What is more important in this hobby, knowledge or money?

[Prestigereef]

What is more important in this hobby, knowledge or money?

Does more money give you greater success?

Knowledge allows you to identify and fix problems, where as money allows you to have the latest gadgets essentially making the hobby easier

Let me know what you think, I'm creating a youtube video on it and for once I really am undecided with regards to which side I think is more important.

If I had to pick one I'd say knowledge but its pretty close.

 

[Tft12]

I say knowledge by a long shot. A lot of knowledge and a little money can get you a functional, if not flashy, reef system. A lot of money and little knowledge would get you an expensive and rotting box of dead stuff.

 

[DancingShark]

Not even a question. Knowledge.

 

[marlinmon]

It’s kind of like golf. It takes more than just fancy clubs to play well.

 

[Prestigereef]

I say knowledge by a long shot. A lot of knowledge and a little money can get you a functional, if not flashy, reef system. A lot of money and little knowledge would get you an expensive and rotting box of dead stuff.

I agree with what you are saying, when you referring to someone that has very little knowledge, however lets say you have someone that has been in the hobby for a couple of years, but only kept easy corals.
A dosing pump would significantly increase their chance of success with acroporas.

Does more money in this hobby, give you greater success... thats probably the best question to ask

 

[Raising Reef.]

I would argue as a tank maintenance service guy money as you can pay someone with the knowledge to care for the tank.

 

[Daniel@R2R]

I say knowledge by a long shot. A lot of knowledge and a little money can get you a functional, if not flashy, reef system. A lot of money and little knowledge would get you an expensive and rotting box of dead stuff.

Agreed! Knowledge with limited money will leave you with a less flashy (as far as equipment is concerned), but healthy reef. However, money without knowledge will make you pretty much a bull in a china shop and will actually make you a danger to the livestock you're keeping. I'd actually wish (at some level) people had money in proportion to their knowledge

 

[Daniel@R2R]

Does more money in this hobby, give you greater success... thats probably the best question to ask

I think the answer is definitely maybe... In the above example, if I have a dosing pump but don't know how to dial it in or understand the basics of acro care, that actually makes me far less likely to succeed than someone who is limited to manually dosing but has the knowledge to know proper care for acros. So, again, it comes back to needing sufficient knowledge to utilize the tools/toys properly.

Money does definitely make things easier, but I think contrasting it with knowledge is probably not a good contrast to make. It's kind of like asking if good running shoes make a good runner...the answer is that they help, but only if everything else about the runner is fit enough for success.

 

[ca1ore]

Knowledge allows you to spend less money …… However, I'm a big proponent of buying quality gear, which generally cost more initially but saves more in the long run.

 

[Foothill Corals]

Knowledge,

Some of the most impressive tanks are ran on minimal equipment.

Many of the exotic expensive builds fail and are up for sale a year or two down the road.

 

[Porpoise Hork]

I'd have to say knowledge.

I would argue as a tank maintenance service guy money as you can pay someone with the knowledge to care for the tank.

While this is true, what happens if say said service guy is unavailable, or it's 2 am on a Sunday and you have a major equipment failure etc.

 

[sp1187]

money.
equipment, livestock, maintenance all cost.
knowledge is free all over the net.

 

[Coastie Reefer]

Knowledge, hands down. The guys that did this in the beginning didn't have all the fancy gadgets. They made do with with what was available and made the things that weren't. You don't need fancy equipment to have an awesome reef. I keep SPS just fine and have never run a skimmer, or even a sump for that matter.

 

[Prestigereef]

I think the answer is definitely maybe... In the above example, if I have a dosing pump but don't know how to dial it in or understand the basics of acro care, that actually makes me far less likely to succeed than someone who is limited to manually dosing but has the knowledge to know proper care for acros. So, again, it comes back to needing sufficient knowledge to utilize the tools/toys properly.

Money does definitely make things easier, but I think contrasting it with knowledge is probably not a good contrast to make. It's kind of like asking if good running shoes make a good runner...the answer is that they help, but only if everything else about the runner is fit enough for success.

That is a very well thought out response

 

[ca1ore]

Many of the exotic expensive builds fail and are up for sale a year or two down the road.

I encourage wealthy people to buy lots of fancy gear ….. so I can buy it from them for 30 cents on the dollar when they quit ….. thank you very much!!! I built up a world-class audio system this very same way …..

 

[sp1187]

I'd have to say knowledge.



While this is true, what happens if say said service guy is unavailable, or it's 2 am on a Sunday and you have a major equipment failure etc.

then you will need more money to replace the failed equipment.

 

[Raising Reef.]

I'd have to say knowledge.



While this is true, what happens if say said service guy is unavailable, or it's 2 am on a Sunday and you have a major equipment failure etc.

Is this not true if you are on holiday and there isn’t a knowledgeable person there when disaster strikes we all run the risk when we leave our tanks unattended or in the care of others.

I use my knowledge to fund my tank by looking after others tanks and they have much more money than i do but my reef is nicer than there’s but if I had no money I would have no tank.

 

[tankstudy]

What is more important in this hobby, knowledge or money?

Does more money give you greater success?

It varies from person to person. If your ultimate goal is success, than paying someone who is well versed in the reefing knowledge will get you there if you have trouble understanding and applying the science. While learning the science and applying it yourself will also get you there as well.

 

[KrisReef]

I have gained the knowledge that with enough money I could live in Indo-China on a yatch and dive and snorkel in situ and avoid all of the difficulties of trying to maintain a captive reef.

Many posters have indicated, that these elements work together towards the same goal. We need some of both if we are going to approach and arrive in life and this hobby.

 

[jhatfield]

Knowledge. BUT, If I had the money I'd have a much more stable system (lots more automation) with way better light coverage. Plus I'd have access much more livestock (read, cool colors and behaviors) then I currently do. Money, allows one to obtain the right tool for the right job which makes all the difference in making any hobby enjoyable vs. a complete disaster.

Thanks to the time we live in Knowledge is the easiest part of this hobby to obtain. It's just a matter of googling the right word combination. Many have had your exact problem before you and the solution to that problem is documented somewhere.

Money on the other hand... way more difficult to obtain.