Why do we advise Newbies like me low tech

[Paul Kettless]

I would say mainly cost. Why advise someone they need all the high end equipment to achieve success. Could scare a lot of people off the hobby. Also if they are new and spend a lot and find the hobby is not for them it's a lot of money gone to waste. You can always convert low energy to high energy but you won't get your money back if high energy is too much commitment.

Yes I couldn't agree more Kevin, you have some valid points there. I wonder though for future "newbies" (I hate that term) is it worth finding out what the persons rough budget is for there set up. Because I have been on the marine reef side of the hobby where you need incredibly deep pockets, I have given myself around £1200 overall, with 15% (ish) of that held back for the plants. I appreciate thats a reasonably healthy budget and not for everyone. But the adage, buy cheap, buy twice definitely exist in this hobby.

 

[zozo]

A good old all saying analogy often used is:

The High tech aquarium is meritoriously compared to the Racecar in this hobby...

And we don't advise novice drivers to start learning all you need to know about traffic in a racecar.

 

[Paul Kettless]

A good old all saying analogy often used is:

The High tech aquarium is meritoriously compared to the Racecar in this hobby...

And we don't advise novice drivers to start learning all you need to know about traffic in a racecar.

Not quite sure I agree with that analogy, I drive a high performance care but 95% of the time its driven at 30mph However, a valid point

 

[Kevin Eades]

Yes I couldn't agree more Kevin, you have some valid points there. I wonder though for future "newbies" (I hate that term) is it worth finding out what the persons rough budget is for there set up. Because I have been on the marine reef side of the hobby where you need incredibly deep pockets, I have given myself around £1200 overall, with 15% (ish) of that held back for the plants. I appreciate thats a reasonably healthy budget and not for everyone. But the adage, buy cheap, buy twice definitely exist in this hobby.

I would say as an experienced fish keeper you are not a newbie as you put it. You know the commitment required and that you enjoy fish keeping. I would not recommend spending your budget for a first time fish keeper who might get bored. I am jealous as i sit here cleaning my next second hand tank. Ive bought 1 new, 2 second hand and 1 given to me by my sister. Only spent 180 so far on tanks and im up to 4 tanks.

 

[Paul Kettless]

I would say as an experienced fish keeper you are not a newbie as you put it. You know the commitment required and that you enjoy fish keeping. I would not recommend spending your budget for a first time fish keeper who might get bored. I am jealous as i sit here cleaning my next second hand tank. Ive bought 1 new, 2 second hand and 1 given to me by my sister. Only spent 180 so far on tanks and im up to 4 tanks.

Mate I'm the one who is jealous, if only I had room for 4 tanks lol. As you said not a newbie to fish keeping, but when it comes to aquarium plants and especially c02 I most certainly am.

 

[zozo]

Not quite sure I agree with that analogy, I drive a high performance care but 95% of the time its driven at 30mph However, a valid point

I guess the first aquarium from a Biology professor is a different kind of newbie than from a housepainter.

Thus there is quite some slack between novices and newbies... As far as I know, it's not the other forum members deciding on who is what and what is what to a certain degree... Even if one declares and presents himself a newbie or a novice, the degree is still not for others to determine. All tho both terms could implement we are dealing with a beginner. Then giving the advice to start running before you learned to walk could be considered not the best advice.

In the end, it's only a piece of advice and everybody should do whatever they feel confident doing regardless of the degree of experience.

 

[mort]

"All the gear but no idea" can certainly apply. I get why people advocate high tech as being perhaps easier to get good results but you can also cock it up quicker with more technology.
It's the same scenario as with marine. Does a newbie keeping soft corals need a doser or calcium reactor, probably not. Does a person wanting simple easy plants need co2 or heavy dosing, again probably not. Would ever scenario benefit from the addition of those things in the long run, probably yes.

I think it still just comes down to the person. You either get all the variables and understand how to juggle them or you don't. If things are confusing to begin with it makes far more sense to remove some of these variables until things begin to slot together more in your mind.