How to get more activity on this site?

Well I have been guilty of it too, you just get too busy to post here on Washington FishBox. You forget about it for awhile, then you remember you need something, want to sell or buy something or have a question and you pop back on. So what can we do to get this site moving? Any ideas? Come on we can do it !

I guess put responses up to other people's posts? Even if it's just a short "nice tank" or something.

I know that when I post show and tell type pics, I feel more interested in putting more up if there is some response to them. If no one replies at all, then why put up any more pics?

So if more people are responding, more people will be posting new threads.

And that means more active users to answer questions when they come up.

Good start, so we need to all be more responsive to each other. What else?

Being responsive is important Unless someone just likes the sound of thier own typing/voice Seriously though, it is always nice to get the feedback and conversation.

For my part, I joined the forum because as a newbie to the hobby I had questions that I feel are best answered (or pointed in the right direction) by experienced hobbiests. I am interested in learning what others are doing in thier tanks, and how they approach thier snags/challenges. Also I'm excited about what I'm doing, the aquarium goals I've set for myself, and not only do I want to share (cause I am that kind of excited) but I will have more questions as I go along so that I can meet my aquarium goals.

So, maybe, if we all share what is going on with our tanks as we get in the mood to share, we'll all have something more to chat about or think about.

We need to tell everyone whats going on in our tanks, even if the fish just farts. (Dont know if that is even possible, but you get the point)

I know Ive been busy getting my 210g set up, I should be posting up a storm with pictures and all. It is almost inspirational when you see a big tank build. Funny how Ive been talking to a friend who has a 55g and has been thinking about getting out of the hobby. Every time we talk he says it fires him up to continue. So lets get fired up about the site and share whats going on.

Here is another idea: you get a FishBox Member who is in front of a computer all day at work and its a slow day. You have him post all over on the forums trying to get things going...

Oh yeah, that what Ive been doing. Just need a few more and we can rule the world! I mean get things moving here.

Instead of having these LFS 'sponsor' the website, maybe it could be a two way street, where we get advertised in the store the same way they get advertisements here.

Adonijah wrote:Instead of having these LFS 'sponsor' the website, maybe it could be a two way street, where we get advertised in the store the same way they get advertisements here.

I was in a store the other day and the employee was recommending the site to a customer. I think it may have been at Conway. I thought that was pretty cool.

Maybe we can have a few signs a made up and see if the LFS sponsors would post them in their stores. Or a simple batch of stickers that they could add to the back of their existing business cards.

Thats a good idea. I would have enjoyed being on here when I first started up. I learned some through reading, but there's a lot of conflicting information out there so it's really nice to hear what others have personal experience with. I've learned just as much through experiencing it

I wonder if a few sponsors would help with promotional items/prizes for contests. Tank of the month type stuff. Category type prizes, best looking fish, etc. This would encourage people to put up more pictures. You need more than just bragging rights.

Ok, so Ive been posting all kinds of topics to get responses and activity on this site. Most of the topics have been just for fun. Things like if you name your fish, what the big deal about Festae, and how boring and dull African cichlids are. Most of these have got some good little bouts going esp the African one .

So come on I know I'm not the only warped mind around here to come up with topics. Your turn to get involved!

I've been trying to come on here a lot more, mainly because I like that it's just based in WA. However I have found this site to not be very helpful when I need help, questions or advice.

Either my question just sits there unanswered or someone answers it that's not very knowledgeable on what I'm asking about.


I always get my answer to my questions but it's always from the help of another forum. I'll wait a couple days on this forum for someone to answer that knows what they're talking about, and when I don't get that help I post the same Q on another forum and get the answers I need. Makes me not to even want to come to this forum first for advice when there's a good chance I won't get any help.

I guess to improve this site I'd try and get more experienced people on here, maybe make a list of people and what they are most educated in(ie. american cichlids, anabatoids, ponds, tank cycling, salt inverts...) and people can go to them for help or something. In another forum that I'm on more frequently there's a moderator dedicated to each section and they're always one of the first people to help you with whatever you needed help with. The mods are always there if you wanna send them a pm to get a quick answer. And because each mod is dedicated to that one section they're very knowledgeable.

So if it were up to me I'd want less show and tells and more helpful advice being given.

I hope I'm not sounding mean, I love that this site is based for WA residents, it's just not the most helpful place to go to at this time.

It would be nice to have a larger knowledge base. But If you are on here you will see it can go through spurts, thats why we need to continue to support the site by just showing up and posting. If you did not get your answer here tell what you found out and where you did and you will have helped contribute in a big way.

I will admit for big CA/SA cichlid owners this can be a lame place compared to the Monster Fish Keepers website (MFK), but the guys here are all basically neighbors who will totally help each other out, and really only live 20-30min away from each other. We have a pretty nice group with a good knowledge base. I have seen the African cichlid keepers getting back up in force too so thats encouraging. Certain sections really get no love and the invert section has to be one of them, so it your turn Ratlova30 to get that section stirred up and moving.

Well the answer is simple. There is not enough people on here too have a couple or even 1 individual to have some knowledge about everything that comes up. The odds of your question on a certain snail getting answered by someone that has knowledge is very slim. I would like to think that I may be able to help on almost everything. But snails, I dont care for them, therefore I have no advice. You cant get after people or a forum just because the average people on it per day is maybe 25, and that those 25 people dont have an answer. Sorry the odds just are not there.

MFK may have moderators on every forum topic. But it also averages tens of thousands of different water pet owners across the world. There is no comparison. The majority of forums are nation or world wide, the following is enormous, compared to here.

So to get upset and rant because you feel that this forum is useless, is not fair. Not fair to the moderator that put it together, and its not fair to those of us that enjoy, show and tell. If you look through most of the site it rarely has someone come on here with questions that cant be answered, but it does happen. So thank you for being a part of the local forum, but if you dont get a response, go to MFK to get it. When you get an answer, share it here if you like, or keep it to yourself. Either way do what you need to do.

This forum is small and entertaining. I show off my fish on here, on MFK, on cichlid forums, and on USA fishbox. So to bash it and say that there is just to much show and tell is ludicrous.

If you like, I will do my own research on your question about that certain type of snail, and I will return with an answer. Would you like me to do that? It wont be hard at all.

Enjoy the website for what it is and what it tries to accomplish. Dont bash it because the few that are here, dont have an answer.

The best suggestion I have is when you're at a LFS, spread the word to others that are looking at the fish. I've done that several times and it always gets them on the site. I will be doing more advertising once I am less busy with this college thing that keeps getting in the way.

madness wrote:Well the answer is simple. There is not enough people on here too have a couple or even 1 individual to have some knowledge about everything that comes up. The odds of your question on a certain snail getting answered by someone that has knowledge is very slim. I would like to think that I may be able to help on almost everything. But snails, I dont care for them, therefore I have no advice. You cant get after people or a forum just because the average people on it per day is maybe 25, and that those 25 people dont have an answer. Sorry the odds just are not there.

MFK may have moderators on every forum topic. But it also averages tens of thousands of different water pet owners across the world. There is no comparison. The majority of forums are nation or world wide, the following is enormous, compared to here.

So to get upset and rant because you feel that this forum is useless, is not fair. Not fair to the moderator that put it together, and its not fair to those of us that enjoy, show and tell. If you look through most of the site it rarely has someone come on here with questions that cant be answered, but it does happen. So thank you for being a part of the local forum, but if you dont get a response, go to MFK to get it. When you get an answer, share it here if you like, or keep it to yourself. Either way do what you need to do.

This forum is small and entertaining. I show off my fish on here, on MFK, on cichlid forums, and on USA fishbox. So to bash it and say that there is just to much show and tell is ludicrous.

If you like, I will do my own research on your question about that certain type of snail, and I will return with an answer. Would you like me to do that? It wont be hard at all.

Enjoy the website for what it is and what it tries to accomplish. Dont bash it because the few that are here, dont have an answer.

I wasn't bashing this site and it was not a rant. If I thought it was a useless site I wouldn't be on it everyday and quite frankly I think my constructive criticism is getting misconstrued. I didn't say I expected people on here that knew a little bit of everything. I said I thought it would be good to have people on here dedicated to a certain section. I help out when I can, when I know the answers to people questions that haven't already been answered I answer them. Just a few days ago I posted a list of plants suitable for low light to help other people out and yes I do spread the word on this forum when I can.

So please don't misconstrue what I was saying. And to answer your question I did my own research on the apple snails and as it said in my post about the apple snails all the articles I read conflicted with each other so that is when I came on here to get help. Don't make it sound like I was being lazy, expected other people to answer it for me and then "ranted" when I didn't get what I want.

I'm sorry to the admin for this, this shouldn't be happening on this forum and my post was honestly meant to be constructive criticism, to answer the question on how to attract people to the site. Any more problems on what I wrote send me a private message please

I appreciate the constructive criticism, no need to apologize.

I think we need more parties.

Hmmmm

[quote="Ratlova30"]

Ratlova30 wrote:I've been trying to come on here a lot more, mainly because I like that it's just based in WA. However I have found this site to not be very helpful when I need help, questions or advice.

Either my question just sits there unanswered or someone answers it that's not very knowledgeable on what I'm asking about.


I always get my answer to my questions but it's always from the help of another forum. I'll wait a couple days on this forum for someone to answer that knows what they're talking about, and when I don't get that help I post the same Q on another forum and get the answers I need. Makes me not to even want to come to this forum first for advice when there's a good chance I won't get any help.


I guess to improve this site I'd try and get more experienced people on here, maybe make a list of people and what they are most educated in(ie. american cichlids, anabatoids, ponds, tank cycling, salt inverts...) and people can go to them for help or something. In another forum that I'm on more frequently there's a moderator dedicated to each section and they're always one of the first people to help you with whatever you needed help with. The mods are always there if you wanna send them a pm to get a quick answer. And because each mod is dedicated to that one section they're very knowledgeable.

So if it were up to me I'd want less show and tells and more helpful advice being given.

I hope I'm not sounding mean, I love that this site is based for WA residents, it's just not the most helpful place to go to at this time.


Last edited by Ratlova30 on Mon Sep 19, 2011 12:05 am; edited 1 time in total

Now it sounds like your being constructive. Sounds a bit different this time. Enough said.

Parties and a boxing gloves.

Spyral wrote:I think we need more parties.

More late night meet-ups at the airport!

Im down with that. We need to increase the # of people. And start sooner, so we can have more than 1 beer. Oh wait 1 of us did. Hmmmm who was that?

madness wrote:Im down with that. We need to increase the # of people. And start sooner, so we can have more than 1 beer. Oh wait 1 of us did. Hmmmm who was that?

Yours did not even count as beer, more of a thick paste like substance...

You dont know what good beer is even if it hit you in the eye.

Howz the pain-in-the-arse female?

madness wrote:You dont know what good beer is even if it hit you in the eye.

Sorry I stay away from the thick beers, I like Blue Moon.

madness wrote: Howz the pain-in-the-arse female?

You mean my wife?

DMD123 wrote:

madness wrote:You dont know what good beer is even if it hit you in the eye.

Sorry I stay away from the thick beers, I like Blue Moon.

Please tell me that you did not just say that. Say it isnt so. Please.

DMD123 wrote:

madness wrote: Howz the pain-in-the-arse female?

You mean my wife?

No not your wife. I dont know her well enough to call her that. YET

I was referring to your kid. Howz she doing, still trying to get with every male in site?

Domino the argentea seems to have mellowed out a little. She has been eating like a little pig and this has kind of helped keep her in check. I still have been keeping my eye on her, she loves to torment...

The new pearsei wont stand up to her and gets chased every now and then but she has not torn up any fins or chase to the point where he is overly stressed. He hasnt started eating yet from what I can see, and at the rate shes eating she is going to grow quick.

Might still consider something of a change, find a little more mellow argentea male maybe. I dont know but if I decide to change her out I will let you know.

I will be waiting. It looks like my Sieboldi female laid eggs either on her own or she has a male of some sort guarding them somewhere. Her tube is way down this morning.

Seriously, I will never drink the water in your area... my kid is grown and out of the house and I dont need no more.

I am going to start selling it. Heck I saw some betta water at Wall mart the other day. Really? Betta water?

madness wrote:I am going to start selling it. Heck I saw some betta water at Wall mart the other day. Really? Betta water?

The bottled water for bettas has always made me laugh. But someone out there is buying the stuff