Well, you want info?
It's here.

The issue is that to learn, you will want to start by reading as much as your brain can handle, then try a few things and ask questions, after you have read up.

You have time, relax, read at your own pace.
Little by little you will learn more and become better at keeping plants.
Ask for help, that's what other more experienced folks are here for, do not worry, we will be easy on you, see, everyone was a newbie at some point and we all recall what it was like.
Sometimes we go off on tangents, but we do get around to makign sure you get it and understand what you should focus on.

Folks come to this hobby from a very wide background.
Some of us have harder times understanding things than others.

It is also good to join a local club or plant group, there are many these days.
You can learn 100X more in the same amount of time with a group like that.
Try and talk with folks at your same level to share the pains and successes.

This will help you and make the hobby more enjoyable.
Now you will have a tougher time learning off the web versus in person, so give folks here/elsewhere and yourself a little grain of salt and latitude.
It's far more difficult on the web versus in person when it comes to communication, I know this very well after well over 10 years helping folks out over the internet

I come across crotchety at times, I'm not that way at all in person and do try very hard to help everyone I can and straighten things out as well as misconceptions.
If I was really mean and cranky, I'd never do this and would have burned out back in 2000 or so. I am very patient ans try to help folks when everyone else has given up.
I am persistent, you should hopeful be aware of this, and I often speak in general terms, I do not attack anyone personally, I do however debate the idea aggressively. Please do not mistunderstand me there, I try not to judge folks, I ask the same in return. The debate process might seem harsh to a newbie, but it's effective at rooting out the best methods and information.

Please do not be afraid to pose a question.
I do try to give honest answers as well as most hobbyists that keep planted tanks.
We all where newbies at one time also and have been the same things you are likely to go through.


Regards,
Tom Barr

I recently gave a very similar speech to students in my computer lab. I told them that they have to *do* things, and make mistakes along the way, to learn. Reading about it is fine, and gets one thinking, and introduces new ideas. However, it is through the repetition of doing that one learns.

Get to it, and stick with it! :-)

i think i can learn a lot from this forum and im really glad there are places like this to learn from

im new at this forum thing and i dont fully understand what im doing

Neither did I a long time ago, and there was no net, no books to speak of, not much really.

So I little choice but the try things out.
Learn by doing and making mistakes.

But.........you can also learn a lot by seeing where other folks went wrong and what they did to solve it.

Still we all learn by doing, we cannot pick up math books and just look and automatically know Algebra, or Calculus.

You all know what happens when you do not do the homework in math when it comes to the test...........and what happens if you do all the homework.

Many folks forget this and some seem to think or feel they can just read and then know everything they need for aquariums.

Same with scaping, many think it's just some in born gift, no, it takes work and practice.

Same here.

Same with Bonsai, farming, most jobs..........

Regards,
Tom Barr

[quote=Tt.

Still we all learn by doing, we cannot pick up math books and just look and automatically know Algebra, or Calculus.......

Regards,
Tom Barr[/QUOTE]

This is very important. When I first got interested in planted tanks I read and read and read some more before I actually started setting up tanks. Set the sucker up and let it rip. Make mistakes, fight algae and go through the learning process. Keep reading but keep planting.

The problem with reading up on the subject, then rushing into a planted tank, is that you don't know if some of what you considered to be just icing on the cake in the instructions is really critical. I think a common mistake of that kind is not planting the tank very heavily from the beginning. This isn't for esthetic reasons, but to prevent lots of algae starting to grow. Many of us decided to start with a few plants, then slowly add more as we get them. Surely that couldn't be a problem, huh? Oops! Big mistake.

I would like to add that people learn/assimilate at different rates and for different subjects.

I know for me at times the answer was given, but I either missed it or didn't understand it AT THE TIME.

However, as my general and specific knowledge increased, I reread many threads and was able to pick up a little more each time.

Also, one subject may be easier to understand than another for the same individual.

Keep plugging away.

Also have patience, tanks can go bad quickly, but may take 1 to several weeks to get back into shape, based on what the issue(s) are.

Hope this helps.

I started this hobby less then a year ago and I really got into planted tanks back in March of this year. I have been on this forum for several weeks now and I must say that this is the best forums I visit. The people here seem very knowledgeable
and willing to help. Tom and his team really do a fantastic job here.


I must admit that some of the articles and the terminology used here is still way over my head. . Still, I think I have learned a lot since November of last year.

I would like to express my gratitude for all the help they have given me so far. This forum offers a unique perspective to the hobby that I have not seen anywhere else.

Thank you for putting this forum together and making what it is.

I'd not worry too much about Planted tank terms or technical talk, the terms and nouns are not that critical to the understanding of the concept.

You pick up that language as you go.

Every area of study has it's own language, English teachers have amny specific terms and ways to discussing their field, Math teachers have theirs, Computer Nerds have their terms and talk, there are many that are not Web Savy as well, they think we are all nuts!

Point is, every field has it's own unique set of specific terms and talk to help to clarify concepts and be very specific about what they are talking about.

Yes, this takes some time to understand, a city person that has never been out to farm might feel too at home with the talk and terms there, likewise, someone who's never been to the New York might also feel out of place initially.

Many like their comfort zone and do not like to get too far from it. Nothing wrong with this, but if you want to learn and get into this hobby, it'll sure help to get your feet wet and learn, there's no test at the end of the day or anything

And you have all the time in the world you want to put into it, there is no rush to try and learn it all. I think a mix of doing and reading will help, but also discuss with a local group of folks as well. The feedback you get from people in person, seeing their tanks etc, is very valuable.

This is both experience and reading/book learning at the same time.

So read, and do not put too much pressure on yourself about fully understanding it the first time or two. Then try and set things up, ask around what you should do, talk to local folks, ask for help.

Then make mistakes and learn from them.

We all go through this and have done it before as well. One of the reasons folks respond is that they themselves have had issues and want to help you not make these same mistakes.

I think 90% of the folks that respond on all boards/forums etc are like this.
They also teach themselves more by going back and helping others, like those that helped them before.

Regards,
Tom Barr