Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

It is perfectly natural and reasonable to want to know why or what, as a forum community. I agree. I think it is perfectly fair for the OP and others to ask why he is missing. At this stage, Joel has said he has de-activated his account.

This forum wouldnt be at the high standard and success as it is if it wasnt for the way Joel and the team runs it and the community involvement. Its the largest most active aquaponic community in the world and subjects are discussed very freely and with minimal intervention.

As moderators we do manage the forum but we aslo have our place under the advisment of the administration, its the chain of management. Often there are subjects over time that we cant discuss or even have access to the information required to discuss appropriately or accordingly.

To keep a high standard, reputation and forum critique there are rules and guides to be followed by us all. If there is information to be shared surrounding this topic, it lays in the hands of the people involved and should be respected as private matters until they feel otherwise.

I'd like to put the guessing and gossip to bed by expanding a little on the situation so that people have a better idea of whats going on, yet without actually saying too much.

It upsets me that I had to make the decision to suspend RupertofOz's account. I only decided to do so after all other avenues had been pursued to resolve our dispute without any success. Also I'd like to add that he was in no way surprised at the suspension, and although I cancelled his account well over a week ago I received no correspondence from him until last night after he'd seen this discussion start, and was concerned about what might be said.

I'd ask that the membership please be patient and give me some time to consider how to explain further or even whether to explain details at all, as the dispute has been ongoing over a number of years and has only become related to the forum through the eventual suspension of his account as a last resort.

I understand that people are going to have differing points of view on the situation, but please bear in mind that without all background information leading up to this action it's not possible to make a well informed interpretation.


I run this forum as fairly and openly as I can and removing a member is extremely rare, in fact I think to date the number of members banned from the forum (other than spammers) can be counted on my fingers.

Now I'm sure this has cleared any ones queries up and everything is just as clear as mud..

This forum is about aquaponics, it's about helping people people get involved in aquaponics. I dislike it as much as anyone when politics and/or business gets involved, unfortunately now and then it does.
Rupert has been a valuable member, but there are also many valuable contributing members within the forum so although a loss, it's not the end of the world.

In words of many a policeman.. "Nothing to see here, move along please...."

Thanks Charlie and thanks Joel. I appreciate what you have to say and I understand that some of the information is private.

Speaking for myself only I am upset because I really liked Rupe and he was often the voice of science on threads which sometimes went off into science fiction. I enjoyed that he would always bring the conversation back to the basics.
Bloody hell, I feel like I'm writing an obituary.

On that note, if you commune with Rupe (via John Edwards) please send him my best regards.

Group hug! Group hug!

Martin.

Thanks Joel, private matters are private, i think we can all understand that.

Im with martin, I think rupert was a massive asset the the forum and generally a great guy ( i know he butted heads with people, including joel ).
I wish he was more open with his answers, i think he knew a lot more than the info he would give out here.
Im gonna miss you rupert, hope to see you back here or on a facebook page soon. if not, hope you have a great life.

Thanks Yavi.

I'm a bit in shock... Rupert was part of the furniture around here

I will miss his contributions

Hmmm...