The interview linked makes an excellent point
here about the abundance of bad information and the lack of scientifically grounded data.
Even for those of us who have been in the hobby, stepped away, and come back, thereโs SO much to learn (or re-learn). Just figuring out where to start can be overwhelming.
Iโm the kind of person who loves digging into information, but even I sometimes feel lost trying to figure out what I donโt know, whatโs relevant, and whatโs important right now. For example, I havenโt even started to wrap my head around managing parameters and dosing yet. Thereโs so much to unpack - from what to dose and when, to what needs specific parameters, to the endless factors that affect those parameters and vice versa.
What I think could be
deeply helpful - though I realize this would be a big undertaking - is an expanded, timeline-based guide to reefing. Something that walks through the entire process from start to finish: choosing a tank, filtration, substrate, cycling and its timelines, stocking considerations, quarantine practices, parameter maintenance, troubleshooting disease or pests, and so on. It could even touch on how the hobby has evolved, like the move away from ULNS, and why those shifts happened. That historical context would benefit both beginners and those returning to the hobby, helping them understand how and why our approaches have improved.
Such a guide doesnโt need to be rigidly prescriptive ("do exactly this"), but more of a roadmap: โAt this stage, here are the things you need to know and consider.โ Along the way, you could link to your own articles as deeper dives into specific topics ("For more detail on preventing and dealing with algae and dinos, see [link] and [link]โ), while also referencing other trusted sources - aligning with Tamaraโs point about seeking information from multiple places.
I know guides exist, but theyโre either outdated and/or not easily digested (Reef2Reefโs is a decade-old forum post), scattered (BRS' โguideโ is just links to videos), or overly commercial (LiveAquariaโs is more a shopping list). A single, comprehensive, evergreen resource that serves both as a beginnerโs guide and a reference for experienced hobbyists would be an incredible contribution to the community.
~15 years ago, I bought a domain name intending to start a wiki for the aquarium hobby precisely because of the lack of consistent, concise information, but never did anything with it, unfortunately, and Iet it expire when my first child was born. That would be an entirely different huge effort, but to the point, the hobby would really benefit from more expert advice/guidance based on actual research (even if it's your own) and data, instead of the analogy and anecdotes we so often get, found scattered to the four winds across the internet.
. And keep us updated as whatโs up? Implying what you are teaching.
).