Biggest mistake you made while in the hobby

[xxxAngeloxxx]

My biggest mistake in this hobby was not having a friend in the hobby. So i walked into my local fish shop and said i need everything for a 55g saltwater tank. All said and done i walked out with a bs canister filter a 2 bulb t5 light some salt and crushed coral everything cost my like 7 8 hundred bucks I got ripped big time


Matty'sCornerAqauriums

Yea its a good thing to have someone in the same hobby that knows where to get things for less money.

 

[pauliwalnuts]

Buying infested coral off of other members and LFS's. :smash:

 

[bigcapct]

Buying pre salted water in a box from lfs!! They never told me to delut it before I add it to tank!!

Dnt drink the water ,fish have sex in it

 

[beerfish]

Using the plastic in my wallet for something other than scraping coraline...

 

[richardhmc]

using a bent metal scraper to clean off algae. It was like taking a key to scratch a car.

 

[jimidalock]

After reading so many posts about being patient, not realizing what that exactly means. I have learned from every mistake, infestation and loss in the tank. There is so much to learn. But probably rushing into putting expensive livestock in the tank before I had a handle on great water quality had to be the biggest mistake. My 200 gal tank is about 3 yrs old and I think I now know how to keep a reef.
And I definatly could not have done it without the men and women on this forum. Thanks everyone!

 

[jellymunk]

Ok so let's face it we have all done some foolish things and made some big mistakes in this hobby as we learn how to keep corals and fish in our tanks. Let's share on some of those stories. I will go first......

My ongoing list of mistakes and bad decisions.

falling in love with sps.
adding sps to the tank.
upgrading the tank and equipments for the sps.
adding more sps to the tank.
upgrading more equipments and the whole system for the sps.
wiping out 1/3 of the acro with just one black out.
still adding more sps to the tank.....lol....

sps = $p$

 

[KatLongo]

buying a WHOLE bunch of frags, not dipping them and now after ten years of bug free reefing having a three year infestation of flat worms that just WONT GO AWAY!!!!

 

[tentacles]

slacking on my husbandry practices because I engross myself with school/am neurotic about getting A's in everything.

buying tiny clams (they never seem to make it without phyto, phyto fouls up the water, I don't make time for WCs because oh my god I got a B in something)

Having a non reefer take care of my tank while I was away for a weekend (heartbreaking crash ensues)

and lastly...
Not putting a cover on my RO reserve bucket, then consequently dropping things into the water (laundry, pieces of paper, cat treats) and having to remake it

 

[sillysidewinder]

Getting clams when neither me nor my tank was ready.

Putting my hand in the tank way too much.

Starting a second tank when I couldn't afford it.

Making any sort of impulse buy whether it's livestock, equipment, etc.

 

[xxxAngeloxxx]

Getting clams when neither me nor my tank was ready.

Putting my hand in the tank way too much.

Starting a second tank when I couldn't afford it.

Making any sort of impulse buy whether it's livestock, equipment, etc.

Your like me lol i can agree with you on the first one and second one besides the clam part instead its the fish part lol

 

[reefnhard]

The biggest mistake i made getting in the hobby was buying a catalina goby and not knowing about it and trusting the lfs

 

[e.muehlbauer]

Dosing a perfectly healthy tank with Marc Weiss CoralVital. It led to a horrendous hair algae outbreak that took years to eliminate.

 

[vwreefer]

Man this is fun......I first got into the hobby when I was on active duty and was lucky my LFS was owed by a disabled vet so he took good care of me. I too have made impulse buys, failed to do research, stuck my hand in too many times only to fowl something up, dose without testing, and buy "fade" equipment and trends. My most costly one was when I listened to that guy we all know who knows it and has seen it all. That guy cost me my first tank crash several years ago when he suggested I take out my plenium and go with a DSB. Now I know ultimately it was my choice but he gave some compelling info and had plans.....big mess....

 

[tenMann2]

Biggest mistake, probably making a dream of owning one those dominant sps tanks and trying making it into a reality.. $$... That's the hardest one. Others are similar those those mentioned, keeping the hands in the tank and moving things around when I should of just let it do its thing. Buying on impulse, not aware that it can cause more harm.

 

[vwreefer]

Biggest mistake, probably making a dream of owning one those dominant sps tanks and trying making it into a reality.. $$... That's the hardest one. Others are similar those those mentioned, keeping the hands in the tank and moving things around when I should of just let it do its thing. Buying on impulse, not aware that it can cause more harm.

yeah that's a good one....very expensive and challenging to maintain.

 

[Mattl22]

I'm trying that now on my 75 gal and it is a pita but I love sps


Sent from my iPhone using Reefs

 

[kres1024]

Taking a dip in my aggressive fish only!!!

 

[TaboutMoney]

Taking the cheap route first now having to buy everything over

 

[vwreefer]

Taking the cheap route first now having to buy everything over

Man I hear you on that one....been there before......