RC Exodus of Experts

[fakename]

I have been using reefcentral since before I jumped into this hobby 6 months ago. RC is certainly a great collection of experts and knowledge, but unfortunately is also a real collection of egos as well.
In my opinion (and it is only my opinion) what has happened at RC is something that is happenning in many areas of our society. Rudeness has become acceptable. Where a few years ago someone might say "a 20 gal tank isn't big enough for a tang, and it would be cruel to keep it there", the norm is now something more like "What sort of idiot would keep a tang in a 20 gal tank, IT IS NOT BIG ENOUGH." Although the information is the same, the message is totally different. (If you page through the newbie forum of RC, you'll see many examples.)
In many areas of modern society it is now acceptable to treat others, especially those who are not personally known, rudely. One only has to take a short drive in traffic or walk on a crowded sidewalk to see strangers behave badly towards one another. Online systems, especially those that offer relative anonymity are often even worse.
The funny thing is that most people in this hobby are educated, articulate, and polite in day to day life and would never dream of treating anyone in real life like they do on the boards.
I've mainly migrated over to CanReef, because I find the company here more pleasent. I think this is in part due to the fact that it is a nice group of people on this board, but even more because most people on this board are personally known to at least one other member. Rather than a community of total strangers CanReef is a web of personal aquantinances, and that pushes us in the direction of politeness.
The exodus of experts at RC is, to me, just the final straw in an escalating battle of intolerance, rudness, hot heads and big egos.
My 2 cents worth...
Cheers,
Aaron

[trilinearmipmap]

Originally Posted by fakename

what has happened at RC is something that is happenning in many areas of our society. Rudeness has become acceptable. Where a few years ago someone might say "a 20 gal tank isn't big enough for a tang, and it would be cruel to keep it there", the norm is now something more like "What sort of idiot would keep a tang in a 20 gal tank, IT IS NOT BIG ENOUGH." Although the information is the same, the message is totally different.

Agreed.

Also I have noticed it is easy to bash someone over the internet because there if no fear that they will retaliate.

I don't believe in DSB but so what, how does that translate into making a personal vendetta against someone? Some very strange personalities are at play there.

It is a shame, RC used to be a good resource two or three years ago, for the past year it is just a disorganized collection of random information.

Thankfully other than a few unmemorable postings, the Canreef forum seems just about the opposite of RC. Lots of information and opinions, supportive and friendly people on this board. Even if you post a pic of an empty tank full of barren rocks you will get posts complimenting your little masterpiece.

[SeaHorse_Fanatic]

Let's all learn from RC's negative experience & keep Canreef a place that welcomes discussion and shared experiences.

Happy New Year everyone

Anthony

[reeferaddict]

Originally Posted by CptCleverer

I've heard the Eastern European aquacultured albino hynopora REQUIRE a good whiz every week or so (depending on volume) to ensure a healthy exoskeleton when they split. However, this will only work if the tank does not have BB or DSB. A UK PHD told me he could COD authentic PP to me, confidentially.

Excuse me while I go "top-up" my tank.

Haha! That almost made me PP on my DSB, but I had to have my BB spanked first...

[StirCrazy]

RC lost its use about 2 years ago. it basically got to big for its own good and the mods had to go to extremes to control it. at any rate good to see them experts setting out on there own, looks like you will have to pay for access to there new place but oh well maybe that will keep the riff raff out and make it a pleasant place. Anthony is already at reef frontiers (has been there about 1 year now) so I never needed to go to RC to see his writings.

Originally Posted by AndyL

I see some of the "lobbying" (and baiting by some of these lobbyests) that caused this meltdown even here. We all need to realize, that while there are new (and some promising) methods to keep a reef out there. But we don't need the lobbying that we've seen on RC in regards to BB instead of DSB/SSB, cooking rocks etc. This hobby is rather new and is still largely developing - this whole lobbying / "my way is the only way to keep a tank", shouldn't be tolerated by members or staff. Yes, anyone should be allowed to voice their opinion as to what works for them, but the "Your DSB will kill your tank" "You've got to cook your rocks or you will have phosphate problems" needs to end.

My .02

Andy

come on now, your just trying to bate people to cause a melt down no one said "my way is the only way to keep a tank" well maybe Bob (just kidding Bob) but no one has come out with a statement like that.

also "Your DSB will kill your tank". this is totally made up and stretched a little as the wost I have seen is after a period of time a DSB will start to cause algae problems and the only long term way to correct it is the removal of the DSB. but I really would like to see where you got that statement from.

and finally "You've got to cook your rocks or you will have phosphate problems" do you read left to right like normal people you cook rock because you have phosphate problems not to prevent them. cooking rocks is for more than just phosphate, it is well knowen that rock gets plugged up with junk after time and its effectiveness decreases. "cooking" is just a way of rejuvenating your rock instead of buying new stuff.

Hmmm Andy you don't work for a LFS do you? seams your against things that will save you money

[michika]

I agree with Andy.

Sometimes we all just need to take a step back, breath in an out a few times, and just realized that doing something one way or another isn't the end of the world.

I personally don't frequent RC anymore after having been burnt pretty bad over a few basic newby questions when I first started in the hobby. It comes down to how many people interact with each other and how there is a difference between face to face contact and annonymous written communication.

Basically who cares what the exodus is over, it happened. Everyone in this thread seems to have a handle on why it happened, or what the contributing factors were and are. This is probably a good time for Canreef to reinforce or reiterate what type of behaviors and manners that we'd like to see and continue to see from members and staff. Live and learn from it I guess.

[AndyL]

Originally Posted by StirCrazy

come on now, your just trying to bate people to cause a melt down no one said "my way is the only way to keep a tank" well maybe Bob (just kidding Bob) but no one has come out with a statement like that.

No haven't seen it quite so boldly stated - but we did see that kind of comment from some of the RC'ers. Luckily us canadians have a bit more tact it seems

As for the rest of it, I can't be bothered to argue about dsb/ssb/bb/rock cooking etc. I restrict my arguing to getting purchase orders out of construction companies.

As far as I'm concerned, I don't care what method people use, as long as it works for them. My methods work for me, and that's all I really care about.

Andy

[blood_hound]

MY WAY IS THE BEST WAY FOR REEF KEEPING!!!!! MY WAY OR THE HIGHWAY..

MELTDOWN STARTS IN FIVE SECONDS


FIVE


FOUR


THREE

TWO

ONE


Booooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo oooooooom




Im Melting....ahhhhhhhhhh lol



Really why do you guys call arguing about dsb/ssb/bb/rock cooking and other things a meltdown don't you guys enjoy reading about what other want to say and what is their experience. I mean its really the only way to find out what work for most out there and whats not unless you want to experement with your tank.....

[saltynuts]

ok ok i think we need a group hug!

[Johnny Reefer]

I AM CANADIAN!

But seriously, folks....I think one great tool to use to avoid the "my way or the highway" syndrome is four letters...IMHO....uh, IMHO.

After reading some of the comments in this thread I think I will concentrate on using IMHO more often....IMHO.

Maybe someday I'll feel comfortable graduating from IMHO to IMO, but for now it's IMHO, IMHO. (Newbie here).

Another good tool is . Even when your really PO'ed resist using and click instead....IMHO.

Oh, and it's a good idea to avoid threads like this....IMHO.
Ha! Isn't that a Catch 22!

Cheers :-),