Something Mods And Older Members Can Improve On

[atmmachine816]

But surely people will only help out in the threads that they know about and/or feel they can add something to the thread, not to mention be interested in the threads.

I used to spend a good couple of hours going through these boards, but now 90-95% of the threads just don't interest me, so I don't even bother opening the thread. Basic community freshwater holds no interest for me so I do not answer the threads.

If someone asks about Frogfish or other SW preds then I am more minded to answer as I have more experience of those than a number of the members here.

I also tend to stay away from the more normal maintenance threads as my methods are at odds with the general consensus of newer members as I fill from a hose connected to the cold water tap just dumping dechlorinator in beforehand and I never vac the substrate.

I know of a number of people who used to post a lot and who are knowledgable but who post far more infrequently nowadays as the board just doesn't have the threads to interest them. If you are not interested in the thread then you are not likely to put in a good response.

This is not just a pronblem with the members/mods but with the board itself.

Yes and that's great since your helping people out were your good at it.

I reply to thread's I think I can help and sometimes I will not as it does not have the fast reply because my computer is outrageously slow and awful it takes ages to load the regular window. I also usually avoid livebearer and tetra information as It doesn't interest me but catfish Im there... I do agree though that alot of threads remain unreplied to and shouldn't be. But everyone here is a individual and they don't really have the obligation to post I guess.

Yes that's what people should do, go with what interests them but yes it just bothers me that people don't respond to posts sometimes, which yes they have no obligation that's why I kinda said it would be nice to maybe post if you can help on one of these but you don't have to

If the mods were to answer every question it wouldnt leave anything for the members to answer would it ?

I only really answer questions that are to do with oddball or predatory fish, other fish dont interest me and as such i dont have as much knowledge in those fields so i leave those questions to someone else. Also some questions just arent worth answering because you know the poster is a prat, 4 years on the board gives you a sixth sense about who the real fish keepers are and who arent.

Yup I understand that, CFC. I was trying to not say it was mods job to answer every questions, I understand they are just another member with a few extra responsiblitlys and who have lots of knowledge with certain fish.

it does frustrate me that not enough people reply to basic threads in the beginners section. I'm no expert but i try and help with what i can help with.

but it's not the mod's job to reply to threads, if anything they should refrain from posting massive amounts in a forum they moderate otherwise they can get involved and loose they're impartiality.

I tell you if everyone who has a moan about people not replying to basic threads spent a decent amount of time in the beginners forum actually posting and helping people out it would be a lot better! It sometimes seems to me that the people who post and actually help don't moan about it, and the one's who moan dont help.

not talking about any one person in particular, just the general trends I see from this forum sometimes.

Yes I'v started that in another forum and with me coming back to this forum I'v been trying to find a post in the beginner section I can help out with though a lot of times they are already answered or I haven't figured out what they are asking yet because I'm still figureing out all the ins and outs of the cycling process as I didn't do it right since I didn't know it existed when I got my tank But yes now that I'v kinda just decided I gota find a new place here I'm slowly starting to get back here, though it doesn't show yet

Is it really a problem, or just evolution of the board?

As the board gets bigger more and more relatively new people will come in and more of the "interesting" posts to those who do not keep community tanks will drop off the bottom of the boards quicker.

But how do you get the "older" members to post on threads they don't care about? If someone doesn't want to post in the beginners thread then he is unlikely to be of great benefit there. Demanding that someone like CFC or I help out in the betta section would just be ludicrous as neither of us has any knowledge or interest there so will not be of any use. The same is going to be true of the beginner's section as well. I can't help people set up an internal filter, and can only just remember how to set up a cannister filter as I only use wet/dry sump filtration now.

I would rather a few threads go unanswered and those that are answered are done so by those that care and can answer well rather than threads being answered just for the sake of being answered.

As to the beginner's forum, if we just locked that and forced people to look at the pinned topics every time they tried to post you wouldn't need anyone in there 99% of the time.

If more people join with similar interests to me then my activity will pick up markedly, until then I am not going to scour areas of no interest just to post.

Yes that's pretty much the way the board is now as I see it and it's relatively good as people stay were there interests are.

I'll second that! Not that I'm an "old" member or that I'm in any way shape or form and "expert"

I just don't find it fruitful to spend time in threads that are of no interest to me. Only so many hours in the day you know!

SLC

yes

As to the beginner's forum, if we just locked that and forced people to look at the pinned topics every time they tried to post you wouldn't need anyone in there 99% of the time.

ha ha very true

however it's never gonna happen and will just turn off people who really need our help.

Is it really a problem, or just evolution of the board?

As the board gets bigger more and more relatively new people will come in and more of the "interesting" posts to those who do not keep community tanks will drop off the bottom of the boards quicker.

But how do you get the "older" members to post on threads they don't care about? If someone doesn't want to post in the beginners thread then he is unlikely to be of great benefit there. Demanding that someone like CFC or I help out in the betta section would just be ludicrous as neither of us has any knowledge or interest there so will not be of any use. The same is going to be true of the beginner's section as well. I can't help people set up an internal filter, and can only just remember how to set up a cannister filter as I only use wet/dry sump filtration now.

I would rather a few threads go unanswered and those that are answered are done so by those that care and can answer well rather than threads being answered just for the sake of being answered.

As to the beginner's forum, if we just locked that and forced people to look at the pinned topics every time they tried to post you wouldn't need anyone in there 99% of the time.

If more people join with similar interests to me then my activity will pick up markedly, until then I am not going to scour areas of no interest just to post.

perhaps it time for people with more interest in the forum, to come forword and take the strain for those who dont want to now!

if it is too much bother to answer questions, that are most asked. maybe its time for the forum to appointe mods that can!
i have no axe to grind here, but the forum needs people who are commited to it, not just commited to the bits they like!

Yes I agree here, this is what I'v kinda of decided, since I can't fit in, in the planted tank section since what I do does not interest anybody and I can't do what I like a lot due to my parents I started on another board greeting and responding to newbies and that's what I plan on doing here.

 

[atmmachine816]

For the people who are suggesting a change - I agree that the forum may not be as helpful as it could, however, I think it's pretty darn good. But, in the interest of improving, I challenge you to go and reply to at least one topic from a newbie, a day. Seriously. There has to be a topic in there that you know something about. Actions speak louder than words. So go reply. Change the forum. Make it a better place. I'm all for this. For example, now, instead of scrolling through Member's pictures, I will go and reply to a couple of threads in Beginners. If some people help with one thread, just one thread a day, the forum will be a better place. I'd especially like to see the people asking for a change to do this.

Now, I would want people responding to threads they know something about. I wouldn't want SH (no offense, you know I love you ) replying to a thread about Pike Livebearers, simply because he wouldn't exactly know what to say or how to help. Same way he wouldn't want me anywhere near questions about fragile marine fish. I am going to help this cause as much as I possibly can.

I reply to as much as I can, however, I only have about an hour, maybe two, a day on here (not including my mod duties, which I will get to later), and the Livebearer and Pets forum are my first and second priorities, since they are where I am assigned too. Once I've done those, and checked them over, I will go through and reply to other threads. However, I try not to reply to too many, especially in the Livebearer forum, because I also like to see some of the members grow. If I responded to everything in the Livebearers forum, why would we need members?

For the people who complain the mods don't care about the forum much (not especially in this thread, but elsewhere) - I'm sorry, but this comment just makes me laugh. It honestly does. I was reading some topic about this the other day, and I just started laughing. You have no idea how much we do behind the scenes. You honestly don't. I sign in every morning to respond to reports, remove spam, move topics to the correct forum, remove the rude/unhelpful posts, listen to complaints, and help to make the forum a better place. To say I have no interest in the well-being of this forum is just funny.

Now, may I remind you all of something. It's not just the older members who can help. There are people that joined yesterday that probably know more about fish than I do. Just because you come here does not mean you are a newbie. There seems to be a general consensus, however, that the longer you've been here, the more you know. That's not the case. I would like to see everyone replying to more of the beginner topics. And don't dismiss somebody's advice just because they have 5 posts. You may be surprised. I know we like to say we don't look at post count, or whatever, but I think we all do, at least a little.

The members/mods that are in these "groups" seem to be one's that have high-tech setups and spend lots of money on their tanks/fish.

Well, I know I'm not in that group. The horses make sure I spend all my money on them. I'm not really aware of these groups, I don't notice them much. But if you have suggestions on how I can be a better mod, by all means, PM me. I can't speak for the other mods, but I know I'm always willing to hear suggestions. As long as they are within reason.

No, no don't get me wrong, I really like the mods, you guys are great and helpful and I know you do a lot. And yes like I said before it's right for you to spend most of your limited time in the boards that most interest you and you can help out in.

sometimes you just don't have the energy to develop an intelligent contribution. i had some big thought that i was going to write up about how profoundly frustrating it is to deal with people that have just enough knowledge to spout off, but then i thought "meh. won't actually change anything."

i don't come here to babysit. i come here to have fun and learn new things. sometimes i feel differently, but mostly i'm after entertainment.

my apologies for wanting to enjoy the internet.

No apology needed, that should be why you are here, I probably should have not posted this either, not I regret it as your right.

It's a topic that hold different perspectives, like us comparing notes on old TV shows and how they used to be better, then finding out one of us is 20, one 30, one 40 and one 50. We are all lamenting different times in the world. Do you know what I mean? it's relative, I've seen people here saying that the board use to be better that have ranged from a few months membership to years on here. I guess it had a high point for everyone, though those points were not the same place in time.

I thought the boards were helpful when I first joined, but that was because I was asking for advice and I needed help - and people helped. Now I never ask a question unless something dramatic happens that hasn't happened before (my heater went mad a few months ago and cooked some of my fish) so now I don't find the boards "helpful" as I don't need help, but I still come and chat on the non fish boards, the pic threads, the pet threads and the other off topics, because I like the people there.

Maybe what we need to do it police our titles better and have the search engine sort through titles instead of the body of text? instead of everyone posting messages called "help me" they should be specific and say "heater overheated" and then the search engine could perhaps be made to pick up on titles making a search for new people seeking advice easier. I just tried and a search under "too hot" and it brings back an error because both words are under 4 characters, so obviously my post about my over heated tank had some crappy title like "OMG cooked fish" or some other drivel Could that be done perhaps?

Anyway, I'm rambling now, please feel free to disregard any part of this message you don't agree with.

Ya I finally got the search function to work, but it isn't very helpful since you get posts that aren't relevant at all, it's best to google or read through stickys etc.

There are also posts that guys like me could answer, but I know for a fact I have given what might be considered an "intermediate aquarist" the answer to the same question in the past. I feel it's only fair to give them the opportunity to answer, and have a feeling of contributing to the forum. I don't think it would be fair for the mods or more knowledgable members to go ripping through the boards posting an answer to everything, let others have some fun.

I'll usually glance through NW Cichlids for anything new, than on to Today's active topics. It doesn't matter much where the question is posted to me, I've clicked on marine questions thinking it pertained to something else.

Then some days like today it snows like crazy, I have 2 houses besides mine to deal with, and barely flip through the board. I'm sure others have days like this, if not weeks like this.

And that would be exactly why I haven't responded until now, I'v been shoveling tons of driveways, getting people unstuck, and shoveling roofs. We got over 2' of snow, the biggest snow storm in 10 years. And yes that's where everybody appreciates you the most in the NW cichlids along with going wherevery you please to have some fun too

As you advance through your specific niche of the hobby, you become more advanced in more and more specialized topics, and your interest in broad fish keeping changes.

I think the issue is more members now are coming in, expecting to be given answers to their issues, and less willing to learn and begin to help others.

Its not a Moderators job to answer any post, whether un-answered or not. As pointed out, members play a larger role in this community, and should also be contributing.

I think this example is demonstrated in the top 20 posters table. In the first 3 or 4 pages I recognize most of the members from years ago, only a few stand out to me as being new, just check their "Joined" date.

18 out of the top 100 joined in 2005 (thats still 2 years or there abouts here)
3 out of the top 100 joined in 2006 (Go Miss Wiggle, JayJay and FKNM WOOT )

Most joined in 02/03/04, we must love our fish to stay that long, LMAO

Sorry, didn't mean to say it's the mods job to answer posts, because I know it's not. Yes that's understandable, for people to advance and respond to advanced topics as it's there choice.

I'm sorry but I don't have time today to read through all that you guys posted,

Do you not recognise the irony in this statement? You want people with knowledge to spend more time answering posts, however, you're saying that you don't have time to read them?


I'll be honest, I offer any advice wherever I can from my own experience, and from research I've done in the past as long as it interests me. However, sometimes you know when your advice will fall on deaf ears, and at other times, you may not want to get in a long post after post after post discussion on things like water stats (I know good water is essential to keeping fish, I just don't want to have to explain the nitrogen cycle twice a day). Giving people advice on that, gives me less joy than flexing my intellectual muscles on things that are more specialised, EG puffers, brackish water fish, unusual oddballs etc. I am by no means an expert, but I would like to help others where I have the opportunity to, and in the areas that I can help. Maybe I'm a snob, but I use the forum for fun.

I'm sorry I was just trying to say that I'm trying to keep up with this but yes I posted earlier this morning but I was working on posting on this thread but I got more calls to help people and I had to go, sorry they were more important than this and as it is, it's taken me over 30 minutes to read and respond to this, i'm sorry.

I guess I won't be vague. Basically I was trying to say that the plants and planted tank forum could use some help, either make child boards or something, it seems I always go on there and there are empty posts or posts with people who don't really know what they are talking about, yet I see some of the more knowledgable members posting on peoples tank journals saying what a nice job they'v done. Yes some people need to read the stickys but not all the time. Maybe I'm wrong and the posts just fall back onto page two, if so then why not make a advanced topic/journals and beginners posts boards then. I obviously came across wrong because I didn't mean to get these responses because I like all the other boards and members. All you guys who have posted here help out a lot and are really nice. It was the plant board that made me leave for a month or so until I'v just gotten over it. All the other boards I'v been too you guys have made a good impression on me and make a friendly atmosphere since at least one knowledgable person seems to help out usually while there are advanced topics to read and learn. I apologize for coming across wrong and maybe offending any of you guys but it seems here that most people will stay in one board well I never found a board because plants, didn't work out, my tanks aren't high tech enough so I don't understand some stuff, parents won't let me do SW so I read but can't help really and the other fish don't interest me much and the one's that do I can't help since I don't have enough expierence. So yes I'v basically come to the conclusion recently to help out the newbies since somebody has to and it seems like the place for me to fit in. Sorry for rambleing hopefully this will clear up any confusion, I'm not unhappy with anybody that posted here or many people, just the planted forum needs some inprovement IMO.

p.s. in case you didn't see I didn't respond because I'v been shoveling, getting people unstuck and other snow chores, sorry.

I'm sorry I realize I wasn't able to copy and paste everything I wanted to say but I must leave, will post more later.

 

[geo7x]

I dont really see the point in us trying to post loads and reply to everything and "help out in the planted forums because alot of threads go unanswered" because, sorry to sound so blunt, but why post just to try and keep the forum ticking over? To be honest if interest in a forum is going then it is going, but even so i dont really think that this forum is going to be dead anytime soon

A forum is where people want to come and aslong as other members arent offended by it, you can do as you please, you can post all day everyday or you can join and never come back on again. Now, suddenly, apparently if you're an "older member" then you have signed ourselves a contract saying that you have to "help out" more

Back to the original starter post, personally I dont think its right that people should be told to go out of their way and post in the places that they dont want to, and i think if people did feel that they had to then we would see alot of people leaving. Personally I dont post as much as I used to, as before I was new and I was interested in anything that could swim in water, but then as time goes on you get your own interests, and if I had to go and answer all the unanswered topics about bettas then i wouldnt be very happy on the forum.

 

[atmmachine816]

Like I said, I shouldn't have posted this so it's fine to just drop the subject and no I was just saying how I felt atm, not how members should act, they can act as they want, hence free membership.

But feel free to just drop this

 

[QuotheRaven]

Oops * SMASH *

I dropped it!

 

[andywg]

Yada, yada, yada, have you ever tried reading the post as a whole, or do you find it better to take it in little bits.

I am terribly sorry. I thought that when you started writing in a new paragraph you had moved onto a different point, or line of thought, as is the general consensus in written English. Rather than quote the whole post and then reply to it, I prefer to take each point and reply to it in turn, for clarity in writing.

 

[The-Wolf]

I won't say what I was gonna say.
I will quote a philosipher

don't worry about things you can not change!
if you can change them, why worry about them?

 

[Majjie]

Ooh - I feel I too should be all philosophical now - but I won't be ......

Now that ATM has spelled out exactly what he's talking about - I sort of agree with him. As one of the oldest members on here I do sometimes go through the forums answering a few questions that haven't had a reply - but age doesn't necessarily equal wisdom. I only know about the fish I keep (and I didn't know enough about them when I joined - as The Wolf could testify ). If there's a long post with loads of questions - or if it's obviously a horribly overstocked tank - but with fish I don't know about - then I go away and hope someone else (like Miss Wiggle ) will come along and answer it.

I don't go into the Planted Tank forum much - so didn't know there were unanswered questions in there. I too have been put off by the high tech enthusiasts - even though I have six very heavily planted tanks. When I do venture in - they have been perfectly civil - but there's is just a whole different world.
The answer is simple - split the planted tank forum into high and low tech. Some people would go into both - ATM and I would stick to the low tech.

It's exactly the same as the livebearer forum - some of the "rare" enthusiasts don't have much patience for the "got new babies what should I do now" posts in the "common" section

 

[raptorrex]

Yada, yada, yada, have you ever tried reading the post as a whole, or do you find it better to take it in little bits.

I am terribly sorry. I thought that when you started writing in a new paragraph you had moved onto a different point, or line of thought, as is the general consensus in written English. Rather than quote the whole post and then reply to it, I prefer to take each point and reply to it in turn, for clarity in writing.

Quite true. but if you treat the post the way you seem to, it allows you to answer the post, whilst avoiding the point it is making. though i have no need to tell you that!

you will have to forgive my lack of, formal education.

 

[andywg]

Twice I have returned to your post I was quoting, and I fail to see any great difference in the meaning of the text whether the first paragraph is considered at the same time as second, or treating them individually.

 

[Darkstar]

Twice I have returned to your post I was quoting, and I fail to see any great difference in the meaning of the text whether the first paragraph is considered at the same time as second, or treating them individually.

and that would be becuase there isn't any difference.

 

[atmmachine816]

Ooh - I feel I too should be all philosophical now - but I won't be ......

Now that ATM has spelled out exactly what he's talking about - I sort of agree with him. As one of the oldest members on here I do sometimes go through the forums answering a few questions that haven't had a reply - but age doesn't necessarily equal wisdom. I only know about the fish I keep (and I didn't know enough about them when I joined - as The Wolf could testify ). If there's a long post with loads of questions - or if it's obviously a horribly overstocked tank - but with fish I don't know about - then I go away and hope someone else (like Miss Wiggle ) will come along and answer it.

I don't go into the Planted Tank forum much - so didn't know there were unanswered questions in there. I too have been put off by the high tech enthusiasts - even though I have six very heavily planted tanks. When I do venture in - they have been perfectly civil - but there's is just a whole different world.
The answer is simple - split the planted tank forum into high and low tech. Some people would go into both - ATM and I would stick to the low tech.

It's exactly the same as the livebearer forum - some of the "rare" enthusiasts don't have much patience for the "got new babies what should I do now" posts in the "common" section

Yes that's basically what I was getting at as it seems the high tech have there own group and same with the low-tech and a lot of that is money as the high tech setups cost a lot. I think I might bring that up because it seems that has helped in the livebearers.

 

[pica_nuttalli]

you will have to forgive my lack of, formal education.

(that comma shouldn't be there.)

 

[raptorrex]

Twice I have returned to your post I was quoting, and I fail to see any great difference in the meaning of the text whether the first paragraph is considered at the same time as second, or treating them individually.

and that would be becuase there isn't any difference.

really?
oh well never mind. i suppose the forum will have to change to the will of the older/ expeienced members, and stuff the membership!

 

[andywg]

really?
oh well never mind. i suppose the forum will have to change to the will of the older/ expeienced members, and stuff the membership!

Perhaps, you could enlighten us as to how the post could be read differently as it would seem I am not the only one who cannot see a large difference being made by joining the first paragraph to the second.

As to "stuff the membership", I can only really think of maybe 10-20 newer members who moan at how the forum is at the moment. Compare that to the 23,850 members we have at the time of writing and it can surely be said that, overall, the members are pretty happy with the state of the forum.