so many voices....what should I do?

cotton0627

Member
I've noticed something. I go to several LFSs and they all have different opinions. Different books say different things. Different websites say different things. People on this board say different things.
Those who have been in this hobby for many years, I have a question to ask you.... Is it better to combine all the information you accumulate and form a way of taking care of your fish based on an average of these opinions - OR - should one find a single source of information that is somewhat credible and follow that to the best of their abilities? <img src="graemlins//confused.gif" border="0" alt="[confused]" />
TIA
 

jacrmill

Member
in my experience in this hobby everybody is going to do things differently, which is why you are getting so many opinions. You don't really need to take the average of what everybody else says, or trust this person or that person. What I did was read everything I could to build up a good general knowledge of the subject and then kind of did it my own way. I mean almost everybody is going to agree on the essentials anyways, you want your salt content to be at 1.023, temp around 76, ammonia 0, nitrite 0, and nitrates as low as possible and feed either twice but smaller or once but larger.
 

fishymissy

Member
Read as much as you can and then form your own opinions.
Even the most knowledgable marine aquarist can make mistakes. It's unfortunate too that this hobby is not an exact science. There are many different ways to reach the same end result.
Even agreeing on the essentials is not easy, I would say that the temp should be 80 and the salinity 1.025 (especially for inverts). See?
;)
 

broomer5

Active Member
Hi cotton0627
If we all had the same size tank, same filtration/equipment, same lighting, same fish and inverts, same feeding schedule and same water quality .... it would be very easy to agree on "the best methods" for taking care of our tanks.
Fortunately .... we don't all have the same stuff or it would be a rather dull hobby.
So many variables leads to many opinions on both equipment and techniques, and you are so right ... the information sometimes seems overwhelming. Contradictions and differences between one method and another can get confusing, and be totally opposite advise.
Taking an average only applies to values and numbers, not actual methods, and even taking an average of numbers can be dangerous as well.
Personally I think first hand experience is the best teacher, but having a trusted "friend" or buddy in the hobby that can guide you by showing you how he/she runs the tank is also great.
If their tank looks great, all the creatures are thriving and their water quality tests are good - listen up.
If they lose a lot of animals, tank looks crappy and are always battling disease or other problems - chances are they're struggling on their own, and I would not take their advise as gospel.
Seeing is believing.
Your own experiences are the best.
Reading and the internet are both a great way to learn - but as you've mentioned - lots of different opinions.
There are some very knowledgable people in the hobby that do a lot of research, have years of experience - they are considered the "pros" and I find their information credible.
You'll know them when you read their articles - they're the ones in the hobby that "support" their techniques and methods with "facts" and research data ..... not just blind statements and regurgitated answers.
It's just the nature of the hobby.
Soak up as much information that you can from all your sources, look at what other's are doing, look at results of different methods - not opinions.
Weigh it all out in your own mind, what makes sense to you and your tank(s) and focus on the end result.
In most cases - no one can tell you what is best for your tank/fish/inverts/water with 100% guarentee except you.
Here on this board - you'll find that you can get some pretty good advise, from some darn good people.
Although still sometimes contraticting, other times not.
Ask a lot of questions.
Question the advise.
Make your best decision.
See how it works for you and your tank.
 

frankl15207

Member
I've had saltwater fish for 34 years and in that time have seen more opinions on more things than I care to mention. When I first started saltwater fish, there was one author who was the voice of the hobby. If it wasn't from him then it didn't count. The first time that I looked into a reef tank, they were still recommending undergravel filters be used in addition to some kind of new fangled thing called a trickle filter ;) .
The basic chemistry doesn't change. It is how you get there and keep it there. Before venturing into it, you need to do a lot of reading. Different equipment and methods accomplish different things, but most end up accomplishing the same thing in the right combination.
An LFS with a good reputation is the best place to start. Generally they use the methods that they use because they have been successful with them. It also makes it easier for them to help with problem solving.
Outside of that, it is what works best for you.
 

lnarobbins

Member
their are alot of voices out their ask alot of questions take in all advice read alot then make your own judgement if your coice did'nt work out then you have gained experience and can share it with others good or bad
thats what I do
Alan
 
Invest some time as well as some of your money at the LFS. You will know from talking to the employees who you can trust. I also have noticed that prices vary at the LFS depending on how well they know you. When I buy lighting there they always seem to drop a 10% off coupon on the floor near me. They special order fish for me and I can see them eat before I buy them. Because of the research and reading I did here, the LFS knows I am serious about this hobby. They treat me with respect and steer me away from purchases I might be sorry about. We formed a local reef club and they are in total support of us.
There is no such thing as a stupid question so ask as many as you can think of. Invest in some books for care and identification of fish and corals. I just bought Aquarium Corals by Eric Borneman...awesome book, I highly reccomend it.
The search feature and FAQ section on this board are priceless. Use them frequently. Listen to the Sharks advice, they are Sharks for a reason, they have given good advice over a long period of time. Good luck and happy fishing.
 
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