Reef Tank Build REGRETS! Go!

Eienna · Feb 10, 2023

I accepted a chip in my tank and bought it....now I'm wishing I hadn't. I'm also wishing I had supervised the move from the truck into the house...it might have been okay then...
But now I have to start over because Innovative Marine doesn't sell their tanks individually any more.
It's going to take me six months to save up for the one I want.

Fish Styx · Feb 10, 2023

lol, for starters, despite meticulous build planning, not taking into account the unknown unknowns. I would have also not started the system with all dry rock, and would have split the work load between two return pumps.

ID-Reefer · Feb 10, 2023

My build was well thought out & researched. Ive had several tanks in the past and that experience helped. Even so Ive had many regrets that Ive had to work around. Tank has been up for a little over 2 years. My regrets that come to mind have been:

1. Early on introduced Ich. Thought about going fallow and starting a QT. Ended up deciding to manage it with the best feeding regimen I could. This is no longer a regret.

2. At some point I introduced Monti eating nudibranch. Was a pain but I beat them and no longer a problem.

3. I added two bubble tip nems within the first year. They began splitting often an stinging other corals. When I declared war on them I think I had about 25 in the tank. Took a considerable amount of time to evict them all but I did and this is no longer a problem.

4. I added some mushrooms early on. Thought I had them isolated them but they were able to spread and while not a major problem I still have several and still a regret.

5. Coral placement. In my desire to fill my 200 gallon display I bought a lot of frags. I have a few that were placed to close together and as they have grown into colonies several are fighting and crowding each other. I still regret some placement decisions.

6. I always wanted an emperor angel. Gave it a go and he was great for about 6 months and then acquired a taste for zoanthids. He was very difficult to catch but is gone and no longer a problem. I still wish I could have angels but won't go down that road again.

7. About a year or so ago I bought a frag and it must have had some purple clove polyp on it. Over the past year that missed spec of clove polyp spread over a portion of my aqua scape slowly overgrowing coral. I had to remove & replace about 1/3 of my rock work. Breaking off several encrusted SPS colonies. destroying several expensive colonies of blastos, Leptos etc. Missing that tiny bit of clove polyp has been my biggest regret but is no longer a problem. I hope.

A couple not so good photos of the tank:

ReefGeezer · Feb 10, 2023

1. Starting my 90 with dry rock. The uglies just suck.
2 Choosing a center overflow 90 for my reef. Too much depth as compared to width and length.
3. Positioning rock close to the sides of the tank. Makes scraping coralline difficult.
4. Using fine sand on the bottom. I thought it would settle, but it didn't and blew around too much.

mdb_talon · Feb 10, 2023

Recently the local fish store owed me a lot of money I was afraid I would never see so settled for taking a 480g acrylic tank in trade. Regret is setting it up rather than selling it. Really tired of getting water to my neck anytime I have to reach something in there. I love the look of large tanks but just don't think I would set one that large up again.

Daftendire · Feb 10, 2023

I regret using dry rock and trying to seed it with rock from other reef tanks. I also regret listening to the advice that tanks just need time to mature - as if the proper microbiome will just magically appear in an aquarium if you wait long enough.

ID-Reefer · Feb 12, 2023

A couple more I recently thought of…

8. One of the first corals I put in my tank was a neon green pocillapora. It was a small frag and after about two years it’s now the size of a head of cauliflower. I actually like it but it’s starting to crowd a couple acros. It’s also spawned - just two other spots which were easily killed but I’m going to have to cut the colony out which won’t be fun.

9. Encrusting montis. Love their look but they are fast growing and will take over. Killing it off was a monthly ritual till I finally got it all off rockwork. Now it’s only on back glass where I can easily maintain it.

ReefStash · Feb 27, 2023

Fish Styx said:
lol, for starters, despite meticulous build planning, not taking into account the unknown unknowns. I would have also not started the system with all dry rock, and would have split the work load between two return pumps.

Wishing I would have gone with 2 return pumps as well.

hart24601 · Feb 27, 2023

Going too big. I have upgraded to smaller more manageable tank sizes a couple times. I think I finally hit my personal sweet spot at 4’ long max.

vtecintegra · Feb 27, 2023

Regret not going fresh water planted. Reef tanks have gotten way too expensive.

Jillianh · Feb 27, 2023

I regret:

* not putting in a manifold on my return line
* not having a plan for coral growth and over all look/ design
* not going with a larger tank

ReefStash · Mar 9, 2023

vtecintegra said:
Regret not going fresh water planted. Reef tanks have gotten way too expensive.

It really is the truth… nothing cheap about keeping reef tanks no matter how you dice it up. Even keeping a budget friendly tank will prove to be expensive to maintain when all things are considered.