Levels of expertise at reefkeeping

[Tarasco]

I think of myself as a beginner. I'm still learning about lighting, plumbing, and do-it-yourself stuff. I keep reading as much as possible, cuz there's always something else out there to know. I figure that when I can answer all the questions that people ask on these boards, then I'll qualify as an "expert," but until then I'm soaking up as much as possible.

 

[tankgirl]

Me, too! I worry that once I learn it all, I might become bored with the hobby. I read somewhere that the avg length of time in the hobby is 6 years!!

 

[Craig Manoukian]

Two years and hanging in there!

:smirk:

 

[dwall174]

Two years FOWLR just getting into reefs

 

[Pro_builder]

TG,
I was worried about getting bored with this hobby too. Then having all this money into a hobby that I wasn't interested in anymore.
I have been in Saltwater for over a 18 months. I am not even close to knowing everything about this hobby. I don't think I will ever know everything to this Hobby, at least before I die.
I think I am safe to say that I will be in this one for a long time.

 

[tankgirl]

Cheers, Craigy!!

Hi dwall, Congrats on getting your toes wet in saltwater!

Hi Pro, Yeah, hopefully, we'll never get bored. I can't see how we could ever know everything.

 

[Craig Manoukian]

Originally posted by tankgirl
I can't see how we could ever know everything.

Bingo!

:smirk:

 

[Cougra]

Originally posted by Pro_builder
TG,
I was worried about getting bored with this hobby too. Then having all this money into a hobby that I wasn't interested in anymore.
I have been in Saltwater for over a 18 months. I am not even close to knowing everything about this hobby. I don't think I will ever know everything to this Hobby, at least before I die.
I think I am safe to say that I will be in this one for a long time.

I can understand getting bored with the hobby even if you don't know everything. Have you noticed that most people don't have the same tank set up for more then 2 years before they upgrade or sell most of the inhabitants to get new ones? Why is that? I've noticed that hobbyists actually get bored fairly quickly and are driven to do something else for the challenge of it. However, there comes a point when you wonder if all the effort and time and money you have out into the hobby was really worth it when things get stable and changes are few and far between. You've been over the initial learning curve, upgraded your tank and/or equipment enough, bought as much as you feel you can put in the tank without endangering the balance and inhabitants and only have occasional maintenance to do. There are two main choices at this point, tear down the tank (take a break) or make some substantial changes.

Also the money issue is a huge part of why a lot of people get out of the hobby. Lets face it we are pouring money down the drain, our tanks cost a lot of money but aren't a true assest from a financial point of view, very few if any of us will ever get anywhere near as much out of the tank as we put into it. Eventually you start weighing how important that tank is to justify the cost.

No, I strongly believe that we can't know everything and anything, but I can understand getting bored and wanting out. I also beleive that being able to move past these wanes in aquarium maintenance also greatly contributes to your experience level in the hobby. It's a time of reflection and reevaluation of what this hobby means to you and realising what you are willing to sacrifice to be able to have a tank.

Sorry idle thoughts flowing here, didn't mean to bore or depress anyone!

 

[jlserr]

If I look at the past (2.5 years ago), I would consider myself an expert but if i look forward I would say I'm a very beginner...

I think I'm intermediate but the road is very very very long and the full knowledge is unreachable

 

[64Ivy]

Been learning since '78 so I'd definitely have to say beginner. Ask me again in a few million years.

 

[tankgirl]

Cheers, everyone! Good info and thoughts!

Michelle, No that's not depressing - it's just reflective on our own nature. I wonder, too, about the time element and my own tendency to obsess.

I took piano lessons as a kid, and decided as a 20-something to see how good I could get, obsessive about it for a couple of years - felt I got as good as I would ever get - and got bored. Then, I took cello lessons - another 5 or 6 years - practiced really hard - but after those years, I just got tired of spending all my time on that one thing. Same thing happened with my sailboat - I could have kept it, but it was consuming all my time and after a few years, I just didn't want to spend All my time on that same thing.

I wonder if it's human nature to go overboard, then bail to correct our excess.

I'm sure part of that 6 year avg in the hobby was based on older technology and some heartbreak and frustration over mishaps, too. Wonder if the avg will be more years, now that tech and knowledge is improving?

Michael - '78!!!! Yow, that's 27 years!
I know you spend a lot of time on your reef - if you don't consider yourself an advanced reefer, no one can!

 

[jlserr]

Originally posted by tankgirl
...Michael - '78!!!! Yow, that's 27 years!
I know you spend a lot of time on your reef - if you don't consider yourself an advanced reefer, no one can!

It's worse. In that scale there are not intermediates

 

[Cougra]

Originally posted by tankgirl
Cheers, everyone! Good info and thoughts!

Michelle, No that's not depressing - it's just reflective on our own nature. I wonder, too, about the time element and my own tendency to obsess.

I'm glad you didn't find it depressing.

Originally posted by tankgirl

I'm sure part of that 6 year avg in the hobby was based on older technology and some heartbreak and frustration over mishaps, too. Wonder if the avg will be more years, now that tech and knowledge is improving?

I doubt the fustrations with old tech is the problem, you get the same thing happening with Freshwater tanks and the equipment and understanding is well beyond anything that we have here with Marine tanks.

 

[tankgirl]

Michelle, yeah that's a good point! What do you think about the obsess and correct idea?

jl - also a good point!

 

[Cougra]

TG, I think that's a plausable explaination. I also think that everytime you can get over one of those wains in interest and intensity you become more entangled in the hobby in question and less likely to get out of it.


Yes JL you're correct with that statement!

 

[Craig Manoukian]

Well I voted finally, intermediate it is for obvious reasons.

:smirk:

 

[tankgirl]

Michelle, great thoughts! I've noticed that is true of marraiges, at least. Every little test I survive makes my marraige stronger. My born response to trouble was to cut and run, so that was really an eye opener for me. Life, the universe, and reef tanks... what doesn't kill you makes you stronger?

 

[mattie]

i am intermediate level becouse i know little about most topics with marine fish but would not say i have mastered any one topic i have had 6 different S/W fish tanks for over 14years

 

[kfra]

I think after 1.5yrs I am still a beginner. have read alot (my brain hurts). Have 2 tanks both are doing great. but I still have so much to learn.

 

[Imperator]

Hmmmm.

I hit advanced.I did and do know alot but one thing with that is that you can never say "You know it all" or are a "Authority".I have brainstormed problems with customers many times and after the fact,everyone involved learned something.When people have your confidence and respect you it is tempting to be the know it all even when your over your head.Myself,I'd rather ask for help and learn something and pass the knowledge on.What I'm trying to say in my convoluted way is that no one knows everything.
I've talked to and met truly brilliant people(Yes,you'd recognize some of the names) in this hobby that were really in love with themselves and I got the impression they'd rather lose an animal than ask for help or admit that someone else knew something they didn't.
I was invited to a home of one of my customers for a "meeting" of reefers(there was talk of starting a club) and a situation came up about a bacterial infection on a angelfish that belonged to a minor celeb in the reef world. Now don't get me wrong,this guy knows reefs and this hobby like no one's business.I offered to drive 50 miles to use injectable antibiotics on this Angel.Even with 2 people in the room vouching for this being efffective,he wasn't interested and went on his merry way.I heard he lost this 12 yr old fish several weeks later.
Kinda sad to be that insecure