# Later Folks!



## neven (May 15, 2010)

I will be taking a leave of absense from here, Bookmark removed and tapatalk signed out. While i have many fishy friends on this site, i know i can find them through other media that doesn't bring a sense of disappointment this community has been bringing me lately. It isn't nostalgia talking, many know i've been a long advocate against that sentiment, instead promoting members to step up and keep the new members engaged. It isn't the members, its the site as a whole now, It lost its personal touch, its connection to the local scene and its warm atmosphere. What has made me stay here the last few months was mainly the members i know, that is it. I just dont feel right recommending fish hobbyists this site anymore, whereas before i used to free proud to be a contributing member to this forum. If i dont feel right about it, why should i use it myself. There have always been sponsors coming and going, but for the most part this site retained the majority of the reputable sellers in the lower mainland, some of which put in more time than many of the mod team members contributing as a member themselves. So the last straw has been drawn, and so i will take my time elsewhere. So good luck with your business BCA, I just hope that one day i'll come back to find this business nonsense gone and it be a community once more. There is much more value to a well maintained community than just a canvas for more banners.

Sincerely,
Rob


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## effox (Apr 21, 2010)

I'm sure there's been many who could say the same over the last 10 years of BCAquaria's life, as I've as well seen sponsors and members come and go, however we've seen 3 sponsors "leave" very recently. You're right in that there have been sponsors prior to at least me being a member here, let alone a moderator. At either rate, I'm sorry to see you leave Rob, you truly have engaged a positive atmosphere here for older and newer members alike. Thanks for the articles you've written and left behind for other hobbyists as well.

I do remember you and Dave chatting in the pre-ajax chatroom, and even in Nicklfire's Hangout, along with Claudia and Lisa to name a few, and insisting that you guys wouldn't bite. Although I still don't believe any of you.

You'll be a valued addition to whichever forum you engage yourself in.

Cheers,
Chris


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## CRS Fan (Apr 21, 2010)

Rob I'm very sorry to see you leave as well. I remember the old chat days when I had time to chat. You definitely gave me insights around algae and light issues in freshwater planted tanks and hope that this decision is not the end of your passion for our beloved hobby. I understand your sentiment and do feel the recent business decisions have diluted our community. Thank you for being part of our process.

Respectfully,

Stuart


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## charles (Apr 21, 2010)

I am sorry to see you leave. The forum has changed a bit since the change over of owner of BCA. 

Looking at the sponsor list, Canadian Aquatics is the longest sponsor in there; hopefully both Patrick and I will still support this forum which gave us support since the beginning of BCA days. Both Patrick and I are very thankful for Clarence who gave us our free spot of being a sponsor in the beginning. As for that, we are still here to give our support back to BCA. 

As I see it, I am more a member than a sponsor. To be honest, I have not seen a lot of BCA business from this forum. I sell more outside of BC than within. I am solely here because like myself, I have a million questions when I first started the hobby many many many years ago, and I am sure there will always have those same questions from newcomers. They will want someone to give them some good information. And that is why I continue to be here. 

In a way, I don't think BCA has changed much. It is us, the members who changed our attitude a bit. I honestly don't care about the more ads., I just ignore them. I come here to see if I can offer help to new members or any members that want my honest opinion about the hobby; yes a blue eye panaque is too small for a 50g gold fish tank and so I won't sell you one. 

If Shawn or Clarence did not announce the change of owner, we will most likely not going to realize that much; at least the majority of the members. We will not going to notice that it lost the feel of local community forum. 90% of the members here (I am guessing) are still from BC. So just changing the owner of the site doesn't change the local population. 

This is just simply my opinion...


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## Foxtail (Mar 14, 2012)

I agree with Charles, I use tapatalk and don't even see the ads at all. I am sorry to see you go neven. I do hope you come back once in a while just to check in... Take care.

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk 2


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## The Guy (Nov 26, 2010)

I agree with you Charles does it really matter who owns the site, we as members come here to share and to get advice. I really don't think the amount of sponsors the site has should matter to us as members. I know who I like to deal with and I go there either locally or on line.
Having said that all the sponsors BCA has are great people and it's up to them if they choose to leave or stay and it should not change the flavor of the site.
This site should promote and encourage new membership and not be considered a " Good old boys club". This is truly how I feel regarding any forums. 
My opinion only hope it does not offend anybody.


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## dabandit1 (Dec 6, 2010)

Still the friendliest fish forum around...you infact one of the great members to step up and offer me some macro algae,even though I didnt ask for it.....just because you noticed I couldnt find it.
Awesome members like you and the others I've met here will never change regardless of how the bill for the site is paid....still the same great members and moderators here making this site what it is.

I'd hate to see you go,this place is looking like a ghost town....try a little break and see how you feel about it after that

Either way,take care


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## Reckon (Jul 25, 2012)

I guess I just don't have the experience of what this site was like a while back. I just came to this forum about a year ago and I find it very friendly. I learned a lot from people like jbyoung, crs fan, bien lim, storm, tomc, blurry, april, and several others (including sponsors) all of whom I repect very much and would be happy to be better friends with. I'm particularly excited about plants and planted tanks and I'm always looking forward to sharing plants, scape ideas, and giving guys who are just starting up tanks some plants to get going. If there is something better or if you have some ideas of what you'd like to see improve I'd love to hear about it (you can just pm me). I'm sad to hear you go, from what I've learned about you from reading your posts you're very experienced in aquarium keeping and you have skills in many areas (hence Mr. Know It All), not just with fish. Your knowledge and concern for the community will be greatly missed.

I've had a couple friends who have seen my tanks and become interested in joining the hobby. I tell them I learned everything from BCA. They should join it. I feel it's still the place to visit for enthusiasts in Vancouver.


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## airbaggedmazda (Apr 27, 2010)

I see Neven's points, I am also on another site that was bought by the same company recently and it is all the same complaints over there. Its to bad, the other site has lost alot of the good, senior members and suspect it will happen here also.


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## DBam (Aug 9, 2010)

It's a downer to see people leave like this. Sorry to see you go Neven. I think that besides what Charles said, it should be remembered that BCA doesn't owe any of us anything. Sponsors aren't duped into spending money here, they know what they're getting into. Most of the rest of us use this site at will, under no obligation to pay money or put in any extra work.

If people feel so strongly for a community owned and operated forum, go make your own and see how close it is to perfect. Invest your own money and time to make it exist, and see how long you want to keep that going. In the meantime, I won't sit around complaining about what I'm entitled to in my free, high-quality, well-moderated, financially stable fish forum.


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## April (Apr 21, 2010)

It's an option we did that 10 years ago dislikes other discus forums so three of us started our own. 10 years later we are
Still going strong and was just rated
About 270th in the worlds forums and have
Been featured I'm magazines rtc. 
But
It was and is
Alot
Of hard work , monitoring software updates, moving servers , etc etc etc. 
it's also mentally draining with dealing with everyone's issues etc. 
but someone who has time and energy could


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## TomC (Apr 21, 2010)

April said:


> It's an option we did that 10 years ago dislikes other discus forums so three of us started our own. 10 years later we are
> Still going strong


 What is the address?


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## Pamela (Apr 21, 2010)

I'm sorry to see you leave Rob, you've contributed many great threads/posts over the years! I'm also saddened to see some of the sponsors leaving, but I still believe that we have a great community here.


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## Diztrbd1 (Apr 21, 2010)

agree with Pam. Except for a few sponsors leaving (which we are working on a solution for that) and some extra advertising, I honestly don't see anything different than it was a year ago. But yes.. sorry to see a few sponsors and a few long time members choosing to leave. Hope they all return in due time


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## Immus21 (Jun 14, 2010)

TomC said:


> What is the address?


Google "Simply Discus"


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## Elle (Oct 25, 2010)

Sorry to see you go, Rob! I hope at some point you at least wander back for a visit.


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## Foxtail (Mar 14, 2012)

Hey! Wait a minute... Where's the conclusion to your led diy light build?... Tease! 

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk 2


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## Jaguar (Oct 19, 2011)

airbaggedmazda said:


> I see Neven's points, I am also on another site that was bought by the same company recently and it is all the same complaints over there. Its to bad, the other site has lost alot of the good, senior members and suspect it will happen here also.


Same here, sadly... another pet forum I have been a long time member and moderator of is under the same ownership and we hear the same complaints. Really unfortunate as there are so many great people and so much free information on these forums being driven away. Sorry to see you go Neven.


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## Claudia (Apr 21, 2010)

I know what u mean Rob, its not the new ownership but BCA has changed some how, i dont know how to explain it but it doesnt have the same feeling as it used to. I had the feeling that things were going to change as soon as we found out that BCA was sold 
I havent been on for just over a week myself but mostly cause i have been busy thinking on other things and packing of course, i just dont feel how i used to feelfor bca anymore
Hopefully BCA will regain that warm hobby and fish feeling again


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