ArowanaLover1902
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I thought I'd share the numerous mistakes I've made during the hobby, I've gotten a lot better and would never make any of these same mistakes again, but I feel like admitting them may help some other beginners avoid these. Feel free to call me an idiot, I messed up pretty bad a few times (highlighted). Anyways here is a complete list of all my aquarium related mistakes...
(chronological order)
1. I bought an arrow crab (who ate all my corals and inverts) (3-4 years ago) (55 gallon)
2. I kept fish food out in the open (and a visiting idiot fed my fish for me [the entire bag]) (3-4 years ago) (55 gallon)
3. I didn't use a sump/skimmer/UV but tried only a canister filter (to be honest, I was told it would work, I can't remember who told me though) (my parameters were almost uncontrollable and eventually crashed) (3-4 years ago) (55 gallon)
4. I bought a self contained system (this is more personal bias I guess, but I would say that it's better not to because it can be really hard to modify) (2 years ago) (14 gallon biocube)
5. I bought a baby frogfish (WORST MISTAKE EVER) (I intended to get him to a reasonable size, then move him to a tank just for him [I still have this tank unused] but he ate all the fish in my tank in the weekend I was gone, two clownfish (2 times his size) and a watchman goby, the goby was 4 times his size and he choked to death on it) (1 year ago) (29 gallon biocube)
On my first tank, a 55 gallon, I started with a clownfish and a royal gramma, I think I added a few others, the sole survivor of every one of my mistakes and the oldest saltwater thing I have (older than all my current tanks and equipment) is that royal gramma. He is still alive today and looking better than ever in his 29 gallon biocube (which is modified, it has a current USA loop light and a huge refugium). Most of my mistakes were pretty bad, but he's still swimming around happily, so I did something right. I'd like to think I know a lot more know then I did then, and I never bought a tang for a tiny tank, so I'm pretty happy with where I am now reef-wise.
(chronological order)
1. I bought an arrow crab (who ate all my corals and inverts) (3-4 years ago) (55 gallon)
2. I kept fish food out in the open (and a visiting idiot fed my fish for me [the entire bag]) (3-4 years ago) (55 gallon)
3. I didn't use a sump/skimmer/UV but tried only a canister filter (to be honest, I was told it would work, I can't remember who told me though) (my parameters were almost uncontrollable and eventually crashed) (3-4 years ago) (55 gallon)
4. I bought a self contained system (this is more personal bias I guess, but I would say that it's better not to because it can be really hard to modify) (2 years ago) (14 gallon biocube)
5. I bought a baby frogfish (WORST MISTAKE EVER) (I intended to get him to a reasonable size, then move him to a tank just for him [I still have this tank unused] but he ate all the fish in my tank in the weekend I was gone, two clownfish (2 times his size) and a watchman goby, the goby was 4 times his size and he choked to death on it) (1 year ago) (29 gallon biocube)
On my first tank, a 55 gallon, I started with a clownfish and a royal gramma, I think I added a few others, the sole survivor of every one of my mistakes and the oldest saltwater thing I have (older than all my current tanks and equipment) is that royal gramma. He is still alive today and looking better than ever in his 29 gallon biocube (which is modified, it has a current USA loop light and a huge refugium). Most of my mistakes were pretty bad, but he's still swimming around happily, so I did something right. I'd like to think I know a lot more know then I did then, and I never bought a tang for a tiny tank, so I'm pretty happy with where I am now reef-wise.
