[Frolicsome_Flora]

Thanks for your votes, forum will go live when weve finished setting it up and wotnot.

[George Farmer]

Oh man..... Another forum!

Just registered.

[themuleous]

First of, has this forum actually been started? I cant seem to find a link to it? And the UKASP website just takes me back here?

Also, its prob a bit to late, but do we really need another forum? The AE doesn't get all that much traffic, as most people tend to stay at the established places like TFF and APC and I had it hard enough keeping up with those let alone having another one. The really exciting thing about UKAPS for me was not that we could discuss things as in every other forum that already exiists but that it gives us an means to focus the UK aquascaping scene and get that growing.

Just my thoughts on the matter.

Sam

[Frolicsome_Flora]

First of, has this forum actually been started? I cant seem to find a link to it? And the UKASP website just takes me back here?

No, its not live yet. It wont be long though.

Also, its prob a bit to late, but do we really need another forum? The AE doesn't get all that much traffic, as most people tend to stay at the established places like TFF and APC and I had it hard enough keeping up with those let alone having another one. The really exciting thing about UKAPS for me was not that we could discuss things as in every other forum that already exiists but that it gives us an means to focus the UK aquascaping scene and get that growing.

General consensus is, is that we would like our own forum. It will help strengthen our identity and help coordinate our club aim being, to raise awareness of the hobby in the UK and therefore gain more support from all our LFS's. Its not just going to be somewhere to chat about plants and tanks

[Dave Spencer]

I was hoping for the new forum to be a little more advanced than TFF. Maybe have a section to welcome new people and provide a place to answer their questions, but also have a section for more advanced/knowledgeable people.

Sometimes, it can be become tiresome seeing the same old questions over and over again because people can`t be bothered to scroll down the page. How many times have you had to answer the question about what make good beginners` plants, Sam?

The more knowledgeable amongst us could probably take turns helping people out on the newbie section. I don`t want to sound like an ingrate because I know I was full of newbie questions, but it can be a bit wearing.



Dave.

[neil1973]

I think Dave makes some fair points. Perhaps a FAQ section could make things easier for those seeking advice as well as those giving it.

Neil

[Frolicsome_Flora]

Originally Posted by Dave Spencer

I was hoping for the new forum to be a little more advanced than TFF. Maybe have a section to welcome new people and provide a place to answer their questions, but also have a section for more advanced/knowledgeable people.

Sometimes, it can be become tiresome seeing the same old questions over and over again because people can`t be bothered to scroll down the page. How many times have you had to answer the question about what make good beginners` plants, Sam?

The more knowledgeable amongst us could probably take turns helping people out on the newbie section. I don`t want to sound like an ingrate because I know I was full of newbie questions, but it can be a bit wearing.



Dave.

Thats just a case of creating the right sections on the forum, which is no biggie at all. The forum will evolve over time, no forum is setup perfectly from the word go.

As with any new forums, members will have to be patient. If the same questions are being asked over and over, just dont read them and move onto another section?

Newer people to the hobby get confused (me included at the time!), and like to put different spins on similar topics. If the SAME person keeps asking the same questions, then yeah, we can strap them down and take the cat'o'nine tails out.

Whether the forum turns into a question and answer venue, or a cutting edge techniques discussion board will be totally upto the people posting. We will mod it obviously, to try and keep it somewhat sensible, but were not about to impose limits on it before we start.

[Aeropars]

I think in some respects we need to have something happening to ensure we don't turn into 'just another forum'. We need to have a purpose that exposes a gap in the market as it were. Advice forums have been covered in depth already so we need to focus on something alternative. Perhaps something more interactive like tutorials, web-chats and podcasts. Something that actively raises planted tank supplier awareness. I think aqua essentials has a vast monopoly on planted tank stuff and you have to scrap around a load of fish shops to match this level of quality and range. After all, we all want this to work for selfish reasons.. we want to b able to produce the type of tanks our Asian friends produce and to be given the tutoring they have got as well as the cost effective priced equipment and vast range of plants.

I think if we hit a nerve in our approach it will create intrigue and hopefully praise from all over the world. Then new members will follow in their droves.

[Frolicsome_Flora]

Originally Posted by Aeropars

I think in some respects we need to have something happening to ensure we don't turn into 'just another forum'. We need to have a purpose that exposes a gap in the market as it were. Advice forums have been covered in depth already so we need to focus on something alternative. Perhaps something more interactive like tutorials, web-chats and podcasts. Something that actively raises planted tank supplier awareness. I think aqua essentials has a vast monopoly on planted tank stuff and you have to scrap around a load of fish shops to match this level of quality and range. After all, we all want this to work for selfish reasons.. we want to b able to produce the type of tanks our Asian friends produce and to be given the tutoring they have got as well as the cost effective priced equipment and vast range of plants.

I think if we hit a nerve in our approach it will create intrigue and hopefully praise from all over the world. Then new members will follow in their droves.

Absolutly right Aeropars. Youve just hit the entire club aim on the head. Bravo

[Moody]

Originally Posted by Aeropars

I think in some respects we need to have something happening to ensure we don't turn into 'just another forum'. We need to have a purpose that exposes a gap in the market as it were. Advice forums have been covered in depth already so we need to focus on something alternative. Perhaps something more interactive like tutorials, web-chats and podcasts. Something that actively raises planted tank supplier awareness. I think aqua essentials has a vast monopoly on planted tank stuff and you have to scrap around a load of fish shops to match this level of quality and range. After all, we all want this to work for selfish reasons.. we want to b able to produce the type of tanks our Asian friends produce and to be given the tutoring they have got as well as the cost effective priced equipment and vast range of plants.

I think if we hit a nerve in our approach it will create intrigue and hopefully praise from all over the world. Then new members will follow in their droves.

Very good Aeropars, very good indeed.
Some great ideas, and providing we have people around with the expertiese and time to give to put such ideas into fruition then anything is possible.

Cheers,
Graeme.