Google, It Works....Really it does.

[Mrc8858]

Ok I guess this is more a rant then anything which I'm not the first one on this subject and probably not the last lol but... This is a forum and its great to come here to get advice and opinions but seriously guys, its like some people have never heard of google or a search engine. A little research can go a long way and when googling aquaria related subjects more often then not an AA thread will be on the first page answering your question from a previous thread. So take some initiative guys and check out google.com or bing.com.... It really works. lol

 

[fort384]

There is definitely a time and place for google... I am a big proponent of a well placed "let me google that for you link". However, many folks new to the hobby can be overwhelmed and are looking for specific info from experienced hobbyists rather than having to wade through hundreds of links on a subject.

What I would recommend is it is acceptable to link someone to another thread on a subject that has been discussed ad nauseum or even link them to an article out there on the www. However, it ought to always be done with tact. If I get sick of answering threads on subjects like cycling and don't feel I can do so with a friendly air, I will often just skip it. Someone else will take a turn.

Remember, hopefully everyone is here to learn and discuss, so if the discussion of a particular thread doesn't interest you, you can always find another that will

 

[Mrc8858]

There is definitely a time and place for google... I am a big proponent of a well placed "let me google that for you link". However, many folks new to the hobby can be overwhelmed and are looking for specific info from experienced hobbyists rather than having to wade through hundreds of links on a subject.

What I would recommend is it is acceptable to link someone to another thread on a subject that has been discussed ad nauseum or even link them to an article out there on the www. However, it ought to always be done with tact. If I get sick of answering threads on subjects like cycling and don't feel I can do so with a friendly air, I will often just skip it. Someone else will take a turn.

Remember, hopefully everyone is here to learn and discuss, so if the discussion of a particular thread doesn't interest you, you can always find another that will

Ya I totally agree and do the exact same thing (explaining the nitrogen cycle sure can get old especially when you link them to the article and they don't read it lmao) but honestly I feel like some people (no one really in particular honestly) bring every last question they have to the forums. And imo, if it wouldn't have been for researching one thing I would have never stumbled onto something completely different but equally important. An hour of "wandering" on google can teach you a LOT if you do it right lol.

 

[fort384]

Boy is that true - I get lost during my wanderings around the web reading about reef chemistry or aquascaping, or what have you.

 

[Andrew McFadden]

So true to it all lol
I'll have the app open and like 5-6 Windows open on my phone all at once just for those reasons yall posted. I don't really get aggravated I just think back to when I was first starting. I wouldnt know what to believe because one page says this and that page says that so on and so on and there's a lot of them. My head would feel like its starting to spin from research after research. There are still some books or pages I don't fully understand lol its like a foreign language at times.

 

[Gboy66]

Ya....ive started to get tired of explaining how to kill Apistia LOL.

Wandering Google can be a great help. It is, afterall, the reason i found this great site!

 

[Andrew McFadden]

You guys could write articles about this stuff and then you'll have faster links. I believe ( for the ones that do ) it will also come up on Google search witch will help others out.

I know with me reading threw forum threads can be a pain in the you know what especially when it doesn't give you the answers your looking for.

Like me I've got to the point I just upload a link and don't even say anything till they ask a question. Even then I don't say something at times because others start saying stuff.

 

[Mrc8858]

I mean I don't mind answering questions that could be considered a gray area that your looking for personal experiences from or something that may not be a mainstream kinda question but as for people asking how to cycle a tank or deal with ich (especially since they know enough that they have ich lol) and things along that line its like theyve never heard of google or taken the initiative to try and do their own research. Imo research is half the battle in a successful aquarium hobby and if your not willing to put the "leg work" in who's to say they will actually follow thru with the actual task of accomplishing what theyre asking about. I understand the overwhelming part very much so when I started into reefing but even then I spent hours of my time a day just googling everything I could think of and working down the list. Just ranting some more lol

 

[clearancepuppy]

Just like some people are studying to become medical professionals doesn't mean they will or want to become doctors.

Relying on Google for research can be a double-edged sword. I came here to learn from people who know what they are doing because I wanted guidance, not a Google result. Everyone was a beginner once. Not everyone wants to take it to the Olympic level.

Like the Brooks & Dunn song goes, "I've learned that happiness on earth is not just for high achievers... I've come to know there's life at both ends of that red dirt road."

I sincerely mean this without meaning to be rude, but there seems to be a sort of snobbishness implicit in your remarks. Like fort and Andrew said, let someone else catch some of these and relax a little. You aren't Atlas nor should anyone expect you to be.

 

[Mrc8858]

Just like some people are studying to become medical professionals doesn't mean they will or want to become doctors.

Relying on Google for research can be a double-edged sword. I came here to learn from people who know what they are doing because I wanted guidance, not a Google result. Everyone was a beginner once. Not everyone wants to take it to the Olympic level.

Like the Brooks & Dunn song goes, "I've learned that happiness on earth is not just for high achievers... I've come to know there's life at both ends of that red dirt road."

I sincerely mean this without meaning to be rude, but there seems to be a sort of snobbishness implicit in your remarks. Like fort and Andrew said, let someone else catch some of these and relax a little. You aren't Atlas nor should anyone expect you to be.

There's nothing snobbish about what I've been saying..I haven't gotten over 4000 posts by not helping people along the way but there certainly are questions asked that if you simply google that question you'll get an answer proven over many years with hard science. I just don't wanna see people become dependent on using the forums as the only means to getting information because yes they can be very helpful but there is exponentially more knowledge acrossed the whole web which google searches for you. Also, as fort and I were saying while looking for one thing you may stumble upon something completely different but equally valuable in knowing. It's almost just wanting to see the general population strive for personal knowledge more as you can't deny (especially the USA) our school systems and New generations of children don't seem to have the same ambition to further educate themselves. Now that's not to say this means everyone falls into that category but more and more every year do.

 

[HUKIT]

One of my favorite quotes from General Colin Powell.


“Don't bother people for help without first trying to solve the problem yourself.”


I find this very fitting to the conversation.

 

[Mrc8858]

One of my favorite quotes from General Colin Powell.

“Don't bother people for help without first trying to solve the problem yourself.”

I find this very fitting to the conversation.

+1000 great quote hukit

 

[Nu-Nu the eel]

Just like some people are studying to become medical professionals doesn't mean they will or want to become doctors.

Relying on Google for research can be a double-edged sword. I came here to learn from people who know what they are doing because I wanted guidance, not a Google result. Everyone was a beginner once. Not everyone wants to take it to the Olympic level.

Like the Brooks & Dunn song goes, "I've learned that happiness on earth is not just for high achievers... I've come to know there's life at both ends of that red dirt road."

I sincerely mean this without meaning to be rude, but there seems to be a sort of snobbishness implicit in your remarks. Like fort and Andrew said, let someone else catch some of these and relax a little. You aren't Atlas nor should anyone expect you to be.

Its not snobbish at all, its the truth. This site recycles the same advice over and over and over, so the person that wants advice doesnt even need to use google, they just need to read the thread right infront of their eyes that is full of information. I once saw 3 threads in a row that were on the exact same topic, that was very annoying. Your all of you newbies: search on this site before you ask tons of simple questions.

 

[bud29]

I must say that google wandering, while sometimes helpful, can also be very confusing. That's why i got an account on this forum. I googled for hours on end and could not find a straight answer. One site said this, the other said that. That's why I took nearly all my questions to this site, so I could get a straight answer. I googled what I could, but since there is so much conflicting information out there, there wasn't much I could actually find out. I think that is why many people ask specific questions over and over.

Now, I am all for searching the forum for threads like the one you want to start. It would help a lot. But, even that occasionally doesn't help. For instance, cycles. Every cycle is different, you can't really find a thread started by a person in the same situation as you. So, that is IMO one of the reasons we see so many cycling threads out there.

I myself have backed down from answering many threads, because I feel the same way as you do. I am tired of repeating myself. And backing down is all you can really do in situations like that. You can't keep other people from posting a zillion threads about every little aquarium-related inquiry they have.

I also agree with what Andrew said about articles. Writing articles would be a great way to solve some problems. Instead of repeating yourself, you can just link an article you wrote. Tons of people were asking questions about aquarium salt, so I wrote an article. Now when they ask a salt-related question I can just link the article instead of repeating myself over and over. Also, when they see your article they may find other articles that answer their questions and keep them from posting more threads.

Also, one last thing I want to touch on; it's a little pet peeve of mine.....calling people newbies, complaining about newbies, etc. It's like more experienced people who have been members here longer are somehow superior to people who are new to the hobby and/or the forum. I am by no means singling out one person, as many do this. I would just like to point out that this is a forum to help people learn, not a place for new people to feel inferior.

Thanks for reading and considering, I know I talk a lot

 

[nereksnad]

tip: adding site:aquariumadvice.com into google searches the articals and forums

but yeah, i've been around alot for the last month or so and REALLY alot of threads asks the exact same questions, or very similar questions that were anwsered in a thread already. but i guess if people really wanted help urgently they'd search for themselves.

 

[fort384]

Just remember that Newbie is a relative term and I agree with your point Bud. Jack, just remember there are people here that have kept reefs longer than you or I have been alive.

 

[bud29]

Just remember that Newbie is a relative term

Yes. Some new people say they are newbies as in new people to the hobby. My problem is with people saying stuff like "I hate it when newbies (fill in the blank)," like new people are stupid or annoying. Everyone has to start somewhere

 

[Mrc8858]

Just remember that Newbie is a relative term and I agree with your point Bud. Jack, just remember there are people here that have kept reefs longer than you or I have been alive.

Isn't that the truth lol I started a thread a while ago "who's got the biggest and oldest corals" and some were as old as me at the time (22) lol

 

[vance1013]

I understand and agree with everything said here it is true that a little research goes a long way i do my on every new fish i learn or hear about on here just to learn about that fish or subject for future reference if or when i get to that point of keeping said fish or plant etc... but when i have a question i try to research what i can then when i find an answer ill ask the same question here to double check what i came up with so i know im comfortable in my choice and learning experience

 

[Jesselav1233]

Google works really well at giving you as much wrong information as it does right that's why I like asking people here that have personal experience with the fish or situation at hand.