Top 5 mistakes made by new reef aquarium hobbyist

GuyWalker1219

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A while back I made a list of what I felt the top 5 biggest mistake made by new people in the hobby.
I am posting this list here in an attempt to help new hobbyist avoid making some of the mistakes the rest of us have.



1. Not Buying A Big Enough Tank
Raise your hand if you wish you had a bigger tank than the one you started out with? This is what happens. You want a fish tank and you decide on a certain size tank and think that'll be big enough for everything you want to put in there. You set it up and get more into it and realize that the tank is too small. So you get a bigger tank. You realize again that it's not big enough. Repeat. This is why many of us have MTS (Multiple Tank Syndrome) Including myself.

2. Rushing Into It

You see those amazing and colorful fish and corals somewhere and decide you must have an aquarium . So you go out and buy a tank and unfortunately things don't usually go well if you go that route. Let's try that again. You want a reef tank. So you go out and buy the combo package that the fish store is offering. You start to add livestock that you see at the store that look cool. But unless your LFS helps you, you usually end up with livestock of different compatibility or your equipment can't support. Take the time to do your research. Not only will you save money but you'll provide a healthy environment for your livestock.

3. Doing What Other People Think Is Cool

You want to belong with the cool reef people on the forums. But doing what they like...is that going to be what you like? Remember that your reef tank is for YOUR enjoyment and then to share with others. An example I met a guy recently who told me he hates SPS and really like wavy LPS corals yet his tank is SPS dominated I asked him why, he said he wants to have one of the best tanks and people like SPS. Unfortunately he has given up what he likes for the preferences of others.

4. Being Cheap On Equipment

Reef keeping is not a cheap hobby you can get away with inexpensive like my LEDS off EBAY but do your research when I say cheap I mean crappy quality that does not work. But everyone knows that one thing you shouldn't try to save money on is the equipment. Why? Because 10 out of 10 times you'll want to get the better equipment after buying the cheaper one. You also always want to get equipment that is rated for your tank or even better larger than yours to leave room for upgrade. My garage full of equipment that were replaced can attest to that.

5. Buying The Wrong Livestock

Buying the wrong Livestock is a big no-no. First, you just wasted your money but most importantly you put the livesock's life on the line. Buying the wrong fish and putting it into the wrong environment puts a lot of stress on the fish and buying corals that your tank is not properly equipped to care for is irresponsible. You have to remember that ultimately we're responsible for our livestock and have to do our research first.
 

wabooth555

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I agree that these are all big mistakes. It's easy to say, "do your research"! But we've all been there were we saw something that looked cool, took the chance, then regretted it.
 

Ron Reefman

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I don't know that these are the top 5, but they are mistakes many/most of us have made. LOL! And number 1, is it really a mistake to get the size tank you want? It became a mistake after some period of time went by, but at first, and even for some period of time, it wasn't a mistake at all because we were happy with it. But I certainly understand the sentiment. And it's always good to try and inform others of the issues they will face... even if they won't listen.
 

johnanddawn

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Pretty good list but I agree buy the right sized tank - big isn't always better if you can't maintain it properly

But I think you missed one of the biggest mistakes made by new reefers

Don't buy and add every additive or cure all solution you see advertised!

Too often I read on this forum something to the affect "well I added such and such and now everything is stressed or dead, what should I do now?"

Answer - STOP adding all that stuff to your tank!

For new reefers the best solution and what should be your only additive is a good quality salt mix and ro water, combined with regular water changes - that's it.
Leave the rest alone till you know your tank, know what the additive really does, and why your adding it
 

Corals

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I totally agree with the top 5 mistakes, no tank is big enough because I'm the owner of 4 different sized tanks, lol.
 

3Twinklets

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When people are choosing their tank size they must consider how much time and money is going to go into running and maintaining the system. I believe in keeping it simple when starting out. Maybe start with a 20 gallon tank that you can use for an acclimation tank in the future. The choices in lighting and filtration are endless! Beginners almost always start with something and then do not like it later. A smaller initial system, when you do not have the knowledge, is a lot easier to replace/upgrade than spending a ton of money on a large system that may get you in over your head both in expertise and financially.
 

milhous3er

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Don't top off with saltwater, top off with freshwater.

Only took me 3 months and $$$ worth of livestock to find this out.
 

dwilliams87

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Don't top off with saltwater, top off with freshwater.

Only took me 3 months and $$$ worth of livestock to find this out.

Ouch!:help:

The not rushing into anything really covers about everything else. I think everyone makes that mistake. It's really hard not to. You want your month old tank to look like the guy's who has been set up for years...NOW! It just doesnt work that way. Great thread though.
 

Telefonica007

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Good list... I'm guilty on some of those. Haha. I started with a fluvial edge and now I'm getting my 93 cube setup. Lol. Gotta luv this hobby!
 

TallShow

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I'm guilty of most of these. I'm learning new things every day.
 
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DaveMorris

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One of my top five, although some may disagree, is plumbing your new tank using check valves and actually thinking that they will work. I have seen many posts from fairly new reefers that ask "why did my tank overflow my sump?" only to find out that they were using a check valve.
 

Mike J.

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I think two of the top mistakes new people to the hobby do is add livestock before the tank is cycled properly and not doing quarantine.
 

TJ's Reef

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Pretty good list but I agree buy the right sized tank - big isn't always better if you can't maintain it properly

But I think you missed one of the biggest mistakes made by new reefers

Don't buy and add every additive or cure all solution you see advertised!

Too often I read on this forum something to the affect "well I added such and such and now everything is stressed or dead, what should I do now?"

Answer - STOP adding all that stuff to your tank!

For new reefers the best solution and what should be your only additive is a good quality salt mix and ro water, combined with regular water changes - that's it.
Leave the rest alone till you know your tank, know what the additive really does, and why your adding it

+1 and adding my 0.02 here. Not only all the additives that are added unnecessarily without understanding but all the 'latest and greatest' gadgets at great expense without really knowing why or what they really do. After 31 years in this hobby I've seen quite a lot of these must have 'Flavor of the Month' components that seem to be marketed towards the new to the hobby aquarists. It would be so nice if everyone starting out could/would take the time to visit a handful of experienced Reefkeepers and see first hand what each has done to be successful. Most would confirm that a BIG dose of patience, quality water w/ water change schedule, good water flow and adequate lighting will do wonders for their success rate. No one type/brand of anything in this hobby is 'All That' but quality is paramount especially in the basic components.

Cheers, Todd
 

jdl513

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One of the biggest mistakes is not setting aside time and money for upkeep.

We all enjoy adding that new fish or coral, but often we should have replaced that troublesome aging return pump got fresh the RO/DI filters instead.
Also the time spent going to pick up that new fish or coral probably should have been used to perform that water change we have put off yet again.

Routine upkeep can be a drag, but is the key to a successful display.
 

glb

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Not starting with easy corals and fish. The learning curve is so much less frustrating if you start with forgiving livestock.
 

Eienna

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I agree that these are all big mistakes. It's easy to say, "do your research"! But we've all been there were we saw something that looked cool, took the chance, then regretted it.

That's why I bring my smartphone with me. I can look things up on the spot. :)


I'd say another common newbie mistake is misdosing additives/chemicals or dosing without knowing what they do or how they work. Personal experience on that one >.<
 

Spendley

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I think for a beginner, (myself only being 6months into the hobby), simplicity is key.

I browse the forums quite often, and there are still things that I don't even try to pretend to understand. What I do understand though is how my fish tank works. While it's great to get caught up in someone's dosing regiment or DIY project, stick to what works for your tank!
 

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