getting technical

[mralgae]

Getting technical

Is it just me or is fish/plant keeping getting out of hand?
Since starting back over 12mths ago and becoming involved more with aquatic plants than fish , I have learnt a hell of a lot of what to do and what NOT to do, with the help of such excellent & friendly forums as we have in tropical world.
My concern is that the hobby is becoming seriously over technically flooded with all sorts of arguments as to do or not to do. I know I have touched on this subject in the passed on TW as in who is right and who is wrong? And in the end I go with if it works then do it. If it doesn’t then don’t do it.
I am touching this subject again as being a member of a number of different forums this is a major issue all over the world.
There is at the moment a major discussion and slanging match between two very well know so called planted tank enthusiasts one thinking his way is right & the other is wrong, over in the uk who are connected with pfk magazine.
Although I am not against a good discussion on a topical subject, it really is getting out of hand.
As a result one gent has been invited to join the forum of the other to answer members questions, and he has accepted the invitation no problem. He is what would be known as ‘’from the old school’’ with over 50 yrs fish/plant keeping experience under his belt. the forum in question is of a high tech new tech type forum and all but a few members are set in there ways as much as the other is in his.
Not that this has anything to do with me but my concerns are that for the newcomer to this great hobby would be totally disillusioned with all the arguing and for so called experts thrashing this out is totally under minding what the hobby is all about ‘’fish/plant keeping.
It is also off putting on a forum of this nature for a new member or guest to walk in on this type of argument on which all the newcomer wants is to learn about their new hobby, not who is right or who is wrong.
As with every thing there is always two sides to every story but a time and place also.
‘’ is it just me or is fish/plant keeping getting out of hand?
Or am I just getting old?

[dumpystig]

Good evening MrAlgae, I agree with what you say. I will seek and gladly take advice from others more in the know than myself, but if two people offered differing advice it would be up to me to think logically about the suggestions and then try one or the other, or both, and then to decide which worked best for me. Each to his own, I say.
BTW, I may be seeking your recommendations on plants for my tank soon

[karen]

Yeah i agree too,im a member on a couple of well know forums with thousands of members and it always the same there someone would ask a question and then you would have a fella thats been fishkeeping a long time and another fella would has been fishkeeping not as long both of them give advice then they just totally disagree with each other and it turns into a huge argument,at the end of the day something may work for one person and not for another and i think people go way overboard with it all.

[mralgae]

hi dumpystig, hope you well and happy.
dont get me wrong on this, as i say all open for a good discussion on any topic but it gets out of hand the way its going.
yes your right it is down to the idividual in the end.
any help i can give with your plants i will give glady.

[mralgae]

its a shame when it gets like this and very off putting. there is two forums i no longer bother with because of costent arguments.
if you remember i asked about types of fish i could kepp together in the new 240. angels/discus & neons. i asked the same question on another forum and that ended up 3 members battleing it out between themselves. crazy......

[karen]

People have completely lost the plot altogether,like i said your angels/discus,neons combination may work for you and not for me in the end its your choice, when it turns into a huge argument not many people would go back to that forum and ask for help because of arguments.

[dave]

I agree with all of the above.Lots of people get very technical,and fiercly defend their ways,Ihave no problem at all with that,except sometimes they can get a bit too critical of other peoples ways and beliefs.(havnt seen it on this forum)An example for me,and I think I have mentioned this in another post,is that a mate and I had several species,inc angels,tetras,corys,betta,cichlids,(a good mix)all spawning in (mostly) community tanks.Never once was any form of test kit used,water changes were done rather infrequently,no idea what ph was,I know it sounds bad,but the fish all seemed happy and as I say,were spawning frequently.Since we both gave in and got test kits,yhe only difference is the worry we get when the figures arent what they "should" be.Neither of us lost any fish either.
I think its good to have some level of debate,as long as it dosnt get too personal.We all learn through this.

[mralgae]

well it has finaly happend. the forum i was talking about has ended up having to appologise to one memeber because of the slagging he was given over his way off running his tanks.
its a shame when such a great hobby turns into a battle against two well known aquarists, one just stateing what he thinks and the other saying its his way or no way.

[karen]

well at least that forum has appolgised to its member but i doubt it will last very long till it happens again.