What was your first or biggest "newbie" mistake? | Tank Talk Thursday

[BSchlecht]

I attempted to use play sand in my first tank. Wasn't the best decision

 

[HiddenUser]

I was so excited to get my tank setup and filled with water that I didn't spend enough time researching plumbing configurations, building an awesome aquascape, wish I would have got a bigger sump to fit more equipment...I also bought cheapo LED lights, then had to upgrade when I started adding corals, then had to upgrade again when I added more corals with higher demand for light.

 

[Davesgt]

I believe my biggest mistake was not seeking help. About 10+ years ago I started my very own first Saltwater tank all by myself. Yea and that's where the joy ended lol. I purchased sand, live rock and salt mix. Without reading directions very well and seeking help I started my first tank like this, I poured in the the sand, placed my live rock, that's where it starts to go south, I added freshwater and then added salt mix and waited for it to mix, ( yea this wasn't good at all) the bad part beside just throwing freshwater in was that I didn't calculate for how much water really was in the tank. That meant that I had probably about 23 gallons of water and 30 gallons worth of saltwater mix.

 

[BSchlecht]

I feel like in one way or another over the last decade I have made most of those mistakes Though for whatever reason I never used live rock so the mixing salt in the tank (on the initial fill) wasn't an issue for me. Now if only I had used RO/DI water to do that fill...........

 

[NanaReefer]

Buying the Green Implosion Paly & Superman Mushrooms without first researching them. Totally took over my tank

 

[mfief]

Buying a bicolor angel for a rank that had a coral beauty in it already. On superbowl sunday. Bought another tank at halftime

 

[Unknown]

My very first tank, I didn't seek help or do any research. I mixed salt with tap water in the tank... DOH!

 

[Aquaph8]

I knocked my first skimmer off the counter while cleaning it, let's just say I needed a new skimmer after.

 

[Chetrod]

Went on vacation to Tenn we (hmmm hmmm My wife) turned the AC off in the house. She figured why pay to cool an empty house. We live in Florida. not a good idea. Wiped out the whole tank had to start all over.

 

[nelson.jdautobody]

Lol-everyone sounds more/less like we all made the same mistakes. Patient would be my biggest mistake but since that's more of a character flaw I would say going to "small" to start out salt water reefing with. Against everyone's advise I started my very first reef tank (and it was my first tank if any kind) I decided I wanted a kul lookin nano cube so I went with a USED 12gallon bio cube. After much money wasted I upgraded to a 20 gallon(ummmm still not big enough), then to a 40gallon which is barely big enough to keep at a fairly stable environment....I mean with the doser, phos reactor, refugium/sump, chiller, heater, ATO, and don't forget the skimmer. Wish I woulda went with a 60+ to start with and I would saved thousands!!!

 

[Noob]

throwing an anemone in my tank too early.

 

[ws6kid]

1. Running ATO directly from RODI
2. Not accounting for amount of water that would fill the sump when power went out
3. Thinking I knew what I was doing because I read the interwebs

 

[BSchlecht]

1. Running ATO directly from RODI
2. Not accounting for amount of water that would fill the sump when power went out
3. Thinking I knew what I was doing because I read the interwebs

Sounds like a lot of wet floors at your place


I suppose I should add that both inside and outside this hobby I think most of us (certainly myself) have a knack for thinking we are the exception to the rule. "Well I know everyone says it is almost impossible to keep a flame scallop alive, but I can do it". Not to say some people can't, but everytime I think I am the exception to the rule, it turns out the rule was right!

 

[skinz78]

Listening to the LFS.....

 

[Mike J.]

Buying a cute little tank bred Maroon Clown, it was six weeks old. Now it's going on 11 years old and we refer to it as the "wife eating piranha".

 

[BSchlecht]

Lol. Here at the office we have a pair of black clownfish that would try and attack anything that came close. They tend to get passed around to whoever the new person is

 

[LetItReef]

Bought a 10 gal half moon tank, set it up then cycled it for a week; ended up returning the 10 gal and decided to go for 29 gal tank

 

[misael888]

Adding 15 fish at the same time to my 150 while it was still cycling!! Couldn't wait to see fish in it!!! Lol. Lost almost all of them.

 

[Ellery]

My biggest mistake was mixing soft corals (Kenya trees, Xenia, and Mushrooms) with SPS. The Soft corals over ran the tank eventually and caused alot of grief.

 

[Lidofishieboi]

Threw all kinds of corals together, xenias won the battle at the end.