Canreef Revamp 2014 - Ideas Submitted & Official Response

[titus]

Hello,

This thread serves as the official place where proposed and suggested items to make the site better is documented and responded to. To see where this originated from and to submit additional ideas / comments, please see the thread where this all got started here.

Originally Posted by Proteus

I would like to see more write ups on different types of systems weather Berlin, zeo, prodi. Cryptic.

We'll upgrade the site sometime this year, targetting before end of 2014Q1. Afterwards, we'll have much better way of composing and publishing articles, rather than forum posts. The 2 things we need to sort out are a) Finding a panel of SMEs in house on Canreef to write articles, b) Inviting biologists and chemists from universities, aquariums, government bodies to publish their opinions and researches here. I'm buried in a pile of behind the scene work I've started or going to start in 2014 so can't focus on identifying or contacting individuals or bodies from a) and b) above so if you or anyone can help on this front please PM me.

Originally Posted by Reef Pilot

Also would be nice to be able to subscribe to a member, so I can follow their posts. Of course, it is entirely possible that these capabilities already exist, and I just haven't figured them out yet...

Not sure if this is possible with the version we're upgrading to in terms of forum posts but definitely I can make this a feature for the buy/sell section.

Originally Posted by Scuba Diver Gal

Maybe this is here, but I would like to be able to find threads that certain users start. A compiled list….people are always saying "have you seen _____ tank build thread on Canreef?" Then I take forever trying to track it down.
Also, how to post photos…I have looked around and can't seem to find that….
And maybe both are here, but I just haven't found them yet.

Finding threads I think the new forum version will be better. We'll see. Posting photos I'm going to add that as a feature to the site.

Originally Posted by Slyguy00

I think it would be nice to see where the person is from before having to click the link, just to find out the seller is in ontario or alberta. Would probably save a lot of hassle.

I'll enforce this somehow via a database to be purchased and subscribed for. It can associate 83% of IP addresses to within 40km. Obviously we will never know how it works until we have been using it for a while but I'd imagine even if it's off or unable to lookup it can provide a good idea of which region the person is in.

Originally Posted by reefwars

Contest for junior members
Featured items of the month like zoanthid of the month or fish of the month
Would like to see the library updated
Search function rarely narrows things down to a specific
How about a I'd category just for identifying things people may not know about
I would like to see more important things sticky so they don't get lost in threads
For free category that equipment or livestock can go in
Lot's of things we can do and easily applied to both make the site fun and more user friendly

At the moment kien is doing a fantastic job for the POTM contest. We need to discuss how we can expand it. In terms of the library I have some crazy ideas of building a photo based library based on the new buy/sell and photo sections to be developed, associating price histories, etc. I also have a fish library with which I'll make available (it's done long time ago but I hate the layout I created so I never launched it). We can create a separate section for the unknown and to be identified species as well.

Originally Posted by Reef Pilot

Another capability that might be helpful is the ability to change the original thread title (not posts) for a number of reasons.
1. On a FS thread, could add Sold to the end of the thread name, and people wouldn't have to open it, just to find out that the item(s) are sold.
2. Some FS threads might change over time. Eg., the thread name might originally incl several items, some of which might be sold or not available later. Would then not be necessary to start a new thread, or have multiple FS threads to start, which just clutter up the forum.
3. Some topics change with time, and a name change could better reflect the current postings, again, without having to start a new thread. It is still nice to retain the original posts, to see where the thread has gone.

Changing thread titles will not be required once we build the buy/sell/classified section. The idea is to make it like a formal and proper listing place so people can update, tag, associate items, etc. I do want to introduce some formal controls around it such as each item must be listed on its own separately (ie no more of these a million corals or frags on the same post) with location of lister, photo, desc, etc. I also will make it easier for us to find old listings / items by looking up via categories, person listed it, time, region, etc.

Originally Posted by Reef Pilot

Maybe free sponsorship for some non-profit or public organizations might incent them to participate on Canreef. That would be great.
Also would be nice to get Vancouver Aquarium and Ripley's (in Toronto) to participate. I am sure they have a few little secrets about reef keeping that we would all like to read about.

I am interested and listening. Can you put together a case and if you know someone in these organizations who may be interested?

Originally Posted by kien

I would like to see a new logo. It would give the site a freshened and updated look :-)

I've always thought the logo is the best designed item done properly and the rest of the site sucks. I'd prefer not to change it if possible.

Originally Posted by SteveCGY

1. Quick Reply
2. Cleaner advertising
3. More mobile friendly/App
4. Easier to post photos/have more photos. Not everyone wants a photobucket.
5. Sold button for Buy/Sell
6. Buy/sell based upon province/main cities
7. Less boring colors and layout

I have plans for 2-4,7 so glad to see some backing on this. 5-6 will also be taken care of. I have to be honest that I'm not intending to do anything with 1.

Originally Posted by Proteus

A app other than taptalk would be cool
Also. R2R post alot of cool threads on there fb page this could bring alot more people to the site

Both will be taken care of.

Originally Posted by ScubaSteve

Reef Mythbusters: there's a lot of BS hocus pocus in the hobby, as well as a lot of truly great stuff that gets passed off as anecdotal and snake oil. Universities are pretty bad for just passing off anything that comes from the hobby as a bunch of bologna (even though there is a lot more daily experience and creative power behind the collective hobby than there is in university settings), so having them prove/disprove some of the myths, methods, additives, etc would both help us as hobbyists and would also help the universities take us more seriously.
.....
For many species there is little to no financial incentive for breeding efforts, so free enterprise isn't going to step in to fill that roll. But if universities could teach us hobbyists, who arguably may love the ocean world more than our own children, we would tackle breeding simply as a labour of love. If we can make breeding easier so that it could easily be incorporated into an existing reef tank some how (ie. make it sexier than smelly fish rooms) we could start to make leaps and bounds.
.....
Public Institutions and education: I think this is where we could pair up with places like the Vancouver Aquarium. ..... If the Vancouver Aquarium let a group of us look after the reef tanks I'm pretty confident they'd have the most pimped-out, sexy, spectacular tanks of almost any aquarium - and they'd have the most enthusiastic (maybe overly-enthusiastic) bunch of volunteers that would probably walk around the complex dragging people to come see said sexy reefs.
.....
Search function: it'd be smashing if the search function could take me to the exact text I am looking for rather than just show me the thread it's in and highlight it in red when I actually find it. I had to pour through a 24 page thread the other day to find one sentence I was looking for - should have been a 2 second search but instead was 15 minutes of frustration.
.....
Advertising: ..... But we really need something better than that ****ing sponsor thread summary monstrosity that plagues the front page - it really detracts from the site and I now often just use a bookmark that links me right into the forums
.....
Same as the idea above with having contributing writers to Canreef - let's make this site a repository for information. Let's find the best way to teach people interested in the hobby, people new to the hobby, people expanding their reefing skills and even helping experts who are pushing the boundaries of the hobby - buried forums and stickies are not the answer to that.

I'm sorry to hear about the search function but I'm in no capacity to sort this out yet and don't know how it can be sorted out. The poor layout you experienced on the front page will be dealt with. For the rest you listed, can you put together a case and if you know someone in these organizations who may be interested?

Originally Posted by Madreefer

I think the buy/sell thread should be the only ones that should be able to be edited. There's some posts in the lounge that have been edited in the past with guys back peddling on things they've said after being called out on something.

No problem with the this.

Originally Posted by Starry

What about a live chat room?

Yes but as Brad says it wasn't serving any value. However I'm considering it and maybe something even better? I don't know as it depends on how much it takes to implement this and how much work the other higher priority stuff will take.

Originally Posted by BlueTang&lt

I miss the buy sell on the front page the 3 extra clicks kills me.

If we have the buy/sell at a separate sub site so you can go straight to it would that work? There will obviously be links between the forum and the buy/sell area.

Originally Posted by StirCrazy

I kinda like the university idea, but the problem comes up that is it going to be a Canadian university?, if so there won't be a lot of stuff applicable to us as most of there studies are cold water stuff, so a lot of differences, so that would be my only question. the other issue is to get a regular post on related topics from a university, it is going to take more than a little donation, to get a large segment of there time and dedication it would take some big bucks.
there are other ways to "piggyback" on articles and such with subscription services, but I have know idea what they would cost and so on.
I know years ago when ever some one would find an interesting read they would post a link to it and there used to be a lot of discussion on it, but that doesn't seam to happen anymore.
so I guess what I would like to see is a lot more user posted stuff like the old days, we all learned a heck of a lot in a short period of time, mind you we didn't have to many sponsors that we would upset by posting how to make stuff in the DIY forum. so I don't know how much of a concern that would be, and I don't want to be banned for two years for exposing the reality of a deceptive product like I did on reef central .

I don't know if the Canadian universities are only into cold water stuff and we must resort to outside of Canada. Do we have someone here who is very much in the academic area and knows the Canadian climate to tell us? Subscription ..... maybe but I prefer having original works from within either this site, the academia, or government bodies rather than buying others' contents.

[quote=gregzz4]Just an example of the kinds of threads started that revamping the site would help
I'm sure many of us would benefit from stickies and an up to date library
I've seen many posts on this particular topic over the last quarter, and I've seen many helpful responses from our members
I've personally responded to enough of them on sumps over the last year that I've stopped getting involved
It would definately help everyone if these kinds of topics/answers were easier for everyone to find./quote]
I'm sure we'll be able to better organize the reference materials with the new software we're putting in.

Originally Posted by Proteus

I would like a like button for liking post

Yeah it's coming.

Originally Posted by Dearth

Online store I would love to buy some Canreef trinkets(t-shirts, hats, pens, key chains and so on.....) might have to be on a trial basis though as it costs to do this
Newbie contest those starting up first time tanks probably would appreciate the notice prizes not necessary but just having their picture posted is pride enough only open to first timers though those who have been in it a year or more would have an unfair advantage
As social media is huge might be worth looking into advertising the site on mainstream but again is cost involved and is it worth it
Buy/Sell forum is one that has its use but at the same time seems to be a massive thorn in many people's sides I haved used the Buy/Sell before but its a forum I can also live without maybe look into linking it to its own site as it appears to fusterated a lot of people having a link to it's own site might be easier to maintain

I used to make it available to buy Canreef logoed items but I've never seen anyone placing any orders. I have confidence the rest will be taken care of.

Titus

[titus]

Hello,

Originally Posted by Phil

Canreef is a business and exists with help of Vendors
First u need to bring back vendors lowering the fees helps bring new vendors
New vendors from different areas will bring more members
Yes u make less money but with more vendors= more money anyway
Look how many vendor left due to the increasing costs.
Most of the members In Edmonton also left do to the vendors leaving.
(Using Facebook instead)
More vendors = more members = more money
It's sad to say but without vendor canreef will not be here.
Me and reefwars tryed to explain this before and the thread got off topic really quick and got deleted.
I will say it's nice to see Titus on here actually looking at the problem we told u was going to happen.

Phil thanks for the recent PM but there is more to it as I've been wanting to do this for so long for the past 3 years but just haven't had the luxury of getting to it. Enough is enough for me and I just needed to do something this year. The comment about "It's sad to say but without vendor canreef will not be here." is so untrue and it's sad that I see this from time to time. Content and the social experience ranks at the top for me so anything to be built will have these addressed and taken care of first.

Originally Posted by Phil

Last post for the night lol
Let's brake down the vendor lists
Wholesales(don't really count)
Aqua digital
Reef whole sale
Seacare

Home based
Reef supply's canada
Kraken
Frag cave
Madjelly
Modular led
Fijirock

Brick and morter
Concepts (onley still he because of Denny)
Reef supplies (go reef)
BRS (USA)
Fragbox
Pets and ponds

Now let's say I talk to aqua digital I want some tropical marine stuff I get sent to aquarium illusions (non sponsor ) so now I have to switch to Facebook as there on there to talk about a product. (I'm no longer on canreef)
As this grows it's a snow ball effect.
Now let's look at who left

Brick and morter.
Aquarium illusions
Redcoral
Blue world
Marine experience
Marine aquaria

Home based
Snappy (back with concepts but still a lost store)
There's more I can't remember off the top of my head.

And I know your gonna see more leave befor more come back.

I like how you are categorizing them and the experience of how you started on here but landed on Facebook. Never thought of it that way. Thanks as this will help compliment a feature I want to add to the new buy/sell section.

Titus

[titus]

Hello,

Originally Posted by SeaHorse_Fanatic

Make surfing canreef on my smartphone more accessible/user friendly
Make it easier to post pics on the site
On another fish forum I belong to, we can look up the list of members currently on, click on their name and start chatting/IMing immediately. Very painless process. This would be a good way to build a stronger community, cause IMing increases communications.

Can you list out any additional features you want from surfing via your phone, or any features not working well? Pics will be coming, or at least that's part of my plan. As for enhancing social interactions (ie IM) we can look into that.

Titus

[titus]

Hello,

Originally Posted by Proteus

I would like a like button for liking post

It'd be available when we upgrade vBulletin I think.

Originally Posted by SeaHorse_Fanatic

I know people within the Vancouver Aquarium and the non-profit Vancouver Aquatic Hobbyist Society (VAHS) fish club and can let them know to contact you, Titus.
Edit: Have sent off appropriate notification emails to have them contact you, Titus.

Thanks. I haven't received anything yet.

Originally Posted by reefwars

sucks that we have to use an external photo program to copy and paste pics, but at the same time at least its 30 img's vs 10 on RC lol

Okay I have some crazy stuff coming along.

Originally Posted by The Grizz

A person that grows there own coral and has there own web site to sell frags should be allowed to post a FS add on CanReef without being a sponser, period!!

There have been no easy way to systematically gauge whether someone is really doing this making money or not. And it's been bugging the team way more time than necessary discussing to death on anything about a specific member, when the member is brought to our attention. Part of what I'm planning to build will in some way facilitate us to draw lines systematically.

Originally Posted by Myka

Awesome Titus, I'm really excited to see what you have in store this year!
I think there should be some sort of "supporting vendor" option that is more affordable for home-based or smaller businesses. Besides Toronto, Calgary, Edmonton, and Vancouver most of the stores are relatively small and the current sponsor fees are too high for the revenue generated.
As far as updating articles - I've been wanting to update some articles I've written, but it's not easy for me to do this. I have to harass Brad to edit it for me.
I could do like a once a month or once every 2nd month sort of thing. Subject requests would be a good idea...

Yes there are indeed some ambitious plans being lined up. And part of that will address the long going issues of the smaller businesses.
As for the articles, it'll get easier but that part needs to come later most likely Q3 2014. Continue to speak to Brad on your ideas and plans. We're (cough Brad is) listening.
And yes part of the idea is to get people to chip in requests for new stuff.

Originally Posted by Hydrologist

This is spot on. Why don't you offer two types of sponsorship levels? Have greater perks for the higher fees (i.e. own sub forum, bigger ad in the banner, etc) The amount of small business that are starting up to support the demand of the hobby is growing at a an extremely fast pace. This forum can either keep up with the changing economics of the hobby or it can fall behind and be left in the dust.
We should be trying to support the small businesses trying to make it in this field, not raping them for a ridiculous sponsorship fee that will take months and numerous sales just to recoup the costs.
Whats going to end up happening is you will have businesses sign up for 1 year, get there name out, and then there gone! Doesn't seem very sustainable.
Sponsors bring in people, people bring in sponsors. Don't think I am right? Look at Reef2Reef.

Okay trust me this has been bugging me for years. And trust me something is being planned. I can't promise when it'd be here but it'd be addressed.

Originally Posted by Seriak

I like perusing all new posts on one page and not have to go into the forum section to specifically look at buy/sell. I pretty much don't look at buy/sell anymore which is potentially a loss to sellers.

Did I say there will be no buy/sell forums anymore but something better?

Originally Posted by spit.fire

Personally the only 3 things I'd like to see changed are
1. Sold button (as you said it is being addressed)
2. Lower cost of sponsorship (lots of smaller stores don't have the budget to become a sponsor)
3. I'd like to be able to see posts/threads by individual members on tapatalk (option is there but it doesn't work)

First 2 will be addressed. Last one I have no time to look at for 1H2013 yet.

Originally Posted by neoh

I would like to see a feedback system. And a way to donate to the site to pay for the upkeep of it, and to offset the cost to sponsors. Then a "Donator' badge.

Feedback... um... I guess I can think about how to do this.
Donate... This has been brought up before but I prefer to not having to do this. I don't know... just not wanting to see Canreef have to rely on members donating. I prefer members to contribute by participating.

Originally Posted by mike31154

While on the subject, perhaps a method of accessing reputation info for members themselves might not be a bad idea. I've had a quick look & other than the pop up I get when hovering over my own 'green' button, there appears no way of knowing who has contributed to my reputation & what the associated comments were. Also no way of reviewing the comments I've made when adding to another member's reputation.
Is there somewhere I can review the ones I left for others???

I'd like to see this to be available based on buy/sell ratings, easily accessible to anyone to view.

Originally Posted by The Grizz

Don't know if it's been suggested yet but a way to upload or embed videos in tank journals would be nice.

Photos oh yeah. Videos... possibly.

Titus