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

[NanaReefer]

I had xenia, wasn't a problem for awhile untill I tried trimming it back once. That's when it went out of control, any small tissue particles that arent collected settle and form new colonies. For me this ment hundreds of new groups starting up.

Exactly!! Same goes for Shrooms.

 

[GreatWhiteTang]

Research, research, research.. Didn't do enough of it in the beginning. NOW it's like 2 weeks of. Research before I buy a snail lol

 

[payneberg]

Mistake #1 buying brs pukani dry rock and adding it to the new tank without curing it.

Mistake #2 Adding frags that were given to me that had briopsys on them to said tank.

11 months later and I am still battling algae but atleast the war is almost over.

Explain to me how the dry rock caused your issues. Trying to avoid making this mistake. :sad:

 

[Up2no6ood]

Explain to me how the dry rock caused your issues. Trying to avoid making this mistake. :sad:

Pukani is known to leech phosphate if it's not cured before using it. Many recommend a bath with lanthium chloride until phos drops. Phosphate is food for algae.

 

[Reef-a-holic]

I used a couple of very small brass fittings on some plumbing years ago when I was first starting. Brass is a copper alloy. Copper is poison to most aquatic organisms. I did find a good way to eradicate GSP though, LOL!

 

[jonb27]

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!

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!

I can keep a flamer alive too. N this is my first salt tank.

 

[Eric81]

I used the wrong kind of silicone (GE II with mold inhibitor) to build my first sump. Saved $10 bucks over the Aquarium silicone that they were selling at Petco, but cost me $1,000's in lost livestock and equipment....plus tons of man hours breaking down my tank, salvaging what livestock that I could, and setting it back up. Devestated me, but you live and learn!

 

[randyBRS]

I had xenia, wasn't a problem for awhile untill I tried trimming it back once. That's when it went out of control, any small tissue particles that arent collected settle and form new colonies. For me this ment hundreds of new groups starting up.

Oh man, it's like a xenia zombie apocalypse!

 

[randyBRS]

Research, research, research.. Didn't do enough of it in the beginning. NOW it's like 2 weeks of. Research before I buy a snail lol

Totally agree with you on that one!

 

[randyBRS]

I used the wrong kind of silicone (GE II with mold inhibitor) to build my first sump. Saved $10 bucks over the Aquarium silicone that they were selling at Petco, but cost me $1,000's in lost livestock and equipment....plus tons of man hours breaking down my tank, salvaging what livestock that I could, and setting it back up. Devestated me, but you live and learn!

I've been there before! The silicone I used didn't list that it contained Microban. Luckily I caught it before I added water to the system.

 

[randyBRS]

Pukani is known to leech phosphate if it's not cured before using it. Many recommend a bath with lanthium chloride until phos drops. Phosphate is food for algae.

It's technically not the Pukani itself, but the dead organic material located in pores/holes in the rock. I'm not super familiar with lanthanum chloride, but I have seen others use it with success.

 

[Up2no6ood]

It's technically not the Pukani itself, but the dead organic material located in pores/holes in the rock. I'm not super familiar with lanthanum chloride, but I have seen others use it with success.

Dont get me wrong I love my pukani! Wouldnt change it if I could. Just wish I knew about curing it before hand

 

[randyBRS]

Dont get me wrong I love my pukani! Wouldnt change it if I could. Just wish I knew about curing it before hand

Ahh gotcha. It definitely requires a little more prep work than most other rock

 

[RaeRae]

LED's. Lost several thousand in sps

 

[RaeRae]

Thinking I can do this and make tons of money fragging!!!!!!!

 

[GreatWhiteTang]

LED's. Lost several thousand in sps

Did you underestimate the power and bleach everything out, or did you buy cheap ones that were not capable of sps?

 

[RaeRae]

underestimated.

 

[GreatWhiteTang]

underestimated.

I see it all to often with my customers, I tell them to start at like 15 or 20 % intensity and low color and take it up like 5% weekly.. They txt me a week into it at 80% wondering why their coral is bleaching.. You are not alone!!!

 

[RaeRae]

I never had that advice. And tried to match my mh intensity by eye ball. Bad idea!!!!

 

[Rob Top1]

My biggest mistake has been not learning from my first mistake