Tell Us Your Biggest Mistake

R

RanRoc

Member
I was looking at my tank tonite and thought of things I might do differently if I had to start all over again. Then I realized that I made some very critical mistakes over the years. Here are my top three. Share with us your biggest mistakes regarding your tank(s). The purpose is not to embarass anyone, but so that others may learn from our mistakes.

1. Introducing pulsing Xenia into the tank. Started as a couple of small stalks on a tiny piece of rubble...now it's just running rampant...huge colonies to big for a 55.

2. Popping that one tiny single bubble algae almost two years ago. Now I've got green golfball sized PITAs.

3. Using inferior glass cleaning pads many years ago. Now I've got to look between the scratches to see what's going on in my tank. At least the scratches create crevices so that algae has a nice place to live. Nothing like green colored scratches on the glass to liven up the tank!

-RY
 
Mad Mike

Mad Mike

Active Member
Trying to cure ick in tank with nice pod covered live rock. Hey the stuff was reef safe!

Not letting the tank cycle long enough the first time.


Trying to big a project at the start. I should have started a 30gl tank first.
 
BoomerD

BoomerD

Well-Known Member
I decided to set up an aquarium 30+ years ago...I've been hooked ever since. I've poured enough money into glass boxes to pay for a new F-250, or maybe a house...
 
Tosh_Auer

Tosh_Auer

Member
Not Winning the loto before i brought my fish glass box. because as we all know or will learn, 1 becomes 2 , 2 becomes 3 ....................
 
Sharkbait

Sharkbait

Active Member
Hmmm...With the $ I've spent so far....
1.Easily could have bought inflated California property, in San Diego area,next to the ocean.
2.Paid for airfare to Fiji,Jakarta,Maldives,and a few more indo pacific islands. To collect my own livestock.
3.Or maybe learned to scuba dive in the Hawaiian Islands with Paris Hilton.;)
just a thought...
 
BigReepher

BigReepher

Active Member
1. Putting the tank in my bedroom
2. Not sticking to my tank plan
3. Drinking while working on the tank = FLOOD!
 
J

jimeluiz

Active Member
I'm grateful that my willingness to ask questions and take it slow have limited my mistakes to the mid-range variety.

I guess my biggest mistake would be giving in to my partner's desire for vibrant color in the tank - believing against all evidence we would be able to support such creatures. We have brought home and slowly starved a spectacular yellow and purple nudibrach, a bold pink carnation - dendronephthya, and a bright orange sponge.

We are learning to see the color nuance in the animals we can actually support. No matter how big our desire or how sincere our commitment to try... we have no business bringing home some critters.
 
R

RanRoc

Member
Jimeluiz,
I agree with you 100%. I've jumped too far ahead many times, not formulating a plan or not asking others for help. I've also brought home some things that I wish would've been left on the reef. A pink carnation has also suffered a terrible and slow death in my tank. :(

-RY
 
Witfull

Witfull

Well-Known Member
i have never made a mistake,,,,wait,,,thats a mistake! ive done every stupid and dumb thing possible i believe....
 
Gina

Gina

Moderator
RS STAFF
I have to say one of the biggest mistakes we made in the beginning was not asking for help and assuming that we didn't really need it! I was imbarrassed to ask a question in the beginning because I saw so many other newbies getting flammed at the forum I joined first. So, I didn't want to seem stupid like them, even though I was!! LOL

Rushing things in the beginning, mistake number 2!

Tank location, mistake number 3!
 
Craig Manoukian

Craig Manoukian

Well-Known Member
Witfull said:
ive done every stupid and dumb thing possible i believe....
Click to expand...

I resemble that remark! If everything goes right you don't learn things through experience. Just remember that experience is what you get when you don't get what you want, eh? :columbo:
 
corvettephreek

corvettephreek

Active Member
1) trying to lift up a 75 gal. tank upstairs on concrete steps into my apartment by myself and thinking the tank was more important than my body. 2 bruises and a nice deep cut later, i would have voted to still keep the tank. (but with more help) lol!

2) wanting an anemone for my first creature. took alot of patience and so far I have been lucky with him.

3) forgetting the salt at the lfs while i had LR in a FW tank. (newb problem)

4) wondering if I had left my top-off on while i am at work..... umm.... no, i didnt... i swear.... i think?

5) RUSHING!!!---- not good
 
Sharkbait

Sharkbait

Active Member
I agree with Craig, the experiences we encounter are monumental in the way we learn from our tanks.If everything went smoothly, what would keep you from not making anyone of the mistakes listed on this thread.Trying to rush or hurry the situation is a human behavior that goes away usually after the first tank is well established.Making future tanks a lot easier to manage.
 
Witfull

Witfull

Well-Known Member
Sharkbait said:
the experiences we encounter are monumental in the way we learn from our tanks.If everything went smoothly, what would keep you from not making any one of the mistakes listed on this thread.
Click to expand...
oh boy have i learned....perhaps i should change my name to Dr. Witfull PHD...lol
 
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