What Needs The Most Improvement In The Hobby?

[Gareth elliott]

If more corals came with description of where the parent colony came from. depth, latitude longitude of the dive site, measurement with current meter.

Pure speculation but believe would improve our care practices and perhaps increase coral spawning in captivity if knew some basic information. perhaps reducing our need of wild collection beyond fragging.

 

[Fritzhamer]

Say whatever you feel man...

I agree 100%. That's the behind the scenes crap that throws everybody off and possibly crashes someone's tank.

It would be nice if they had a badge or something like that to show they represent a company, or are affiliated. But if people knew that, then if wouldn't appear genuine. Thus the conundrum.

One of the MACNA speakers I'm thinking of is always endorsing products. He makes YouTube videos just for those products. That's how you know it's not his normal expertise.

It does the community as a whole a giant disservice doing stuff like that. These are the experts and we look to them for helpful advice. Peddling a product you would never put in your own tank, or use, doesn't help any of the hobbyists. If anything, it devalues the advice from others who don't have that MO.

This is ilegal in the United States. You can't receive something of value in exchange for a review or favorable mention. Even if you give away said goods, you still have to disclose that it was provided free of charge.

 

[MaiReef]

1. Controllers need to be less expensive.
2. A good, new reference book with current knowledge and methods.

 

[danreefman]

More men!! We need more men!!!

 

[ca1ore]

Are these unpublished books available anywhere?

I'm not absolutely certain, but I believe some of it has appeared in the pages of Coral Magazine in articles by Scott Michael. Only he would know for sure - and the status of any copyrights that the original publisher might still have. There is/was no better series on reef fishes, so it is a great shame in my view that all of these volumes have not been published (four were published).

 

[ca1ore]

More men!! We need more men!!!

Seems like there's an over abundance of men .... I think we need more lady reefers!!!!

 

[Ramon Estevez]

For me a reefer on a slim budget I would love to see more reliable options at a reasonable price point. Whether it’s lighting, skimmers, pumps and even livestock. My 125 gallon tank has 3 fish because literally there are only a handful of fish for under 30$ in this hobby.

 

[._Z_.]

Costs associated with getting in the hobby need to come down.

This would get more people in the hobby, which would create a larger market (more customers) for companies. More customers wanting books and better pest treatment will incentivize companies to invest in getting these things. Not to mention more people would appreciate the worlds coral reefs.

I’m sure more people in the hobby would be good in a vast number of ways.

 

[Mandelstam]

This is ilegal in the United States. You can't receive something of value in exchange for a review or favorable mention. Even if you give away said goods, you still have to disclose that it was provided free of charge.

Really? You see Youtubers do that all the time. Getting some gear from some "sponsor" and then doing a review and a big shout out to the sponsor.

 

[PiscesPower]

One of the things that I feel this hobby needs is restraint. If someone asks a question in a forum, or on a FB group you don't have to weigh in. I see too many responses from folks whose experience is limited, anecdotal and not based in any scientific research. It is very confusing to people who are looking for advice from experienced aquarists/hobbyists, when someone with limited experience tells them EXACTLY what they should do. Better yet...gives some smartalec answer.

 

[jason.kennedy.98478]

This is ilegal in the United States. You can't receive something of value in exchange for a review or favorable mention. Even if you give away said goods, you still have to disclose that it was provided free of charge.

Did not know this, would you mind sharing where it says that in the CFR?

any way what this hobby needs is people to realize it's a hobby. Only Latin name for fishes and wanting irrelevant parameters of where coral were collected. Those things don't mean anything in a tank. Also people need to stop talking about skimmer efficiency of they don't have access to a protein analysis machine and a quad triple icp-ms.

Then again it's only a hobby so I shall take my own advice and quit winning.

 

[Mandelstam]

any way what this hobby needs is people to realize it's a hobby. Only Latin name for fishes and wanting irrelevant parameters of where coral were collected. Those things don't mean anything in a tank.

As just starting out in the hobby I was actually quite amazed on the lack of scientific names used. Any other hobby that I know of that deals with for example plants or animal keeping take that pretty seriously. My own opinion on the matter is that scientific names are there for a reason, to give structure and to provide information. In my profession I deal a lot with plants and trees and I could not imagine having to use only the common names. That would just make a basis for lots of confusion from all parties involved.

And no, they are not just Latin names, they are sometimes Greek or just made up names. But they can tell you a lot and when you use one there's no confusion on what species you are talking about. No two species have the same scientific name. Common names can be shared by quite a few though sometimes. Or they can sometimes give a false notion of relation to other species with similar common names.

My two cents.

Edit: For example, wouldn't the name Acropora tenuis 'Homewrecker' tell you more about the coral than just calling it Homewrecker? To me as a beginner it definitely would.

 

[Xandernfs]

I've been in and out of this hobby for a while and I would echo what many have said: More up to date books. Things change from time to time and over the past 12 years, that I have been out, somethings that were every popular are now now not. Things like Bio balls and DSBs are not the trend anymore. I have two books: The New Marine Aquarium & The Nano Reef Handbook. These books are somewhat useful but also have outdated material in them are even some of the supplies that we use are absent.

I will say that the videos that are available on sites such as BRS are EXTREMELY helpful. But call me old, there are sometimes I just want to have a book for reference rather than a video.

 

[Tony Thompson]

As just starting out in the hobby I was actually quite amazed on the lack of scientific names used. Any other hobby that I know of that deals with for example plants or animal keeping take that pretty seriously. My own opinion on the matter is that scientific names are there for a reason, to give structure and to provide information. In my profession I deal a lot with plants and trees and I could not imagine having to use only the common names. That would just make a basis for lots of confusion from all parties involved.

And no, they are not just Latin names, they are sometimes Greek or just made up names. But they can tell you a lot and when you use one there's no confusion on what species you are talking about. No two species have the same scientific name. Common names can be shared by quite a few though sometimes. Or they can sometimes give a false notion of relation to other species with similar common names.

My two cents.

If you want to know more about a coral or fish before you purchase it, then its very important to know its scientific name, Genus and Species. This way you can easilly find the information you require. IME using just a common or sometimes made up name, can be very missleading.

 

[ca1ore]

As just starting out in the hobby I was actually quite amazed on the lack of scientific names used.

I think there is a reason for this .... with SPS at least. The same species can look and grow quite differently under variable conditions of light, flow and nutrition. Citing the species name would throw a big 'ol wet blanket over a vendor's ability to sell super ultra high end rare corals for absurd prices. So, even if they knew, they wouldn't do it.

 

[Tony Thompson]

I would like to see more people within the hobby, practice it as a hobby, not just treating their aquarium and animals as some sort of ornament. When your hobby involves the responsibilty of caring for living creatures, then you should treat it with the respect it deserves and the commitment it commands.

I would like to see people putting a little bit more effort into researching their questions through recognised and reputable channels. instead of just posting basic questions to a generic audience. Especially those who are new to the hobby. IMO if you want to commit to keeping these magnificant animals then you should first commit to purchasing or borrowing a good book or reading articles online from a qualified and reputable source.

I would also like to see a greater awareness to sustainability within the hobby and greater transparency from collectors, wholesalers and retailers about there own sustainable practices.

I would like to see more movement within the hobby with regards utilising the increased knowledge and technical equipment that is at our disposal. IMO the original Berlin Method and Monaco methods are still relevant but we now have the scientific knowledge to move on. IMO the use of live rock is neither necessary or very sustainable in modern reefing and should be treat as a preferance rather than a requirement. I find it quite incredible that people still beleive that bacteria can not be kept alive in a bottle and that cycling a tank should take months.

I would like to see a levy on retail prices that would add a contribution to conservation and research projects within the fields connected to our hobby. Lets all try and put something back rather than just take.

One last point is specific to the hobby in the UK. I would love to see the big wholesalers in the USA (ORA, Quality Marine) to open up the market of their Captive Bred stock (species) to a wider range of wholesale companies in the UK and Europe.

These are just some of my own wishes and opinions, please dont take them as a statement of fact or critisism of any alternative views.

 

[tripdad]

I think what needs improvement is peoples perception that if they buy "x" brand equipment, and "y" brand salt and use "z" brand additives that success should be a slam dunk. This hobby is COMPLICATED! I don't know of another hobby where you are trying to recreate an entire ecosystem, biological system to house your "pets". Last I looked there are something like 45 elements present in sea water, not including dissolved gases, and we know very little about how some of them interact with our creatures in the wild and darn little about most of them. I just think people should cut themselves some slack, this hobby can be tough to succeed in. I know some make it look easy, and sometimes it is. But I'm not convinced that we ever really know why we fail or succeed. I think the retention rate for the hobby would be higher if people accepted what they are doing is an achievement.

 

[jda]

This hobby also needs the best of the best to engage and post again and help people out. Most of them have left and just pop back up to sell their frags and stuff. I totally understand why - they get sick and tired of arguing with the pizz-pants folks with a few months of experience who post mostly on what they read or watched in a video.

I wish that some board would offer a forum where only people who are vetted to have X amount of experience and Y success could post and help people. This could be in combination with the current forum where all opinions are equal, but if somebody could convince the best to help people daily, I would take one of these posts over twenty other ones. ...like the Chemistry forum, but for day-in-and-out methods, techniques and equipment.

BTW - it is not illegal to take gifts and shill. There are probably close to twenty folks who will post on this board today who have taken free stuff to push the agenda of a manufacturer. It is unethical in some professions like true Journalism, but even there, the advertisers buy the opinions and content of some outlets.

 

[jda]

When you buy from a wholesaler/collector, they have the scientific names. I think that it is a pretty good bet that all of them know. I can call and order a three Tenius, a Lokani, four Rosaria and four Echinata and they will send me just that (or say that they do not have them).

 

[CastAway]

An easy AEFW cure.