Is social media good or bad for the hobby?

[duke62]

So I took a little break from forums and reefing social media for a few weeks and it got me thinking. Is social media good for the hobby? Is seeing reefing 24/7 good for your mental well being or is it good for your reefing skills. What I mean by this is being in social media I burnt myself out a bit and wasn’t finding the hobby fun anymore but was searching for that fix on social media. That became a bit like a full time job and was paying less attention to the reef. Taking time away from my reef to answer questions in my DM. Also putting a issue on social media and getting 1000 responses can confuse and even hurt your reef listening to random reefers. I believe a this forum is the way to go from now on with questions because I can just look at their profile to see who is a long time reefer and has more knowledge of certain situations. Let me know what you reefers think

 

[PeterC99]

So I took a little break from forums and reefing social media for a few weeks and it got me thinking. Is social media good for the hobby? Is seeing reefing 24/7 good for your mental well being or is it good for your reefing skills. What I mean by this is being in social media I burnt myself out a bit and wasn’t finding the hobby fun anymore but was searching for that fix on social media. That became a bit like a full time job and was paying less attention to the reef. Taking time away from my reef to answer questions in my DM. Also putting a issue on social media and getting 1000 responses can confuse and even hurt your reef listening to random reefers. I believe a this forum is the way to go from now on with questions because I can just look at their profile to see who is a long time reefer and has more knowledge of certain situations. Let me know what you reefers think

I don’t consider R2R social media. I think of it more as A Reefing site where aquarists can help each other. Interesting where the topic is not about a person but rather being successful and knowledgable about reefing.

 

[duke62]

I don’t consider R2R social media. I think of it more as A Reefing site where aquarists can help each other. Interesting where the topic is not about a person but rather being successful and knowledgable about reefing.

I don’t think of R2R as a social media platform. I consider it a forum for our specific hobby. In my head forums are there to help and learn and we can search for specific answers that correlate to our hobby. Where as social media platforms it’s a free for all and you really don’t learn a lot. More for entertainment

 

[flyfisher2]

Reef2Reef is what you make of it. I look at it like reading tons of books. Whatever I need I go to the Search engine, (contents) and I get a wealth of information.

 

[PeterC99]

Social Media definition -

1. websites and applications that enable users to create and share content or to participate in social networking.
   
   
   Maybe its time redefine R2R as something other than social media.

 

[flyfisher2]

Social Media definition -

1. websites and applications that enable users to create and share content or to participate in social networking.
   
   
   Maybe its time redefine R2R as something other than social media.

Reef2Reef does exactly that but like I said. It's what we as users make of it. If we are here to socialize and look at pics then it's a Reefing Face Book. If we do that AND in addition we use it as a learning and teaching tool then we have a truly exceptional website. I believe it's the later. Great people sharing opinions and knowledge to benefit each other?

 

[bReefedBaker]

So I took a little break from forums and reefing social media for a few weeks and it got me thinking. Is social media good for the hobby? Is seeing reefing 24/7 good for your mental well being or is it good for your reefing skills. What I mean by this is being in social media I burnt myself out a bit and wasn’t finding the hobby fun anymore but was searching for that fix on social media. That became a bit like a full time job and was paying less attention to the reef. Taking time away from my reef to answer questions in my DM. Also putting a issue on social media and getting 1000 responses can confuse and even hurt your reef listening to random reefers. I believe a this forum is the way to go from now on with questions because I can just look at their profile to see who is a long time reefer and has more knowledge of certain situations. Let me know what you reefers think

It’s horrible!!!! The mixed comments from some blow my mind. R2R for all my reefing needs.

 

[Lowkey reefing]

I think its good... and bad.

Forums are amazing, i mean any issue you have im sure its here posted and a systematic formula to treat it.

Now, the bad i think Instagram pics showing amazing tanks 24/7 just generally creates this perception that that is the "tank to be". I mean if your tanks spotless 24/7 hey congratulations, your doing hard work. Post it, show it off. Thats not the case, this hobby has ups, downs, and happy mediums lol. You dont generally see the medium and downs posted alot.


I just think a new commer might get higher expectations... and fail faster leaving the hobby sooner. But i have no data there to back that up.

Now, youtube can be your 911 or your worst enemy lol it just depends. I cant argue seeing an amazing tank just saying "wow" isn't nice sometimes. It gives ya goals, somthing to strive for!!

 

[Sierra_Bravo]

So I took a little break from forums and reefing social media for a few weeks and it got me thinking. Is social media good for the hobby? Is seeing reefing 24/7 good for your mental well being or is it good for your reefing skills. What I mean by this is being in social media I burnt myself out a bit and wasn’t finding the hobby fun anymore but was searching for that fix on social media. That became a bit like a full time job and was paying less attention to the reef. Taking time away from my reef to answer questions in my DM. Also putting a issue on social media and getting 1000 responses can confuse and even hurt your reef listening to random reefers. I believe a this forum is the way to go from now on with questions because I can just look at their profile to see who is a long time reefer and has more knowledge of certain situations. Let me know what you reefers think

My take: Social media, including R2R, is used by millions of people for knowledge, entertainment, and communication daily in a responsible way and without any ill affect. Social media, in and of itself, is not "bad"; it's just a resource and/or a tool. Without intending to offend and I hope the OP does not take this personnaly, but why does the issue lie with the resource and not with the user's ability to manage it?

 

[Lowkey reefing]

I mean with any hobby.... it can become an addictive thing. Reefing isnt except, it takes alot of time, alot of dedication, alot of knowledge, alot of you! Lol and so does checking Facebook, Twitter, Instagram every 5mins for like lol

 

[PeterC99]

I think its good... and bad.

Forums are amazing, i mean any issue you have im sure its here posted and a systematic formula to treat it.

Now, the bad i think Instagram pics showing amazing tanks 24/7 just generally creates this perception that that is the "tank to be". I mean if your tanks spotless 24/7 hey congratulations, your doing hard work. Post it, show it off. Thats not the case, this hobby has ups, downs, and happy mediums lol. You dont generally see the medium and downs posted alot.


I just think a new commer might get higher expectations... and fail faster leaving the hobby sooner. But i have no data there to back that up.

Now, youtube can be your 911 or your worst enemy lol it just depends. I cant argue seeing an amazing tank just saying "wow" isn't nice sometimes. It gives ya goals, somthing to strive for!!

You make very good points for pros/cons of social media!

 

[Lowkey reefing]

You make very good points for pros/cons of social media!

Thank you,

I like seeing amazing reefs!! Social media brings that to you forsure.

I like getting good knowledge from what i consider the "grunts in field" reef2reef.com does that.

 

[thatone08]

I think its good... and bad.

Forums are amazing, i mean any issue you have im sure its here posted and a systematic formula to treat it.

Now, the bad i think Instagram pics showing amazing tanks 24/7 just generally creates this perception that that is the "tank to be". I mean if your tanks spotless 24/7 hey congratulations, your doing hard work. Post it, show it off. Thats not the case, this hobby has ups, downs, and happy mediums lol. You dont generally see the medium and downs posted alot.


I just think a new commer might get higher expectations... and fail faster leaving the hobby sooner. But i have no data there to back that up.

Now, youtube can be your 911 or your worst enemy lol it just depends. I cant argue seeing an amazing tank just saying "wow" isn't nice sometimes. It gives ya goals, somthing to strive for!!

 

[thatone08]

What my tank looked like 3-4 weeks ago.

 

[fachatga]

I think it’s good. Of course you need to sort good from bad information and ignore some people. But that’s the same as any real life situation. But without this forum many people would be completely lost. I don’t know anybody to ask questions to. My lfs owner doesn’t know anything and was giving me really bad advise. It’s not perfect but I wouldn’t expect anything to be.

 

[thatone08]

And today. Ups and downs. Now time to work on what I think is dinos in my basement tank.

 

[uhgster1]

I think that social media comes in two flavors, truly useful, and truly toxic. Some media plays like old cosmopolitan spreads showing you glamorous, no expense spared setups with little content to "motivate and inspire" but in the end they’re just show off threads that degenerate into "mine’s better than yours" threads.
This forum has genuine usable information with occasional eye candy that does inspire and motivate. It’s up to the user to decide if they want to waste their time envying or making irresponsible decisions with their money based on popularity contests.

 

[thatone08]

I love R2R. I haven’t encountered anyone’s opinions on anything non-reef related. People do disagree on stuff but it’s always seemed respectful and with the acknowledgement that there are different budgets. That’s where it gets separated from other social media for me. I love Instagram. I look at all those amazing tanks and corals, and get ideas for scapes I never would of thought of, or color combos next to each other that I find I like. Facebook I deactivated it, been happy ever since. Although I might of cut myself out of the loop for reefing clubs around me. I find it fun to welcome everyone in the hello forum. Critter iD has helped me a lot, and eventually you find the people whose opinions you trust.

 

[PeterC99]

I love R2R. I haven’t encountered anyone’s opinions on anything non-reef related. People do disagree on stuff but it’s always seemed respectful and with the acknowledgement that there are different budgets. That’s where it gets separated from other social media for me. I love Instagram. I look at all those amazing tanks and corals, and get ideas for scapes I never would of thought of, or color combos next to each other that I find I like. Facebook I deactivated it, been happy ever since. Although I might of cut myself out of the loop for reefing clubs around me. I find it fun to welcome everyone in the hello forum. Critter iD has helped me a lot, and eventually you find the people whose opinions you trust.

Very well said!!!

 

[duke62]

Like I said earlier. I don’t consider R2R a social media platform. I consider this a tool. I’m talking social media the way everyone else knows it to be starting with the big 4 social platforms