Listing the number of years you have been in the hobby.

[Anonymous]

well-my real name isn't here, so some of you may not believe me :wink:

been a f/w hobbyist since '71, and s/w since '76.

started working in lfs's in '77

been on and off in s/w since then, and in the retail/wholesale/distribution part of the industry on and off since then, here and abroad.(from 'good' (and bad) independents to 'crappy' chains) :wink:

always had f/w, continuously.

started true 'reefkeeping' around '90

broke down my last reef tank around '99

always reading, always learning, and trying to help others w/what i know.

problem is, the more you learn-the more you realize you don't know :wink:

 

[Reef Guy11]

Hello Everyone, I have been into F/W for a little over 2 yrs, and into reef Keeping for about a 1 1/2 yrs now I would say that now that i have been reading and listening to other people that i have learned what to do and what not to do. Like my frist reef was a 35 tall lasted 2 months then it crashed, but since i have read and done thigs different i think i am doing a lot better than before i learn new stuff everyday and i help people everyday. I work yes at petco but i don't listen to Corp. bull $#!% and now that i am the Fish guy there i have been making a different there i take what i learn from here and apply it over there. I even tell people that want to start a reef or FO tank to come and check out the site and read up on it. Because you want to enjoy your tank not Cursing at it and throwing money away. Well that is all from Me I love learning from Everyone I may not help as much as i should but when i find that someone on here is going through the same problem i have then i help but if i don't know then i wait for replys so that way if i ever run into a problem like that i can have that knowledge.

 

[Anonymous]

2 months, almost 3 8O


BTW Reefguy. My eyes are bleeding after reading that last post. Those were some of the longest sentences I have ever seen. :lol:

 

[LittleFish1]

I'm new here & new in reef tank. Started 3 years ago in FO tank. Switched to Reef 4 months ago. Yet to understand this reef business. Btw, mine is a 30gal.

 

[Carpentersreef]

problem is, the more you learn-the more you realize you don't know :wink:

How true....

So sign up for a MACO class... go on, I dare you.......

Mitch :wink:

 

[ChrisRD]

problem is, the more you learn-the more you realize you don't know :wink:

That about sums up my thoughts - lol.

I started into FW tropicals about 20 years ago (but I was into goldfish even earlier than that ).

I started into SW about 11 years ago, but just (finally) setup a reef tank last year. I've been following the reef literature closely for about 6 years now.

 

[Apophis924]

I think it would be great, if we rated people based on how long they have been in the hobby. You can be a reefer for 50 years but if you just join and make a post , a lot of people are not going to take you seriously for a while unless you just rain down a lot of complex chemistry and biology lessons. I think years of successful experience should be a critiera rather than number of post, anyone can ask a thousand questions. I mean we have the date we joined why not add a date we considered ourelseves reefers. I know we have all had that ONE momnet when we look at our tank and suddenly realise WOW , i did it. Or no algae, Ph good, ca++ good. corals open, glass clean, corralline growing wild. And have money left in the wallet. That is the day i became a reefer. LOL

 

[Supergenius74]

I am new to this board and fairly new to reefkeeping, my tank is only 5 months old and 55g. I have kept FW for 3 years and my wife is a biologist so that has to account for something! Anyway I have helped my sister with her SW tank(s) for the last 4 years and I have even worked at a pet store for a short while. I am no expert and like everyone I am always learning but I have taken my time and used patience to become very successful in this hobby, I haven't lost a fish in a couple years. I think the most important thing anyone can do in fishkeeping is to learn how nature works, undertand how an ecosystem operates and do your best to replicate it in a controlled environment. So many new aquarist treat fish like dogs, you feed them and they are fine. Dogs aren't really taken out of their natural environment but fish are completely seperated from the normal location and it's our responsibility to re-produce that environment. I too am always planning that "bigger" tank, every time I go to shedds aquarium in chicago my mind wanders and fantasy takes over! hehe

 

[bowser]

I've been keeping saltwater for about 2 1/2 years. Started out with reef although mainly softies.
As for general fishkeeping, I've been keeping freshwater fish off and on for around 30 years.

 

[Anonymous]

Hey Vitz.....do you have a tank goin now?..or did your LFS experience tire you out?

 

[kipreefer]

2 years i have been doing it. With what i feel is like 4 years worth of experience. I think i will have a reef tank every time i am settled somewhere for the rest of my life.

 

[Anemone]

This thread is a little funny in that some folks are attempting to assign credibility based upon years in the hobby (or claimed years in the hobby), in much the way another thread wants people to use their real names for credibility purposes.

Years in the hobby doesn't necessarily correspond to credibility. I do message board monitoring over on AOL ( among other places :roll: ) and have had more than one "discussion" with folks who've been in the hobby for years (one who even had his own aquarium maintenance service) who have claimed that undergravel filters are all that one needs, that live rock is bad for the tank, and EGADS! - kill those bristleworms!

If you still think years in the hobby have anything to do with credibility, go to a LFS, and listen to the owner talk about how he's been selling saltwater for 20 years, then go ahead and buy that $40 "Anemone Rock" (aiptasia) that he's selling and put it in your reef :twisted:

So, years in the hobby may be interesting, but IMO, some folks with less than a year in the hobby are beter informed than some who have been around much longer.

FWIW, I can easily remember how long I've been in the SW reef hobby - the January '94 Northridge earthquake, um, launched my new hobby when it wiped out my FW tank (always fun to pour water and gravel out of the ventilation grill on the back of your VCR and TV).

Kevin

 

[LFS42]

So Vitz do you still keep a tank?
I got into the LFS 2 years ago on a part time basis to learn more about the hobby.
True it's only a part time gig, no way i'd pay the bills on what they pay me.

 

[dizzy]

This thread is a little funny in that some folks are attempting to assign credibility based upon years in the hobby (or claimed years in the hobby), in much the way another thread wants people to use their real names for credibility purposes.

Years in the hobby doesn't necessarily correspond to credibility. Kevin

Kevin,

No one said it did and if you go to page one, you'll see I said pretty much the same thing. The spot should be there for people that want to provide this information. If your length of time in the hobby embarasses you then leave it blank. If you inflate your experience and give stupid answers you will look like a dumb as$ or a duck head. It is just one tool to help evaluate the quality of the information provided by the posting party. Too many people just repeat stuff they read, and heresay is not as valuable as experience. It would be interesting if nothing else.

 

[ChrisRD]

IMO trying to make the case that experience in the hobby is meaningless is just as silly as trying to say that it's all that matters.

IME the most reliable information has come from aquarists that are both well informed AND experienced.

 

[Bobzarry]

about 30 years and I dont know jack


Bob

 

[Garry thomas]

Hello mitch, the only problem with that , is that the more years you have dont gaurantee that you are a good reef keeper and thats not aimed at you

 

[Anemone]

IMO trying to make the case that experience in the hobby is meaningless is just as silly as trying to say that it's all that matters.

I don't think anyone was making that point.

IME the most reliable information has come from aquarists that are both well informed AND experienced.

Exactly!

Kevin

 

[tampavii]

Hi Guys
Sorry for jumping in here but need some questions answer from experienced reefers
Any suggestions welcome

http://reefs.org/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=24810

thanks Capt Gene

 

[esmithiii]

3 years.

Ernie