Common sense: thinking it through....

Sk8r · 01/14/2015, 04:59 PM

The hobbyists that will succeed best in this hobby are those who do not apply the sequences and actions for setup as if they were a magical ritual...but those who ask WHY this order, WHY do this, WHAT IS THE DANGER IF we do thus and such....because understanding why you do things is the route to expertise.

[For instance Why DO you quarantine the first fish you get? Because you're protecting your TANK, not the fish.

Why do you put down rock before you add sand? So it won't slip: the sand helps hold the bottom tier steady, and some fish dig like maniacs.]

Secondly the hobbyists that will succeed are those who will not only ask WHY we do things as we do, but will FOLLOW those protocols devoutly, and do the things that hundreds of thousands of hobbyists have found work pretty well...rather than diving off sideways and doing something different, or skipping a step, or investing in some bottle of miracle potion that is supposed to let you go fast---fast, in this hobby, is not necessarily a good thing, for reasons you will understand if you ask why we do things.

Ask. The more you know, the smarter your questions get. Help those who don't know yet. And be kind. SOme people have kept goldfish and understand fishes. Some never have. Just answer the questions as you can, and if you want to know the why and the process, there are experienced reefers around who will be happy to fill in the blanks for you.

Mbmarkus · 01/14/2015, 05:24 PM

Well put Sk8r!

AmberLee · 01/14/2015, 06:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sk8r

The hobbyists that will succeed best in this hobby are those who do not apply the sequences and actions for setup as if they were a magical ritual...but those who ask WHY this order, WHY do this, WHAT IS THE DANGER IF we do thus and such....because understanding why you do things is the route to expertise.

[For instance Why DO you quarantine the first fish you get? Because you're protecting your TANK, not the fish.

Why do you put down rock before you add sand? So it won't slip: the sand helps hold the bottom tier steady, and some fish dig like maniacs.]

Secondly the hobbyists that will succeed are those who will not only ask WHY we do things as we do, but will FOLLOW those protocols devoutly, and do the things that hundreds of thousands of hobbyists have found work pretty well...rather than diving off sideways and doing something different, or skipping a step, or investing in some bottle of miracle potion that is supposed to let you go fast---fast, in this hobby, is not necessarily a good thing, for reasons you will understand if you ask why we do things.

Ask. The more you know, the smarter your questions get. Help those who don't know yet. And be kind. SOme people have kept goldfish and understand fishes. Some never have. Just answer the questions as you can, and if you want to know the why and the process, there are experienced reefers around who will be happy to fill in the blanks for you.

And this is why after only joining this forum late december, my post count is already this high haha. I don't care if some of my questions seem stupid, I'd rather ask than not know!!

Reef Frog · 01/14/2015, 09:50 PM

With very few exceptions, there are no stupid questions in a hobby where physics, microbiology, animal husbandry, and mechanical DIY issues come together. No body was born a reef keeper. Much if this stuff was unknown 20 years ago.

FraggledRock · 01/14/2015, 09:59 PM

Im still a newb, but i try my best to answer somthing even fi I havnt experienced it, but can logically devise a solution. I have helped a few people here already myself. Feels good bro! =D

FraggledRock · 01/14/2015, 10:00 PM

PLUS i think have 50% of the recent open threads on here LOL talk about asking questions!

AmberLee · 01/15/2015, 03:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FraggledRock

PLUS i think have 50% of the recent open threads on here LOL talk about asking questions!

And mine are the other 50% haha

FraggledRock · 01/15/2015, 06:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AmberLee

And mine are the other 50% haha

Yess! High five! ::borat voice::

AmberLee · 01/15/2015, 06:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FraggledRock

Yess! High five! ::borat voice::

Hahaha

toothybugs · 01/15/2015, 06:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Reef Frog

With very few exceptions, there are no stupid questions in a hobby where physics, microbiology, animal husbandry, and mechanical DIY issues come together. No body was born a reef keeper. Much if this stuff was unknown 20 years ago.

You left out chemistry.

At least reefkeeping math isn't too difficult.

FraggledRock · 01/15/2015, 08:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by toothybugs

You left out chemistry.

At least reefkeeping math isn't too difficult.

That's the main aspect to focus on is my opinion.

People i believe seem to forget or not realize, how much we are in essence creating scientific experiments as "marine biologists" in cultivating a self sustaining biological marine ecosystem at 1/MM scale to planet earth! We are no longer "Guys & Gals with a cool fish tanks"! LOL

Sk8r · 01/15/2015, 11:56 AM

Back in the day I was friends with a chap who was using aquarium tech to devise a lifesupport system for NASA, involving a sealed tank and sunlight and a brackish vegetarian fish. ALL sorts of science comes together in this hobby. I was not the best chemist my longsuffering professor ever taught, but I think of him often. If you keep your ears up and your mind open and ask those questions you will come to understand how the ocean itself works, how it dissolves rocks and supplies food to micro life that sustains big life, and how it all fits together. It's beyond neat stuff. It's life.

dkeller_nc · 01/15/2015, 12:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by toothybugs

You left out chemistry.

At least reefkeeping math isn't too difficult.

You'd be surprised.

Hang out on the chemistry forum for a while and see the confusion over molar concentrations and weight % concentrations....

Oh wait - you do hang out on the chemistry forum....

01/14/2015, 04:59 PM	#1
Sk8r RC Mod Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Spokane WA Posts: 34,628 Blog Entries: 55	Common sense: thinking it through.... The hobbyists that will succeed best in this hobby are those who do not apply the sequences and actions for setup as if they were a magical ritual...but those who ask WHY this order, WHY do this, WHAT IS THE DANGER IF we do thus and such....because understanding why you do things is the route to expertise. [For instance Why DO you quarantine the first fish you get? Because you're protecting your TANK, not the fish. Why do you put down rock before you add sand? So it won't slip: the sand helps hold the bottom tier steady, and some fish dig like maniacs.] Secondly the hobbyists that will succeed are those who will not only ask WHY we do things as we do, but will FOLLOW those protocols devoutly, and do the things that hundreds of thousands of hobbyists have found work pretty well...rather than diving off sideways and doing something different, or skipping a step, or investing in some bottle of miracle potion that is supposed to let you go fast---fast, in this hobby, is not necessarily a good thing, for reasons you will understand if you ask why we do things. Ask. The more you know, the smarter your questions get. Help those who don't know yet. And be kind. SOme people have kept goldfish and understand fishes. Some never have. Just answer the questions as you can, and if you want to know the why and the process, there are experienced reefers around who will be happy to fill in the blanks for you. __________________ Sk8r Salinity 1.024-6; alkalinity 8.3-9.3 on KH scale; calcium 420; magnesium 1300, temp 78-80, nitrate .2. Ammonia 0. No filters: lps tank. Alk and cal won't rise if mg is low. Current Tank Info: 105g AquaVim wedge, yellow tang, sailfin blenny,royal gramma, ocellaris clown pair, yellow watchman, 100 microceriths, 25 tiny hermits, a 4" conch, 1" nassarius, recovering from 2 year hiatus with daily water change of 10%.

01/14/2015, 05:24 PM	#2
Mbmarkus Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2014 Location: Los Angeles Posts: 48	Well put Sk8r! __________________ 60g cube with bm 3.5, mp40wes, xr30w-pro, 15g sump. LPS dominant with some pimp fish Salinity 1.025, mag 1300, cal 420, dkh-8.2, nitrate 0, nitrite 0, ph 8.1.

01/14/2015, 09:59 PM	#5
FraggledRock Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2014 Location: New York, New York Posts: 2,185	Im still a newb, but i try my best to answer somthing even fi I havnt experienced it, but can logically devise a solution. I have helped a few people here already myself. Feels good bro! =D __________________ “For most of history, man has had to fight nature to survive; in this century he is beginning to realize that, in order to survive, he must protect it.”― Jacques-Yves Cousteau MarineBio.org Current Tank Info: 40 Gallon Breeder w/ Bean Animal Overflow 20G Sump, Mixed Reef.

01/14/2015, 10:00 PM	#6
FraggledRock Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2014 Location: New York, New York Posts: 2,185	PLUS i think have 50% of the recent open threads on here LOL talk about asking questions! __________________ “For most of history, man has had to fight nature to survive; in this century he is beginning to realize that, in order to survive, he must protect it.”― Jacques-Yves Cousteau MarineBio.org Current Tank Info: 40 Gallon Breeder w/ Bean Animal Overflow 20G Sump, Mixed Reef.

01/15/2015, 11:56 AM	#12
Sk8r RC Mod Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Spokane WA Posts: 34,628 Blog Entries: 55	Back in the day I was friends with a chap who was using aquarium tech to devise a lifesupport system for NASA, involving a sealed tank and sunlight and a brackish vegetarian fish. ALL sorts of science comes together in this hobby. I was not the best chemist my longsuffering professor ever taught, but I think of him often. If you keep your ears up and your mind open and ask those questions you will come to understand how the ocean itself works, how it dissolves rocks and supplies food to micro life that sustains big life, and how it all fits together. It's beyond neat stuff. It's life. __________________ Sk8r Salinity 1.024-6; alkalinity 8.3-9.3 on KH scale; calcium 420; magnesium 1300, temp 78-80, nitrate .2. Ammonia 0. No filters: lps tank. Alk and cal won't rise if mg is low. Current Tank Info: 105g AquaVim wedge, yellow tang, sailfin blenny,royal gramma, ocellaris clown pair, yellow watchman, 100 microceriths, 25 tiny hermits, a 4" conch, 1" nassarius, recovering from 2 year hiatus with daily water change of 10%.

01/14/2015, 09:50 PM	#4
Reef Frog Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2013 Location: Maryland Posts: 3,121	With very few exceptions, there are no stupid questions in a hobby where physics, microbiology, animal husbandry, and mechanical DIY issues come together. No body was born a reef keeper. Much if this stuff was unknown 20 years ago.