I said expert for a couple of reasons.
1. I have been in the hobby successfully for over 25 years
2. I have been a professional having owned a maintenance company and consulted several LFS on how to become SW and on their marketing strategies that were directly related to how they presented fish and helped other aquarist.
3. I have bred dozens of fish in the last 25 years
4. I have propagated corals since 1989
5. I have set up and designed large aquariums/ponds
6. I have taught hundreds of others thru clubs across the Midwest on how to care for both FW and SW aquariums/ponds
7. I have given tons of advice on breeding, water quality, aquascaping, and equipment on 20+ forums
8. I have kept more species of fish and corals than I can count in the last 25 years
9. I have kept planted CO2 driven tanks for over 20 years.(God bless welding supply shops)
10. When there is something I am not sure of I try to research it and when that doesn't help I go to the authors of the books to find out more.(many of which I know from frequenting the trade shows and conventions)
Expert or not, you must always be open for a discussion and be willing to try something new. Learning is the biggest part of the aquarium hobby.
I understand that expert means alot here, but outside from writing books and articles(working on an article now) I have done much more than the successful aquarist. I currently maintain 1,000 gallons in 14 tanks in my home. (down sizing soon due to unbelievable cost increases in electricity!!!)
