Top 5 mistakes made by new reef aquarium hobbyist

[Floreef]

The temptation to over do the rock work-----creating dead spots of low flow.

 

[FLipp]

buying fish that are not compatible.

 

[djurynk]

Love the Post

I appreciate the Top 5 list as a means of looking back when I began the Hobby. This Saltwater Hobby of mine went through the initial impulsive overspending, overstocking, and lack of knowledge about our hobby to phase of 10 years of basic maintenance and replacing equipment and livestock minimally to newer more modern equipment: lighting systems, larger sumps, an more money. I am thankful to have always has my main display tank is my great room in every place I lived. Now 25 years into the hobby, I have again began my interest into making the tank as simple and natural as possible at a nice slow pace. Same tank, stand, same Live rock, live sand, water been through three moves, large protein skimmer bought 15 years ago just in case my tank size would increase and larger 10 year sump just in case I want to go bigger. Great list t g back and remember the newbie days.
Sincerely, DAN :thumb:

 

[Eric N]

1) Treating these animals like orniments. I often have to explain that each one of these creatures, even the coral and rock, is a new pet with special needs and behaviours, not just an orniment. You can't just set up a fence and drop a greyhound, a couple species of rabbits, a boar, and a deer into an acre of land and expect them to get along on the basis that they're all mammals.

2) Putting individual animals above the entire system. Buy water, salt, good lighting, buffers, etc. before buying a new animal. If you have 300 dollars to buy a chevron tang but only a 30 gallon tank, buy a bigger tank! If you saved up a couple hundred to buy some new corals and the LFS guy says they will all die under your lights, upgrade your lighting! Algae problem? Buy an urchin, not that cool new LE red stick glued to a plug!

 

[saltyphish]

Definitely a must!

 

[Specter03]

I'm guilty of some of these. I had to especially learn the hard way that my tank will take time to look the way I want it to. Still learning and loving the hobbie!

 

[AllenBrown]

That seems sensible to me . After all we are "water keepers" first and "fish keepers second"

 

[Eric N]

I am currently watching montipora eating nudibranchs work their way through my monties, and this is just after battling bryopsis. Quarentine your stuff.

They know this all to well

 

[Dr.Reefgood]

Buying chemi pure elite

Was this a problem for you?

 

[lrishsoccerboy]

I agree and I've only been in the hobby for 7 months and I've probably made all of these mistakes. The hardest part, I think, of starting is the large amount of misinformation that's out there. I did tons of research before starting and my biggest problem was finding a creditable source. My friend who swore he'd been in the hobby for years told me I didn't need a skimmer or an ro/di system right off the bat. So I didn't get one until I bought some skunk cleaner shrimp and they all died with in a week. So after reading some more I purchased an ro/di system. And same problem again with my skimmer. I couldn't afford a super expensive one but I found a coralife on sale. So I bought it. I looked up videos about that brand and frond about 50/50 good and bad. I however have had no problems with it and it does what it's supposed to.

 

[dub3]

It may have been mentioned, but I was so lost in all the other posts that made me feel guilty, I can't remember. But I would add listeneing to your lfs. Now I am not saying that they don't know what they are talking about, I am simply saying that I have witnessed first hand one of them pushing useless products down someones throat who had no business spending $$ on something he didnt know what it was for. I have seen stores push products/brands just because they are pricey. Everyone's tank is different, so listening to advice is one thing, always using it is another.

 

[Choptrucks]

Kenya tree, gsp, blue death polys and pink and gold polys(my personal mistake) Xenia aswell(didn't make that mistake)....... As always not getting a big enough tank aswell.

 

[prsnlty]

Maxijets for flow! Ugh! Get good pumps! Not all good pumps are expensive but maxijets are terrible for flow! They go in reverse, clatter, fall off the glass..... these are good for reactors and top off units mainly. I replaced 4 mj1200 with upgrades with ONE Jebao wp40 at the price of 2 mj1200 with upgrades and the flow was 30 times what I had. Plus it's a reliable pump, only Tunze and Vortec are better.

 

[TaniaP]

Nice thread. I wish for a very large tank, however don't see anything wrong with starting small if you have the appropriate livestock which will not outgrow it, is there??

 

[justaDutchguy]

Funny thing, i got my first SW 9g 2 weeks ago, replaced it with a 13g yesterday>.<
Luckily i read for weeks before i got the first one so i know i have to be patient. And i think it's nice that way. As with many things, the road to that thing you want so bad is as nice if not nicer as the actual reaching of that goal.

As for the lfs, the first one i went to was supposed to be super good, well it sure looked good! Huge display tanks, loads of stock, products of any kind, it kind of overwhelmed me thinking, do i one day need all that when i get my big tank?
They sold me "live water" and if i had been even more stupid i'd have gone home with an anemone and 2 clownfish, in a 5 day old first timer aquarium. Thank god for forums..
But luckily i went to another shop, ran by just the owner. A passionate no nonsense guy. Not too big and no ceiling high shelves stocked with bright colored "brand new cure for all" products.
He sent me off with loads of advice (he took about an hour for me) and nothing sold!
Well i did get some epoxy, allmost becouse i felt sorry.

Good thread btw, helps out a lot!!

 

[Maximo]

#1 fully understand what you are adding to your tank! Whether it's an advanced led light setup or adding new coral or adding a reactor with too much filter media etc.

 

[revhtree]

Still some good info!

 

[Daniel@R2R]

Good points in here. Any new ones you would? What are your thoughts?