this is an idea I got from another site - but I think it's a good one!

we could have drop down bars to the right that would have links to stuff about fish species, coloration etc. other topics could include cycling a tank, common diseases, instructions on a DIY CO2 system, FAQ, breeding fish, and general stuff like that.

I wouldn't want it to take away from our posting, but possibly it could be help to newcomers here, as well as great archives for good info collected from experts!

The ForumUP Community is limited to 'Preset' formats. Unfortunately, unless we want to pay for a Host Site, what we have here is essentially 'IT'. On a Host Site, we could implement all sorts of available 'Plug-ins' or 'Mods', or even design our own.

That's why Bettina and myself have fiddled about with a

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, to see how far we can push these boundaries, at no co$t.

I've seen what you're saying, on other sites. The only way we could do this, does require a little bit of work, and could be done as a 'Work in Progress'.

1. We create a Catagory Header as 'Index'
2. The 'Topic' labels contain the Main Groupings, eg, Breeding, CO2, Cycling, Diseases, FAQ, etc.
3. Under each Topic, we have grouped by 'Posts', the relevant details and Links, many of which may link to our other relevant 'Threads', or to other Sites we deem 'worthy'.

It would take careful planning, eg, Locking Posts into Alphabetical order and such. That entire area would have to be 'read only', except to Admin, Moderators, and perhaps a 'project members' Group.

So, we could do it, but within certain boundaries. If my explanation is not clear, give me a day or two, I'll knock a 'quicky' demo version on the

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, and everyone can decide if that's the way to go, or use it as a spring-board in another direction (or dump it, as just plain 'crap!).


Now, here's the real killer: Content. Particularly if we plan to create some sort of broad Reference Source.

It took some real effort, just to get Aquatic Babble up and running. And I'm sure Bettina will agree, if it wasn't for the efforts of 2 or 3 individuals, providing something to look at, no-one who came later, would have stayed.

You are talking about an accessible Knowledge Base. The information must be Detailed, Accurate, Illustrated, and non-copyright infringed. Now have a think about those four elements, pull out a text, and pick out the sort of thing you'd want here ,eg "Breeding Keyhole Cichlids". Now think within those elements, what it would take, to put it together...

Oh - Almost forgot - Formatting. This sort of thing requires a consistant 'visual look', through-out, otherwise it look's like 'crap'! And people won't read it. For a small example, look at any of my Photos, consistant in terms of Height and Width, and a nice little emboss around the edge. They all look like 'part of a set'.

i like the tractor

It's a HUGE tractor !

I'm stickying this FAQ topic, because I'm starting to think in this direction.

I'm going to try and construct a combination FAQ and Index.

Does anyone have some basic topics that we could kick off an FAQ with?
eg:
Your first Tank, What do I need?
The Nitrogen Cycle / Tank Cycling
What do I feed Fish?
What is so special about Water?

And if anyone wants to write, remember it must be accessable to newcomers, not over technical, and not disuasive!

you could use the fish & fishless articals to get it started

Do you think we should jump in at that level? Or doesn't it matter.

I'm worried about scaring off prospective Members.

I suppose with a world-wide audience, a mix may be the go.

Do you think perhaps we should have a rating, say of 'complexity'. A 1-3 or 1-4 scale. Place it next to the references, then readers can just jump in to where they rate themselves.

That may prevent disappointment, and thus passing us over.

not so sure if that might not cause some problems i mean you might have sombody that thinks they know more than they do hay i still learning after all these years

Well I guess we cover the ground for "Getting Started with an Aquarium", and everything else is fair-game.

i am sure if we start something then people would add there own views/ideas/experiances as we all have them some good and some not so good its then up to the individual to make ther own choice of the information provided

As long as I can keep most of it structured.

I don't want people getting lost in a tangle of hap-hazard posts.

Having a Locked & Stickied Index / Contents Topic will be the key, I think.

I'm kicking off the FAQ with the beginners "So you want to buy a Fish Tank?", type of thing.

So, a question. Given that beginners are unlikely to buy a full range of Test Kits, what's the most important one, or two, of the Test Kits to have?

i would have to say the test kits everyone should have is for nitrite, nitrate, ammonia and PH i know its not 1 or 2 but they are the tests you need to use. i would also be tempted to state you need a few medications as well as most times that fish show signs of ill health is when the shops are shut

i would suggest ammonia test kit OR nItrite, having both seems unecessasry as one leads to the other. i'd suggest ammonia as the 1st priority.

pH is a good one to have. e.g. for checking the pH of tap water and to check the tank is suitable for certain types of fish.

nitrAte is not really requried if one is good at keeping up the water changes but not a bad idea to have one just to check as it gives an idea of how often you should be making water changes.

kH is a good one to have if co2 is added but probably not something a new fishkeeper would need as most wouldn't be using co2.

as for meds the 2 basics that most new fish keepers should probably have on stand by are anti white spot and fungus treatment.

oh and it might be worth mentioning that all fish keepers new and not so new need a good tap water conditioner that deals with chlorine/chloramine and heavy metals. although i find my fish seem to like to listen to a bit of ACDC or Led Zeppelin now and again.

That's good. Except for the Heavy Metal joke, ha...ha...ha...

Maybe I list, 'here are the most common test kits', with a link to an in depth blurb on each. And footnote that says 'these couple are probably the best to start out with'...

And the same with Medications, I suppose. White Spot Cure, and Melafix !

The thing is, test kits here, are au$30-40, depending on which. That's at least $120 added to a beginners cost before they've even got going. Hence my question. I don't want to write an introduction to Fish Keeping, that says 'forget it chump, it's too damn expensive!'. (we all know it is anyway )

and wipeing out your entire fish stock aint ?
remember its only nitrite because of one vowl