Information sources...

[DiverDude]

Originally Posted by nlreefguy

In general I agree, but for something like "is this a good protein skimmer?", one can only rely on the experiences of others since there are no formal reviews or research on such things, in general.

Actually, while this seems to be a good question to ask, you have to realize that unless you are VERY specific as to your requirements and trust that the person(s) replying have carefully considered all your requirements (and have the expertise in the first place), then the quality of the information you get can be quite poor.

To use the skimmer example, you would need to describe your system in detail -system volume, reef/FOWLER, SPS or LPS dominated, fish type and quantity (today and where you expect to go with it in the future) etc. etc.

The person replying should have used a particular skimmer on a similar system and should point out any differences that may be a factor.

This rarely happens though so what you get is what was a good skimmer for THEM but may be less than ideal for you -because you have different needs. This is, in part, why books usually steer clear of that kind of information and stick with conceptual information, like how a skimmer works and the different types.

Take anything you read here (or on any forum) with a grain of (sea) salt. No one will intentionally steer you wrong but the information you get may not be best for you an your setup. Of course, you should never blindly follow what anyone suggests either -look for a consensus from a number of people before you act.