Possibly Controversial - Websites

[Jorge O'Reilly]

How are you all.

So, before I ask the question outright, I got kicked out of The Planted Tank for asking this very same question, but about another website, the "Aquarium Science" one. I'd just begun on the forum, so I did not mind, and frankly I just think one of the admins was having a bad day, but well. IF THIS IS AGAINST SOME RULE, I'M HAPPY TO TAKE IT DOWN.

I've been here for a few months and the spirit seems to altogether different, though.

To the point: so, that once I wished to know the forum's opinion on the Aquarium Science dude. I've seen people talk about him already. But I've also been reading a fair bit of The Tint, Tannin Aquatics' blog, and I figured these "extremely niche/possibly bogus or pseudoscientific" websites are a fun subject to discuss and/or share. Also, as they usually delve into the more "natural" kind of aquariums, I placed the thread here. Sorry if it was a bad call...

Have you any other similar website? What do you make of The Tint?

Cheers.

 

[plantnoobdude]

How are you all.

So, before I ask the question outright, I got kicked out of The Planted Tank for asking this very same question, but about another website, the "Aquarium Science" one. I'd just begun on the forum, so I did not mind, and frankly I just think one of the admins was having a bad day, but well. IF THIS IS AGAINST SOME RULE, I'M HAPPY TO TAKE IT DOWN.

I've been here for a few months and the spirit seems to altogether different, though.

To the point: so, that once I wished to know the forum's opinion on the Aquarium Science dude. I've seen people talk about him already. But I've also been reading a fair bit of The Tint, Tannin Aquatics' blog, and I figured these "extremely niche/possibly bogus or pseudoscientific" websites are a fun subject to discuss and/or share. Also, as they usually delve into the more "natural" kind of aquariums, I placed the thread here. Sorry if it was a bad call...

Have you any other similar website? What do you make of The Tint?

Cheers.

Aquarium science is total garbage... Disregard everything...

 

[Malarky]

Re The Tint I stopped reading, it needs an edit. In general, that tinted biotope look is as much artifice as anything else we do, if it makes you happy it's good.

 

[LightingBamboozled]

I slightly disagree. Aquarium science is right about some stuff. Usually things that are pretty obviously wrong about common wisdom to anyone with a slight familiarity with the sort of biology we practice.
From these things he's right about he gains excessive confidence which he applies to other things he's wrong about.
This makes the website similar to chatGPT accurate and inaccurate knowledge are presented with identical confidence and believability.

 

[MichaelJ]

Aquarium science is total garbage... Disregard everything...

I slightly disagree. Aquarium science is right about some stuff

Aquarium Science is mostly wrong about anything planted-tank related, and mostly right about anything plant-less tank related

Cheers,
Michael

 

[dw1305]

Hi all,

To the point: so, that once I wished to know the forum's opinion on the Aquarium Science dude.

Aquarium Science is mostly wrong about anything planted-tank related, and mostly right about anything plant-less tank related

Pretty much that. We have a thread <""Aquarium Science" has some new planted tank articles">, my <"personal view"> is that he is pretty good on <"non-planted tanks"> and biofiltration.

I also enjoy his comments about Seachem etc.

I don't know anything about his background, or motivation, but I'm reasonably convinced that it is <"genuine and bona fide">.
<"Not all of them"> and some sections <"are just fantastic">. I really like the <"comic potential">* of a <"properly angry person">.
That is partially why I think it is bona fide, if he wanted to peddle an agenda he would need to tone down his approach. He can be a bit "shouty".

* I did apologise to @Miss-Pepper

Have you any other similar website? What do you make of The Tint?

The Tint I stopped reading, it needs an edit.

Definitely does, but I <"enjoy it">.

cheers Darrel

 

[_Maq_]

I got kicked out of The Planted Tank for asking this very same question

You've got kicked out for asking a question?
What is that 'The Planted Tank' a web like? Some sort of Jacobins?

 

[Jorge O'Reilly]

I mean, I did get knocked out for something ridiculous, but once I decided I was not taking it I gave them a good reason to. Some admin claimed talking about AS was a "vendor review", also inciting discussions was frowned upon, and shut the thread down. When I asked for reasons privately, quoting his own "standard for behaviour" thread, he suspended me for a month for "being disrespectful". When he said he was gonna do that I told him to shove his website somewhere private in a pretty florid manner, I got unspeakably angry.

There's good people there, though, and it's big. They just have one whackjob on the team, if you steer clear of him, and bend your neck in these cases, other mods are really nice. In fact, one of them answered the thread before the other guy went mental. Dunno. I can understand it if they decided not to beat down on one of the mods for an account created three days prior...

Edit: tried to find the thread, but they deleted everything. But the exchange was somewhat along these lines, or these... The answer given to me was a tad more agressive, which must be why they deleted it instead of leaving it up there. I suppose long-time users know they can't talk about "fringe opinions"...

 

[Jorge O'Reilly]

Aquarium Science is mostly wrong about anything planted-tank related, and mostly right about anything plant-less tank related

Cheers,
Michael

This is sort of the impression I got. If you have a plantless tank, you can make something pretty healthy for fish, and it will be pretty hard to miss. I tried setting my first planted tank along his guidelines, though, and it was a bit of a mess. Worked fine for fish, breeding and whatnot, but as far as plants go it was disastrous.
There's not many "one place-all answers", really. Opinions differ so much that you're bound to learn by trial and error in most areas. Of course, the basics are basic, but everything else...

 

[_Maq_]

I suppose long-time users know they can't talk about "fringe opinions".

Instead of shouting words like "pseudoscience", I'd welcome open discussion on selected issues mentioned in those websites. Sticking to the topic instead of the author.

 

[Gill]

I have not been on TPT in years, there used to be some really good people on there.
And I always checked on a few journals from malaysia, as they were all insane sizes for the planted tanks.
Think it was medicine man who had a turned his patio area into a massive glass pond with huge shoals of fish. And the videos of him throwing in whole heads of lettuce being devoured by the RLTorpedo barbs were a fave of mine.

 

[dw1305]

Hi all,

When he said he was gonna do that I told him to shove his website somewhere private in a pretty florid manner, I got unspeakably angry.

I really like the <"comic potential">* of a <"properly angry person">.

I honestly wouldn't worry about it, I'd guess <"quite a few of us"> have fallen victim to <"a difference of opinion"> on various different forums. I'd regard myself as pretty easy-going and non-confrontational, but I've managed to attract some incredibly vitriolic <"hate mail"> over an <"extended time period">.

cheers Darrel

 

[John q]

Instead of shouting words like "pseudoscience", I'd welcome open discussion on selected issues mentioned in those websites.

A lot of the topics discussed on the likes of aquarium science, the tint or Aquarium Redox Balance | Fish Health | Potential & Reduction | rH are beyond the reaches of basic hobbyists, so it's easy to scoff and declare them as nonsense. To me, with an inquiring mind I tend to read these articles, then do some research, and finally make a judgement based on logic.
I think if more people did this the world would be far more intelligent place.

I assume anything I read on the Internet is hogwash... but don't assume all sites that pedal hogwash sell soap, some of them offer nuggets of gold, ignore them at your peril. 🙈

 

[dw1305]

Hi all,

To me, with an inquiring mind I tend to read these articles, then do some research, and finally make a judgement based on logic

That is honestly all we can do, however experienced you are no-one knows all the answers and we all hold <"some "faith" positions">. I think the real issue is when people carry on <"trying to defend positions that are indefensible">.

cheers Darrel

 

[John q]

As above.

Generally in life we need to sort the wheat from the chaff.

I think ukaps tends to flesh out the details on various dubious topics as and when they occur.

 

[castle]

my opinion of "the tint".

I dunno, I think really it's someone who wants to share what they enjoy. but the other side of me thinks they want to be seen as some kind of "thought leader" and they almost certainly have/had a warehouse full of leaves/twids/pods/nuts from Brazil that they wants to sell you. Certainly does need an edit.

Some nice tank shots tho.

 

[PARAGUAY]

Sounds a bit old fashioned but l look for honesty 🙂in a YT video and stick to them, George Farmer and these examples (make your own mind up of course) low energy planted tanks MD Fish tanks,ever since his garden shed tanks he admits he's learning all the time . MJ Aquascaping similar approach but high energy .
YT to avoid ,ones that present their opinions but dismiss most others ,"Don't do water changes because🤬"
Some retail shops are have good videos Aquarium Gardens and Green Aqua come to mind

 

[Jorge O'Reilly]

my opinion of "the tint".

I dunno, I think really it's someone who wants to share what they enjoy. but the other side of me thinks they want to be seen as some kind of "thought leader" and they almost certainly have/had a warehouse full of leaves/twids/pods/nuts from Brazil that they wants to sell you. Certainly does need an edit.

Some nice tank shots tho.

Ah, if I could sell the pods my garden's trees shed at the same prices...
Dunno. I tend to just assume the best. But there is NO defending the format... You need to scroll continuously if you want to read, no dividing, what a turndown.

I honestly wouldn't worry about it, I'd guess <"quite a few of us"> have fallen victim to <"a difference of opinion"> on various different forums. I'd regard myself as pretty easy-going and non-confrontational, but I've managed to attract some incredibly vitriolic <"hate mail"> over an <"extended time period">.

The guy spends 80% of his time looking at a fishtank forum. I would not be happy if he dated my sister, but I can't imagine not liking him IRL. What can you do, computers draw the worst from us.

 

[Jorge O'Reilly]

After some "Cycad rustling threads" we ended up having a huge row on whether it was ethical to buy an area of desert, strip all the saleable cacti and succulents from it, before reneging on the land purchase deal.

Apparently to a lot of Americans this was both perfectly acceptable and good business practice.

I chortled a full beer mouthful on this. I mean, don't get me started on Brits, but Americans. Gotta love them as they come...

On the desert bit, though, I'll be spending a weekend now in Rio Negro, there's a few hardwood shrubs with incredible root systems I'll see if I can forage for. Here's a pic of the place. I've a friend with a 300-liter cichlid tank with nothing but plastic plants in it...

 

[Hanuman]

TPT = Moderator/Admin are either abusing steroids, have rabies or have some severe social disabilities. I don't know which it is but you don't call that place a forum.
Aquarium science = He says many good things that many don't want to admit or say by fear of being branded heretics. Some other stuff are, well, his opinion.
The tint = He has got a nice website with pretty pictures. Never really bothered reading his blog. It's a commercial entity too so potentially biases.