-Never top off your aquarium at "Omigod o'clock" in the AM in the dark. Trust me on this.
-Don't think that this is the one time you'll be able to skip rinsing that bag of sand because it "looks pretty clean."
-Don't start re-arranging "just a few" rocks in your tank before you head out the door for work, or you'll be calling in sick within the hour. You will.
-Never setup a new reactor, lighting system, or anything involving multiple plumbing connections prior to departing on a trip of pretty much any duration. Just don't do this.
Don't assume that "it's all good" because you have an electronic controller monitoring everything. Nope.
-Don't put that cube of brine shrimp or frozen mysis in a cup on the shelf in your closet to "thaw a bit" while you're putting on your tie before rushing off to work. You'll know all about why at 5:30PM that night. Enough said.
-Never tell yourself you're just going to pick up just ONE new frag at the club meeting. Won't happen. Forget that notion altogether.
-Don't reach into the tank to make that "quick adjustment" on something without having a dry towel handy. Do this once with the skeptical spouse/roommate/significant other around and you'll know exactly what I'm talking about.
-Don't think that this will be "the last coral" you add into your tank...
-Never log onto a coral vendor's website just before a major bill is due. Yup.
-Don't believe that you'll be the one guy who can keep multiple Centropyge angelfish in a 55 gallon tank without bloodshed. You aren't.
-Never assume that the siphon hose is in the bucket before you start it. Please believe me on this.
-Don't assume that you have "one more outlet" left on that power strip. You don't.
-Never try to "shake a small amount" of fish food right out of the container into your tank. Nope.
-Don't believe the words "easy to set up" in reference to an aquarium component. Especially when the component is of international origin.
Don't forget to stop at the ATM before your next fish club meeting. Seriously.
-Don't fool yourself into believing that you can net that fish that's been terrorizing your tank without pulling out all of the rocks and coral.
-Never believe that your new fish won't need to be quarantined "because the LFS does it..."
-Don't think that you'll be able to house and raise all the fry from that pair of Clownfish.
Don't believe that you'll just be satisfied with one aquarium! You suffer from "Multiple Tank Syndrome" and may not even know it. Yet.
And never forget to...
Stay wet.
Scott Fellman
-Don't think that this is the one time you'll be able to skip rinsing that bag of sand because it "looks pretty clean."
-Don't start re-arranging "just a few" rocks in your tank before you head out the door for work, or you'll be calling in sick within the hour. You will.
-Never setup a new reactor, lighting system, or anything involving multiple plumbing connections prior to departing on a trip of pretty much any duration. Just don't do this.
Don't assume that "it's all good" because you have an electronic controller monitoring everything. Nope.
-Don't put that cube of brine shrimp or frozen mysis in a cup on the shelf in your closet to "thaw a bit" while you're putting on your tie before rushing off to work. You'll know all about why at 5:30PM that night. Enough said.
-Never tell yourself you're just going to pick up just ONE new frag at the club meeting. Won't happen. Forget that notion altogether.
-Don't reach into the tank to make that "quick adjustment" on something without having a dry towel handy. Do this once with the skeptical spouse/roommate/significant other around and you'll know exactly what I'm talking about.
-Don't think that this will be "the last coral" you add into your tank...
-Never log onto a coral vendor's website just before a major bill is due. Yup.
-Don't believe that you'll be the one guy who can keep multiple Centropyge angelfish in a 55 gallon tank without bloodshed. You aren't.
-Never assume that the siphon hose is in the bucket before you start it. Please believe me on this.
-Don't assume that you have "one more outlet" left on that power strip. You don't.
-Never try to "shake a small amount" of fish food right out of the container into your tank. Nope.
-Don't believe the words "easy to set up" in reference to an aquarium component. Especially when the component is of international origin.
Don't forget to stop at the ATM before your next fish club meeting. Seriously.
-Don't fool yourself into believing that you can net that fish that's been terrorizing your tank without pulling out all of the rocks and coral.
-Never believe that your new fish won't need to be quarantined "because the LFS does it..."
-Don't think that you'll be able to house and raise all the fry from that pair of Clownfish.
Don't believe that you'll just be satisfied with one aquarium! You suffer from "Multiple Tank Syndrome" and may not even know it. Yet.
And never forget to...
Stay wet.
Scott Fellman
