What's one reefing lesson you'll never forget?

[Gumbies R Us]

Our reef tanks can actually teach us a lot of life lessons or lessons on how to be better reef keepers. They can teach us how to have better patience, how to care for animals more, or how not to be stressed out. What is the one lesson that you will never forget?

 

[nautical_nathaniel]

I learned the following valuable lesson from my College's Marine Bio Club reef aquarium that I volunteered to help manage: If you feel a electric shock on the outside of the tank, definitely don't put your hand in the water.

I got hit with static shock from the HOB skimmer as I was messing with the collection cup before I had to do something inside the tank. Thankfully it was a return pump that was just starting to go bad and not a full blown shock, but it still scared me enough to not play around with stray electricity if I suspect it's present.

 

[Privateye]

Don't restrict a water pump on the suction side, and don't restrict an air pump on the discharge side! This applies to pretty much all types of air and water pumps, but some are more-forgiving.

I broke many diaphragm air pumps (i.e. made them super loud) by restricting the flow through them before I learned this.

 

[keagan]

Be prepared for severe weather, have a back up power source, extra fuel for said power source, and extra supplies (salt fish food extra rodi water) on hand. I thought I didn't need a back up power source living in a city and I lost everything because I didn't prepare.

 

[EricR]

Nutrients are good!
...so I eat a lot.