Get a book for the holydays

[snakeblitz33]

Originally Posted by florida joe
http:///forum/post/2887071
[QUOIf that guy didn't sell him that system or whatever - then new comers would not come to these boards in the first place and learn everything that they have done wrong.
TE]That is precisely my point new comers should NOT come to the boards with everything they have done WRONG when the majority of things that have done wrong are mistakes made in the fundamental understanding of the very earliest stages of our hobby and who pays the price for these fundamental mistakes made by not taking the time to do any kind of homework, the live stock

That is precisely my point new comers should NOT come to the boards with everything they have done WRONG when the majority of things that have done wrong are mistakes made in the fundamental understanding of the very earliest stages of our hobby and who pays the price for these fundamental mistakes made by not taking the time to do any kind of homework, the live stock
However, I am talking purely about humankind. It's great to say "Read a book!" But it's obvious that people aren't. that's why there's boards with info. America - we are now even enjoying instant gratification of knowledge through the internet rather then written and bound literature...
It's easier to just ask questions to people that know the answers rather then reading an entire book and not really getting but general answers.
I'm not saying that you shouldn't read a book before you begin at all. I'm all for literature. It's just that I have come to know and understand certain aspects of human life.

 

[dive girl]

I bought and read two books before I started and still made mistakes. I'm now up to 6 books and still don't have all the answers.
I like being able to ask specific questions and get answers. When I talk to my books, I've yet had one reply.

 

[florida joe]

People this is not about strictly reading a book its about where you get the foundation for this hobby IMO I don’t think giving people yes or no answers to their yes or no questions is helping propitiate good hobbyists when the questions are such that an understanding of the why is just as important if not more so then the yes or no To me its like someone purchasing a high performance racecar and posting do I need special fuel. More and more questions are being asked from people with completely set up cycled and stocked tanks that would have been in the first chapter of any marine aquarium book

 

[florida joe]

People this is not about strictly reading a book its about where you get the foundation for this hobby IMO I don’t think giving new comers yes or no answers to their yes or no questions is helping propitiate good hobbyists when the questions are such that an understanding of the why is just as important if not more so then the yes or no To me its like someone purchasing a high performance racecar and posting do I need special fuel. More and more questions are being asked from people with completely set up cycled and stocked tanks that would have been in the first chapter of any marine aquarium book. And these questions IMO should have been addressed before the tank even entered their home. This hobby is advanced to the point where entry-level hobbyists should not have problems that a little understanding before the fact would have avoided

 

[robertmathern]

Originally Posted by nitschke65
http:///forum/post/2887022
I just hope the lfs had some books on hand so that the salesperson could add one to the order. I know of a store around here where, when you look into the package deal tanks, there's all the usual equipment AND A BOOK! Unfortunately, I'm sure that's the thing that gets used the least, unless it's the right thickness to level the aquarium stand!
I'd also like to say that, I spend most of my time on this site trying to learn. I do occasionally respond to other posts with my opinion on an issue; but, I very seldom stick with any thread for very long if it is filled with misspelled words, disjointed thoughts, and confusing internet/text abbreviations. I move on to try to find intelligent thoughts that are well presented and easy to follow. The kind of information you could find in a good book. This hobby is confusing enough already.
I mean no disrespect by what I am about to say but I think this comment makes you look like an idiot. I build aeroderivitive gas turbines for a living. Did I spell it right probably not. That word is jut a fancy way of saying jet engine. So that means every time you get on a plane you just put your life in my hands. Remember I dumb I cant spell. Doctors are some of the worst spellers in the world and you put your life in there hands without a second thought. My point here is you just said you would pass up a chance to learn something or help someone out because he forgot a few puncuations and misspelled a few words. The last I remember this was not a spelling and grammer test. Now I do belive they need to read more books or at least posts. There is probably 5 in the last 3 days asking the exact question.

 

[snakeblitz33]

Joe, I'm just messing with you. Jeez. Reading and getting a basis/foundation for understanding is the key to success in this hobby. No doubt.

 

[florida joe]

Originally Posted by SnakeBlitz33
http:///forum/post/2887301
Joe, I'm just messing with you. Jeez. Reading and getting a basis/foundation for understanding is the key to success in this hobby. No doubt.
its all good my friend have a happy you and yours

 

[jrod4u]

Happy Holidays and God bless us, everyone.

 

[nordy]

About getting a book: What's interesting to me is that there is quite a mix of experience levels among members here at SWF.com. When I registered about a year ago, I had been in the hobby for about 7 years and had the basics pretty much down, or so I thought. Not. I had at least some experience and read a whole lotta posts before I asked my first question, mainly 'cause I didn't want to embarass myself

Now, I read posts from those new to SWF.com and it is obvious that some "newbies" are highly experienced in the hobby, while some folks are in the "gotta tank, what do I do now?" stage.
I try my best to answer questions that are within my personal area of experience and also try to give some background and/or advice so that people might gain some understanding of why, and not just how to do something. Yeah, I think that people really should read a book first, so that they have a decent understanding of the basics of SW fish/reef keeping but I say, go ahead and ask all the questions you have, no matter how basic, no matter how redundant, no matter how "dumb" they may seem because if you love the hobby, as I and many others out there do, there really are no "dumb" questions and better to further the knowledge amongst those who haven't picked up a book on the subject, and who therefore haven't a clue, than to stand by and not help or to not reply because someone asks "can I cycle my tank with a damsel" for the hundredth time.
Oh, and a gentle "Please read the stickies first" now and then doesn't hurt.
Grammar? Yeah some posts are absolutely illegible and incomprehensible, sometimes to the point that they get no replies until some gentle soul suggests that the OP clarify their poorly written questions. I personally cringe when I read what I can only describe as "abuse of the English language", but I do not allow said abuse to stop me from helping if I can.
I have a dream, that one day some poorly educated poster might read one of my beautifully composed replies and think that they too could reach such lofty heights of eloquence and erudition, and darn it, learn how to read, write, and speak as well as me.

(joke) (sarcasm)

 

[nitschke65]

Originally Posted by robertmathern
http:///forum/post/2887285
I mean no disrespect by what I am about to say but I think this comment makes you look like an idiot. I build aeroderivitive gas turbines for a living. Did I spell it right probably not. That word is jut a fancy way of saying jet engine. So that means every time you get on a plane you just put your life in my hands. Remember I dumb I cant spell. Doctors are some of the worst spellers in the world and you put your life in there hands without a second thought. My point here is you just said you would pass up a chance to learn something or help someone out because he forgot a few puncuations and misspelled a few words. The last I remember this was not a spelling and grammer test. Now I do belive they need to read more books or at least posts. There is probably 5 in the last 3 days asking the exact question.
I never pass up chances to learn. I just take my time to express myself as well as I can so that people can understand me. I consider this common courtesy. I wish others would do the same, as this would lead to a more efficient flow of information.
I mean you no disrespect, but I had to read through your post twice to really get the gist of what you were saying. I don't care what you do for a living, and I'll be getting on a plane tomorrow. And, doctors are known for poor handwriting, not poor spelling.

 

[nitschke65]

Originally Posted by Nordy
http:///forum/post/2887555
I have a dream, that one day some poorly educated poster might read one of my beautifully composed replies and think that they too could reach such lofty heights of eloquence and erudition, and darn it, learn how to read, write, and speak as well as me.

(joke) (sarcasm)
Look, if you keep this up it's going to be really hard for me to stay irritated!

 

[gmann1139]

Originally Posted by florida joe
http:///forum/post/2886902
Wow are you sure your from Jersey

only kidding (I am just a dumb Sicilian guy born and raised in Brooklyn) I could have not said it any better
I'm not. I'm from upstate NY, with a mother who instilled in me a love of reading that made me a well-rounded individual.
Originally Posted by vince-1961
http:///forum/post/2886906
Spelling, grammer, punctuation, verb conjugation and, for handwriting, legibility, are all important. Unfortunately, the English language has all but disappeared from our public schools where free breakfasts and federally mandated test scores reign supreme and from public media where the language is consistently massacred. Let's not even consider the implications of "ebonics" or "spanglish."
Does anyone realize that the word "transition" is a noun and cannot be used as a verb? One may make a transition from A to B or one may transit from A to B, but one does not transition from A to B. ""Transitioning" is not a word.
Does anyone remember that there are no exceptions to the rules against splitting an infinitive, ending a sentence with a preposition, or beginning a sentence with a conjunctive? Does anyone still know which form of pronoun is used as a direct object and which as an indirect object (I/me, he/him, we/us, etc.), or even the grammatical difference between a direct object and an indirect object?
Do you realize that the English language is a constantly evolving construct?
<sarcasm>You forgot to say that "you" is slang as well, that "thou" is the proper term... oh, and don't forget the "u" in words like harbour and favour. That Noah Webster was a complete terrorist.
<end sarcasm>

 

[robertmathern]

Originally Posted by nitschke65
http:///forum/post/2887570
I never pass up chances to learn. I just take my time to express myself as well as I can so that people can understand me. I consider this common courtesy. I wish others would do the same, as this would lead to a more efficient flow of information.
I mean you no disrespect, but I had to read through your post twice to really get the gist of what you were saying. I don't care what you do for a living, and I'll be getting on a plane tomorrow. And, doctors are known for poor handwriting, not poor spelling.
Well what I was refering to. It sounded like you were basicly calling people like me who cant spell dumb and not worth your time. And dr are known for poor handwriting not spelling. Dont know what I was thinking there my bad. But hell if you cant read what they write then how will you ever know if they can spell or not lol. But anyway like I said I meant no disrespect they are a few people that stated this I just qouted your post. And I just wanted to state just because someone is not good in english don't mean you can't still learn something. Afterall this hobby is scince and not english. With all this said hope you all are haveing a Merry Christmas!!!!!!!