]

I don't know enough to post so I read

[kmbyrnes]

I lurked for a year, and then started asking questions. Then I started learning from experience. Now I post when I feel I have something useful to add.
I read here daily for 2 reasons:
1. Every so often a question pops up that I DON'T know anything about, which is an opportunity to learn
2. Sometimes I get to give someone sensible advice before its all been given, so I don't sound like a 'me too'.

We all contribute in our own ways to this community. Even if the majority of posts come from just a few knowledgeable reefers, aren't those asking for advice better served by the voice of experience?

[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!