The odd thing about this hobby is that it seems to me like a LOT of the people who really know a lot and who have literally decades of experience are not writing books or giving lectures. That's not to say that the people writing books and giving lectures don't know a lot or have experience... but it just seems to me that a lot of the true veterans of the hobby don't make themselves known, or even want to talk to people. Why is this?
I don't know if it's because this hobby appeals to the reclusive or what... but I swear some of the most knowledgeable and skilled reef keepers I've ever met are people that would sooner poke hot needles in their eyes than give a lecture or write an article. And some of them you practically have to corner just to get them talking at all.
Calfo writes and speaks about Coral Farming for Profit. However he closed his business because he could not pay the utilities. Hardly anyone qualified to be a leader/teacher/businessman.
EB.... His abilities were discussed on the Bonerman/Coral/Govt., thread. IMO, not close to leadership qualifications.
Pro has a maintenance company (Duce Bigelow). I wish him well with his proposed green house project.
As for Sihaya's post:
There are many with qualifications exceeding most of today's aqua gurus. However, few have the want, drive, desire and/or inclination to write books that:
1) A limited number of copies will be printed.
2) Can create problems for themselves by being attacked/challenged by online aqua gurus.
Who would want to write a book (years of dedicated research, photos, cost, etc.) only to have some complete online duffer rip it apart? -- It is no secret that the vast majority of active internet posters that are known for and/or have a history to ripping and shredding just about every new item, book or technique apart... are those with less than 2 years hobby experience.
E.g. Look at all the arm chair chemists that go for Dr.Ron's throat. Only a duffer would challenge facts. Only uneducated goofs would approach a Ph.D. with hostility. But.... it continues.
The marine aquarium hobby is small compared to the hobby of: cooking, photography, travel, etc. Thus lower print runs of marine aquarium books would be produced vs. a hobby with more individuals showing interest.
EB wrote books that were published by a small company. That company sold the rights to TFH. EB now gets $0.30 (or less) pper book sold (personal communication).
Calfo is a self-publisher. He brings a disk into Kinko's and tells them how many finished books he wants. (personal communication).
On Pro's business card it states.... "published author". After attending one of his talks and seeing his business card, I chose to check some of his work online.
There are several great books on alga/algae culture, synthetic sea water, filtration that are authored by highly qualified individuals. These books have a retail price of $45.00 - $75.00. Considering there are no pretty color photos, just a tremendous amount of meaningful information, they are not as popular as the majority of coffee table books found in some marine hobbyists homes.
I have exhibited at several MACNA's and IMAC. There are a few very good reasons why "true veterans" are not well known.
a) At one MACNA I was approached to give a talk at Buck's club in PA. I said.... "Send me an airline ticket." -- Before I could say and fix me up with decent accommodations..... The person from Bucks quickly said...."We have no money."
This person is definatly working from a gray area.
I thought back to the time I was invited to address a large So. Calif. hobby club. I bought myself an airline ticket, took a taxi to the meeting... and was expected to tell the nice folks that the cheapest, crappiest products they were using were just fine....
All this at my expense.... you gotta be kidding me? Another gray area.
b) At another MACNA I was approached by someone that identified himself as the president of the Pittsburgh Aquarium Club. He was interested in one 225 gram bottle of our BUFFER +dKH Generator.
He asked me some questions about the item. I was trying to tell him to consider using better aquarium keeping technique.... perhaps he would not need a buffer.
He asked ... "How much does this cost?". I replied.... "$6.99."
He stood there, holding the bottle.... said nothing.... he expected me to give him the bottle. -- He finally said.... "I don't have that much cash on me.." -- I said nothing..... -- He started to write me a check for $6.99..... I took the bottle from his hands and gave it to someone deserving.
One of the largest hobby groups/clubs in the USA..., located in perhaps the most populated area in the USA... and this guy does not have USD $6.99?
The few real experts are paid to make their presentations. The current aqua gurus will offer a free presentation only to better their names. (you get what you pay for)
The same thing goes for hobby clubs that send out mailers asking for... donations.
We get dozens of letters each year asking for donations, door prizes, etc. The letters are all about the same...... "We don't have any money..... can you buy something for us, or make something for us... pay for the shipping to us... and we will never buy your item... because... we have no bloody money!
And.... people wonder why decent products.... decent speakers.... decent information .... decent much of anything is not found in this hobby?
Again, the internet has provided a platform for those that cannot afford dress slacks, dress shirt, shined shoes (that match) to be considered..... leaders and/or experts.
__________________
Michael Del Prete
CEO Aqua Craft Products www.AquaCraft.net
Who would want to write a book (years of dedicated research, photos, cost, etc.) only to have some complete online duffer rip it apart?
Oh, cry me a river... if someone is that sensitive, then he/she just isn't well suited for the public eye. That might keep some of the highly qualified from ever writing a book, but that doesn't mean they can't share their knowledge with those with thicker skin.
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It is no secret that the vast majority of active internet posters that are known for and/or have a history to ripping and shredding just about every new item, book or technique apart... are those with less than 2 years hobby experience.
Well, I only have ~2 years in the hobby. That doesn't mean I don't know enough about science and the hobby to "rip apart" a book, study or article that's no good. People viewing the criticisms of these things should be able to tell a troll from someone who's really thinking and knows what they're talking about.
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Only a duffer would challenge facts. Only uneducated goofs would approach a Ph.D. with hostility. But.... it continues.
And Dr. Shimek lives on, doing his thing. No matter who you are or what you're doing, if you put yourself in the public eye, you're going to get heat. That's just life in the spotlight.
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EB wrote books that were published by a small company. That company sold the rights to TFH. EB now gets $0.30 (or less) pper book sold (personal communication).
Again, so what? I don't think he wrote the book for the money. This is true of MOST people who write non-fiction books. Even professors who write text books that are commonly used don't make a lot on the books they write. They don't do it for the money. They do it for the recognition and/or because they feel there's a need for the book.
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There are several great books on alga/algae culture, synthetic sea water, filtration that are authored by highly qualified individuals. These books have a retail price of $45.00 - $75.00. Considering there are no pretty color photos, just a tremendous amount of meaningful information, they are not as popular as the majority of coffee table books found in some marine hobbyists homes.
True... what we need is for the people writing the books for the hobby to be reading those books. And some of them do...
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He asked me some questions about the item. I was trying to tell him to consider using better aquarium keeping technique.... perhaps he would not need a buffer.
This is off topic, but how so? I don't know anyone who doesn't have to add some kind of buffering agent to keep their alk right.
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The few real experts are paid to make their presentations. The current aqua gurus will offer a free presentation only to better their names. (you get what you pay for)
And ironically, it seems like some of the actual scientists (real marine biologist) are hesitant to come to these conferences for fear it will actually hurt their names. ::sigh::
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Again, the internet has provided a platform for those that cannot afford dress slacks, dress shirt, shined shoes (that match) to be considered.....
One other thing about Mr. Borneman and writing the Corals book: He may not have been able to get into a graduate program for marine biology otherwise. I'm not sure, but I don't think it's all that common for someone with a college degree in Business (granted, even followed by 2 years of medical school), who had been out of school for over 10 years, to just walk into a graduate program in marine biology (at age 36). I have a feeling that the recognition he got from writing that book may have been his ticket into that program (but again, that's just my guess).
Actually, I think I was wrong about Eric having his undergrad degree in business. His Reefkeeping profile says it's in biology (and that would make more sense if he had been planning to go to medical school).
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