Dumbest Thing you Have ever Done...

[SteveP]

Mine isn't necessarily doing anything dumb, but it often turns out I learn some key bit of info after making a move, such as:

- Finding out about DSBs right after setting up a plenum system.

- Learning that tridacnid clams can live on light alone only after they get about 3" long, right after buying a 1" baby maxima.

- Learning of Rio pumps' reputation after buying a Turboflotor 1000

You know, stuff like that.

Steve
8{I

 

[Anonymous]

The dumbest? That's tough!

1. Did waterchange w/o measuring specific gravity of mixed saltwater. You know how the water looks when you add freshwater--all swirly--yup! Unfortunately, it wasn't due to lack of salt. Quickly fixed and nothing died.

2. Overkilled my algae problem and starved my cleanup crew. If it looks like your winning your algae battles, it's a good idea to drop in some food for the snails/hermits.

3. Bought liverock in small batches from several different stores. Hydroids, valonia, red bubble macro algae, aiptasia.... I maximized my chances for getting unwanted stuff.

 

[polyp]

Trusted the guy at my LFS without doing my homework.

Camel Shrimp aren't reef safe. I only checked one other reference besides the LFS guy and they seemed OK. Should've kept up the investigation and gotten other info. I feel stupid and guilty about it now.

An Open Brain and various Zooanthids were attacked (now hiding/healing in sump/refugium). Frogspawn with a great year of growth was attacked and four polyp heads were lost.

I've still got to get those two little punks out of my tank.

[ January 25, 2002: Message edited by: polyp ]</p>

 

[whirley]

Bought a skilter/Seaclone....
Boy, that's gathering dust....

Put a leather coral in fresh water. (Really dumb)
It was only supostabe temporary!

whirley

 

[yellowfiji]

I bought the Prizm protein skimmer.

 

[McReef1]

I have NEVER done anything dumb. It's always the fault of my water, plumbing, equipment, fish, corals, or inverts.

 

[Anonymous]

Answering this post

.

Seriously, I design electrical and control systems for buildings. Well, I designed this wonderful lighting/fan system with timing relays and everything. I forgot to hook up the hot wire to the fans. Dual 400W mh in a closed hood cooked about 5 or 6 SPS colonies and frags that I had introduced a couple of days before. Needles to say, I was bummed.

 

[texman]

got married!

 

[jdeets]

1. Last weekend while preparing for a water change, I turned off the main return pump and the wye check valve stuck open. I started beating on it (it always worked before...)

One last hit and the check valve pulled out of the compression fitting... DOH! Water came gushing out of the return lines and all into the cabinet. I called my roomie and he was able to reach up and turn off the ball valves in the returns while I held the line shut with my hand... DOH!

2. On several occasions, I've started a siphon while doing a water change. The last time I walked into the hall from the kitchen to find a small stream of water going down the hall. The living room carpet was covered and the water had made its way all the way into the hall. It was probalby 1 1/2 gallons, but it sure seemed like a lot more.

3. Before I started putting my RO/DI water jugs into the sink to fill them up (for topoff water), I used to run a vinyl line from the RO/DI to the jug on the kitchen floor. Then I'd come and surf the 'net, and several hours later, go into the kitchen and start cleaning up the lake.

Hopefully I won't be able to add any more to this thread any time soon... DOH!

 

[HARRISON]

Well lets see, I can think of twice I put the hose in the pond to add a few gallons of water to replace the evaporated water, only to get sidetracked on another project. Then I got a page at work about an hour later and my room mate told me of the great flood in the yard. Needless to say I lost "several" very nice Koi.

And just a couple nights ago... I added some Cardinals to my 30 gallon tank to see if I could find a pair. During the first couple days I noticed that my Shrimp Goby was on his own and not in his usual burrow with the shrimp. After a couple days it hit me. Oh man, the shrimp isn't digging the burrows... The new Cardinals, yup sure as snot, they ate him. I got to looking close and found some little parts... That was a 20 dollar mistake. Took me a couple tries to get a shrimp goby pair too

 

[Rich-n-poor]

Ever have a small piece of wood that needs cut and you really really really reallyknow you should clamp it down or use a table saw, but your in a rush and have a circular saw real handy ?

well lets just say I know what my index finger looks like on the inside

_________________
Honda That's

 

[Ben1]

PLugging the wave maker on the same extension as the skimmer.

Unplugged the skimmer for water change and forgot to plug it back it, woke up the next day to all my fish dead

 

[Paul A. Ifkovits]

...In regard to your tank.

I was sitting on the floor watching my new skimmer, (for some reason, I find this interesting...)

Well, about 6 months ago I had a great idea to use an empty 1 gallon bucket as a baffle in my sump to control bubbles. While sitting there, I noticed a rust stain on the side of the bucket. Upon closer inspection I realized I never took off the metal handle. Opps!

No ill effects that I can tell. But this may explain why my macro algea grows wild. Also I have recently had explosive growth of mushrooms. Matter fact, they are everywhere, even floating around in the water column..... Anyone know if mushrooms like high concentations of iron?
_________________
Cancer - Lymphomas Forum

 

[GateKeep]

dumbest thing I ever did.. had to be buying my serpent star. He's eaten all my astreas, my peppermint shrimp, and my mithrax crab. As a result algae, aipstasia, and valonia are running rampant.

I'm working on setting up a new home for the star.

 

[XXX]

Ceiling fan above tank. Step stool in front of tank. Any questions?

 

[rlp1]

Leaving heater unplugged after waterchange.

 

[fishfarmer]

Running the Tap Water Purifier in my kitchen, walk away, call a friend, couple hours later the bucket overflows onto the downstairs neighbors. The neighbors come up and tell me there is a fire alarm beeping in the basement. Apparently the water made it that far and caused it to go off. Now all water is made in the shower.

I did a similar thing to different neighbors when I used to brew beer. My sanitizing bucket filled with 5 gallons of clean water went VERY quickly downstairs, soaked their bed.

[ January 26, 2002: Message edited by: fishfarmer ]</p>

 

[esmithiii]

<blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">quote

Ceiling fan above tank. Step stool in front of tank. Any questions?

Been there, done that.

E

 

[Anonymous]

I'd have to say that putting $2000 into my 100 gallon trying to make it a reef before finding out the guy I bought it from used copper in it almost once a month for the 10 years he had it up and running. Now it is a goldfish pond.

B

 

[oranje]

mmmmmm,
dumbest, and smartest -
took over the care of a 75 gallon reef system, without any prior knowledge and experience with salt water tanks. for the first three months, i didnt know i had to do anything but feed the fishies, and add some buffer / deionized water on occasion.

oops.
im doing much better now.

the only other dumb things ive done fall into the flooding/puddle category. i have two tanks residing at the top of a flight of stairs... it turns into a pretty waterfall when the water wants freedom. and the peeps i live with almost seem to be getting used to the puddles in the bathroom from leaving the ro/di unit on for too long.