What happened to the "Advanced" in Advanced Topics

[Poorcollegereef]

I hope she get better soon!

[KarlBob]

Me, too.

[billsreef]

tabwyo,

Hope your daughter has a speedy recovery.

[jjk_reef00]

Once again BeanAnimal is right on. I agree with his response 100%.

Originally Posted by BeanAnimal

Folks you are making this too complicated. There is no difference between the advanced forum and the new to the hobby forum other than the type of information that is meant to be organized in them.

Post count has nothing to do with a persons knowledge (or lack of) any more than their ability to afford a paid membership.

As Billsreef attempted to point out, the helpfull and polite folks can help to guide posts to the proper forum when they are out of place.

The problem here in the advanced forum is NOT stupid questions, rather it is a lack of ADVANCED conversations and topics. If there was more activity of an advanced nature, there would be less off-topic posts simply due to the fact that most people would notice that the question they wished to ask did not fit into the context of any of the active conversation.

Lack of ACTIVE posting base has allowed the forum to wander on its own.

Let me be more clear. If very few people had chemistry questions, the chem forum would turn into a free-for-all as well. Lack of participation is what is killing the advanced forum, not the people looking for anwers to their common questions.

[Lutefisk]

What about the idea of Reef Central closing this forum, leave it available but prevent the addition of new threads (or archive it), and open an new forum with a different title with the RC mods and admins being clear about its purpose.

The "advanced" topics in this forum are getting lost in the noise and I can't help but think that those that are pushing the envelope are posting elsewhere. The good news is that many are posting in the more specific forums.

Remember, the following is how Reef Central defines advanced:

This forum is intended for the discussion of ‘Advanced Topics’. Under this broad heading we hope to act as a resource and share information about difficult to keep animals and advances in technology, ideas, or reef keeping methodologies.

It isn't about how advanced the hobbyist is, how many posts, etc.. It is about advanced in terms of the hobby. I think that this is an important topic for all of us - even for those who aren't going to ask "advanced" questions. Every advancement in the science of this hobby is an advancement for the benefit of all the plants and animals for which I accepted responsibility when I brought them home in a plastic bag. I can keep and cultivate animals that were considered impossible to keep, not all that long ago, because some smart people paved the way for me.

Here is an idea I would like to throw out there:

• It is always easier to start something off on the right track than it is to reform it.
  Just close this existing forum to new threads or archive it. Post an announcement that over time it had lost its focus and for the most part wasn't much different than the general Reef Discussion forum.
  
  
• Open a new forum with a very different title and a slightly edited description:
  The new title should have a clear "trajectory" towards the cutting edge of the hobby. I don't think my suggestion is perfect but it might be a foundation for discussion.
  
  Here is one possibility: "Innovation and Advancement"
  
  
  
• Review the other forums to see if there are some better ways to differentiate between general reefkeeping topics:
  An earlier posted noted a significant problem, threads roll off the general forum very fast. Yes, a lot of those could be posted to existing specialty forums, but is there any way that this can be improved?

To the mods - I hope I'm not off base by asking these questions or making suggestions. Honestly, I'm not trying to be critical of you but I am aware that posts don't always communicate emotions very well. Please accept my best intentions.

I know that some of the posts in this thread pushed the envelope but for the most part it seems like a helpful discussion.

Thank you for making Reef Central my #1 on line resource!


Paul

[aquaph8]

If you were new to the hobby, would you ask your ? to a forum full of other people who are new. I think people desperate for info seek their answers from more advanced people, hence the advanced topic forum. Im not saying all the time, but we should just answer their questions and pay back for all the knowledge we obtained throughout the years. Would it kill you to help atleast once in a while. When I was new, the only answers I got in the new to the hobby forum was from other new people. Half the time I was lucky to even get my question answered at all. Its not like the advanced hobbiest flock to the newbie forum to help out. ( with the exception of a few that are greatly appreciated, Im sure) Have some patience, you can tell what posts are advanced and which are not.

[Reefer Steve]

Seriously everyone just needs to read

[aquaph8]

I cant argue with that.