A friendly suggestion for the Moderators to consider....

[nm reef]

I agree with sammy on this...even though a lot of us see basically the same question over and over...it is the individual inter action that is interesting. For the most part a simple search could answer the question...but I actually like the opportunity to meet the individuals and learn a little bit about them and their systems. When I first came to this site over a year ago it was to ask...."how do I mix the salt with my water"...I knew absolutely nothing(still know very little)...sometimes it seems as though members here are "friends" that have helped me to develope my system to its present level...and I want to help new "friends" develope theirs. A search may be a good idea....and should be used more often by all members...but the conversation and exchange of ideas is good also.

 

[heavenly damsel]

Just a thought....as a "newbie" I actually feel like I have learned a little when I can reply to others about LR, inverts and lighting questions. The old addage is "see it, do it, teach it" This still is the best method of learning. Makes me feel a little successful at this new hobby when I can actually answer a question with my own expewrience. Also, I frequent another BB that has stickies and I don't care for them much. Have posted very little there because I get the feeling they really are not interested in helping. IMHO

 

[banshee]

I have been reading this board for about a year and a half...how many posts do I have? The archives are fine.

 

[fish tank]

sammy you are so right. keep up the good work. the board is fine and if someone see's a topic that is old they dont have to read it, if it makes them mad for newbe's to ask the same Q. they have to remmeber THEY WERE NEW TO THIS AT ONE TIME!!!!!! and how many ppl did they make MAD. <img src="graemlins//evilwhorn.gif" border="0" alt="[Evil Horn]" />

 

[ags]

As a newbie let me say this.....yes it would be a hell of a lot easier to do a search but many times, and it could be my DSL acting up, my searches come up empty. I do research all day long on a computer and am used to looking up answers to my questions so have some patience and sympathy. Sometimes it is not all laziness.

 

[kris]

I too truly hope this topic does not make any of the newbies or the not so newbies for asking questions. Every question which may seem the same is really not anyway because no one has the same tank and so the answers can not really be the same. And it is fun getting to know the different people and personalities. I think someday we should all just have some kind of convention to put faces with all these names. Plus there is always something fun mixed in (like the recent spongebob thing) If he had decided not to ask what he thought dumb question, we all would have missed out on something really fun. I have never visited and not had at least 1 good laugh. Or learned something from someone.
I hope veryone keeps asking!!!and I hope everyone keeps replying.

 

[adivedog]

I've only been a member for a couple of months now, and have found a wealth of information to help me get started. I do think a newbie forum of some kind would be a good idea though. It would get all of those "same" questions and answers in the right place and give the newbies a place to "get their feet wet" on the bb. Just my .02

 

[sandy]

As a relative newbie who has asked more than her share of redundant Qs... It took me awhile to find the Archive/FAQ and I still have a hard time searching... (I have to keep re-loading the search question for each post I want to view)...
Anyway, it was the willingness of some to answer my newbie Qs and the patience of the salty dawgs around here that kept me exploring. Now I do try to read threads before posting Qs. The point?... I think answering these redundant Qs is just a way of helping and keeping members who add to the overall benifit of the board.

 

[beth]

Personally, I've always favored a "New to the Hobby" forum. However, for questions that are very repetitive, like, "How do I adjust my prizm?, then I think we can just explain that the topic has been covered and direct the person to the search feature.
In the Disease Forum, we do this alot, then offer additional help, if the member needs more help after using serach. I see no problem with that and it should keep some of repeat questions down somewhat. But be tackful so as not to make new folks to the BB feel like a moron or a hassle. There are plenty of BB's out there that make new hobbyists feel that way, and, as Sammy said, we feel very strongly here that SWF.com will not be like that.

 

[heavenly damsel]

This BB must be doing something right, obviated by the number of members. If we had a newbie forum...who would answer the questions? Personally, I would rather see a frag forum than a newbie forum. Although the same questions may be asked, sometimes the answers contain something new from someone who didn't answwwer the last time it was asked.
Redundant questions don't bother me at all.
The only stupid question is the one not asked.

 

[rockster]

IMO, this hobby is as dynamic as the nature we are trying to immitate and as such things change and ideas evolve. What appeared to be true before may not be necessarily so today. Many things have changed such as undergravel filters, use of crushed corals, etc. have and are becoming obsolete. It may be irritating to many to see the same question over and over but someone, somewhere may hopefully have read some innovative ideas and share it to everyone. Just my 2 cents

 

[rockster]

Oh, I would suggest though, a spell-check for common English words. I think we ought to be conscious about our spelling here because it reflects on our group. I know spelling is the last thing we need to worry about but it is more pleasing to read and somehow elevates this BB to a higher level. (Note, I don't mean it has to be perfect, a few slips of the finger here and there is OK but not those haphazardly written threads)

 

[reeferkeeper]

unheard again