When is a Newbie No Longer a Newbie?
 

After 1 year? 2 years? 3 years? Never?

Can this even be measured?

Is it up to the individual themselves to proclaim "Alas! I am no longer a newbie"...?

Or do our peers decide? "Yes, you may have 3 years experience, but you are still a newbie". Is this right?

Maybe we never stop being newbies. After all, there is alot to learn, and I doubt anyone of us has all the answers. We are all constantly learning.

What is a "newbie"?

I figure I'm still a newbie, but with seven years experience :biggrin:

I figure there's no end to learning. Still, once you start answering more questions than you are asking, you're probably not a "newbie" anymore. You can renew your status anytime by diving into something you haven't done before.

I'm clearly still a newbie.

Matthew

I have been around fish for 45 years, and still a newbie in some areas. :mrgreen:

I consider myself an experienced, humble newbie... I have done more reading than I thought possible on this hobby, from practical guides, to scientific studies to other people's experiences, but will never close my mind to learning more and sharing what I know and have observed, even mistakes. I have been humbled myself by some of the ingenuity shown by genuine "newbies", and as with most things in life have found that some of the best solutions can indeed come from people who "know" the least... those people that don't yet know enough to only think within the confines of what is generally "accepted".

I would say you are no longer a newby when you are prepared to start looking for answers on your own and sharing your results with the rest of us!!

Larry

I've been doing this since I was 15 yrs old. and I think i'm still a newbie since I still got bunch thing I dont know about this hobby :confused: which I don't know why, there something that I suppost to know but some how the info is not retain in my head :eek: :eek: :cry: :cry: I think it started when I hit my head when I crash my bike 3 years ago :lol: :lol: :mrgreen: :mrgreen:

I think to realy define this you have to split the hobby up into areas, like building, hardware, invertabre, corals, fish ect.. I concider myself not a newbi in some areas but in others I am a very newbie, like fish them selves I know little about. Corals I can take care of but I know little about the names, but that is because I don't feel the names are important to know but others might.. so I don't think there is anyone that can real say they are not a newbi in some area.

Steve

I think you hit the nail right on the head Steve.. This hobby is so vast with respect to the ranges of expertise that the hobbyist might explore, which is why these boards can be an excellent source of information. We are all here discussing our individual observations and circumstances, asking questions, researching and responding to questions.

I would consider a "newbie" to be someone fresh into the SALTwater hobby. Once that person has a firm grasp of the knowledge they must acquire to be successful in this hobby, then I think they can then explore the nuances and corners of the hobby. All will have successes and failures through trial and error but it is recognition and learning from these that I think separates one from being a "newbie".

I think one of the fascinating things about this hobby are all the little intricacies that attract different people. There is almost TOO MUCH to know in some regards, as I have seen some of the most spectacular systems with the simplest designs. The one thing they have in common is attentive, responsible hobbyists that maintain them, no matter how they're set up.