Discussion of the Week ~Common Reefing Mistakes~

[mojoreef]

Alrighty then. This weeks discussin of the week is "The most common Reefing Mistakes and How to avoid them"

Well I am sure we could break a TRT record for most replies on this one. I know between me and DOug we could account for a couple of pages worth.

The dumb ones, The funny ones, The not so funny ones, and the ones only Jerel could do!!


mike

[Minnreefer]

I have sooooo many, and most of them are very common.

I would say

PLANNING!!!

Is my most common first and biggest mistake that I am still trying to learn from

Jon

[galleon]

Check, double check, triple check, and for a change of pace, check again: VALVES. I've spilled 150+ gallons on one occasion because I didn't check to make sure a ball valve was closed. Go back 5-10 minutes after you think you're done just to check again.

[semajftw]

How does that saying go?

Measure once and cut twice.

[Doug1]

Underestimating the actual cost to set up and maintain a reef tank. Thinking I could do it cheaper

[podman]

laziness. that is the most common.

most stories of disaster start with a neglected tank. whether it be water parameters, aiptasia, caulerpa crash, etc. it usually stems from someones lack of action.

then again sometimes things just go ape sh!t.

no one could ever accuse me of lacking in the effort department

i ride on the edge of disaster myself.

[Allyson]

This is an easy one for me....not researching your fish purchases. Because of the bully psuedo I couldn't keep pepps & now my tank is almost entirely overrun by aptasia.

[Brooke]

I've got lots of mistakes...i'm sure I will add more in the coming days...but:

1. Rushing things. Not letting the tank mature before adding sensitive livestock.

2. Wasting money on crappy skimmers and equipment.

3. Getting lax on water changes

Luckily....we've learned for our mistakes...but the learning never stops.

[Alice]

Did someone mention lax on water changes? I need to be better in that area myself.

Let's see..what else.

Thinking that my balancing act of aquascaping would hold up while three kids pounded through the house. WRONG.

Forgetting to check the accuracy of my hydrometers.

Taking way too long to figure out that the crud growing in my tank was dinoflagellates.

Not using enough aeration in the water with a Formalin dip....I killed a fish.

Not doing my research on the Tassled filefish I put in my tank many moons ago...he was so cool looking though!

[Deborah]

Not topping up for evaporation often enough in my 10 gallon nano. I'm lucky I haven't pickled any fish.

And I've never put a timer on the light and I'm not the most consistent person about turning it on and off. I have some mushrooms and capnella that seem to be doing ok, but would they be doing better if I set up that timer?

[paulF]

buying sub standard equipment and ending up spending MORE money to get a good item.

[Pirate]

Without a doubt, it has been not enough research. I have learned through the years to listen to all thoughts and opinions and then read some more, and then go somewhere in between. What works in one tank may not be my answer, you may have that pigmy angel that has never touched a polyp, but in my tank ! So anyway my answer is that I have not gathered enough info from enough sources. Never take one persons word as the gospel.

[mojoreef]

OK my turn. I would say the most costly mistakes have been not having enough forward thinking about the equipment I bought. Could have save a ton If I didnt go with the constant upgrade thing. The other is not going big enough on the water flow pattern in my tank. I just had to buy a dolphin 5600gph pump for my closed loop to replace the 3000.


mike

[tdwyatt]

Hmmmm.... not calling right back when the wife calls and says, "something isn't right with the aquarium thingy..."

[billc]

Where do I start..
Biggest mistake,,getting addicted to this hobby
Trying to save money in the wrong places..