Is it possible to "master" reefing?

[AlyciaMarie]

Hmmmmmm...I just want to hear your opinions.

Is it possible to "master" reefing? Why or why not?
P.S. "Master" may mean something different to different people, so base your answer on what you would consider mastery.

 

[William Chiavetta]

there is ALWAYS something more to learn

 

[Treefer32]

If scientists greater than I have not mastered their understanding the oceans on earth then there is no way little old me would have mastered a pocket ocean.

 

[KrisReef]

Mastering anything is difficult because

It always seems like there is one more thing that just isn't right?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

I would interpret mastering it means that one is able to keep a quality reef tank and is happy with it.

I cannot see it meaning knowing everything, since there would be almost no way anyone masters anything by that definition.

 

[Cichlid Dad]

IMHO yes absolutely. A master is not know all there is to know, no one considered a master knows absolutely everything. I would consider a master as someone who has vast knowledge of all aspects of the reef system and can for see and handle most all issues as they come up and are able to keep everything going.

 

[KrisReef]

I would interpret mastering it means that one is able to keep a quality reef tank and is happy with it.

I cannot see it meaning knowing everything, since there would be almost no way anyone masters anything by that definition.

Nicely put. All Knowing would be God, and no one else, by definition. Some politicians, and Google, and AI, and golfers who won the "Master's" might think they deserve the title and a few of them would tell us that it's true.

 

[Ghostbuster]

No, it’s a dark dominion which you will rescuing from

 

[Reefer Matt]

I don’t believe in the “Reef Master” concept. I think “hobbyist”, “professional” and “expert” cover the bases when recognizing the hierarchy of reefing knowledge. Professionals and experts are people whose daily job has to do with reefing and its sciences, either directly or indirectly.

 

[Treefer32]

The greatest master is the one that acknowledges that what they have learned and know is but a fraction of what there is to know!

That said, mastery of the reef hobby, for 2024 I would say I'm almost making it to the expert level of mastery given the growth and apparent happiness of my fish and corals with their home. And the amount of corals I have. That said, I know there's a lot of stuff I don't fully understand about the hobby and may never. So, I acknowledge my limitations!

 

[chip shop]

I voted yes maybe a marine biologist has more knowledge about ocean life and its numbers but I think after years of keeping marine life through failures and highs to hitting a sweat spot were everything is at peace in your tank and has been for years I would consider yourself to have mastered it

 

[William Chiavetta]

I've been intensely studying and asking as many questions as I can about reefing but I still feel like I know nothing. There is no mastering reefing

 

[Cool tangs]

Think it depends on perspective.

Keeping a thriving reef tank, could consider yourself a master in ways. At least proving to yourself that you can keep coral and fish alive and growing, as well as looking amazing.

In the sense of actual knowledge, well I would argue that we just don't know enough. There is so many opinions and ways to do this hobby. Not to say anyone is wrong, you can be confident on success based on how your tank looks coral and fish wise. But the one thing I like about this hobby is we can debate, we can learn from each other and agree on base lines at least. I love learning personally and this hobby can be as advanced or as simple as you make it

 

[Gumbies R Us]

There is always room for learning more in the hobby. You can become a "professional" in certain areas of it.

 

[dakoop]

 

[chip shop]

I've been intensely studying and asking as many questions as I can about reefing but I still feel like I know nothing. There is no mastering

 

[chip shop]

That could be said about anything in life though nobody knows everything and most that think they do know very little

 

[ChrisfromBrick]

to me, mastering means that you've been in the hobby for at least 10-15 years and your tank(s) look great and thrive.

The smartest scientists in the world cant master the evolution of cancer and its treatments or come up with a vaccine that perfectly matches the surface proteins to each strain of yearly flu.

 

[PharmrJohn]

I rank knowledge base as Beginner, Intermediate, Expert and Master. As with anything, a master status takes experience  combined with knowledge base. So yes, from the standpoint of just knowledge and experience, yes, it's possible with all the issues lent to the hobby. But from the standpoint of actually maintaining an ocean like environment with all the stability that goes along with it, only expert is possible. Now, I know that the ocean has its own ebb and flow with stability (e.g. Red Tide), but as a percentage of the whole, it's so far down on the scale as makes no difference. See? I overthought something! Again!

 

[ChrisfromBrick]

I also think that if you have dealt with and overcome each type of nuisance algae and come out of it on top, you are pretty dang good. If you haven't, you aren't a master reefer.