90greefman
Active Member
I left the sensor for the heater outside my frag tank. It got up to 94 before i realized it. Killed everything needless to say.
Share your NOOB experience and WIN a TUNZE Reefpack 250!
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fusionvi
New Member
I have had plenty of NOOB experiences in my last 5 years of reefing. Two of my worst once were when i was setting up my 285Gal Tank and 135gal tank attached to each other thru a common sump. For sump i chose 2 100gal pvc tubs attached to each other with drilled bulk heads. Also this system is in my shop.
I plugged in 2 1000w heaters and placed them in the sump they were the true temp brand. When i got back on monday morning and entered the shop i could smell burning plastic. When i went to check i found out that the heaters got exposed out of the water somehow and caught fire. Which in turn got the wires burning and then the PVC tub caught fire. My employee who had gotten to the shop before me had already put out the fire. I was ready to give up after that. but i managed to clean and got the tank back in shape.
I plugged in 2 1000w heaters and placed them in the sump they were the true temp brand. When i got back on monday morning and entered the shop i could smell burning plastic. When i went to check i found out that the heaters got exposed out of the water somehow and caught fire. Which in turn got the wires burning and then the PVC tub caught fire. My employee who had gotten to the shop before me had already put out the fire. I was ready to give up after that. but i managed to clean and got the tank back in shape.
Saltwaterinbrooklyn
New Member
As a noob I purchased a chocolate chip star cause my wife liked it , then I came home to find it eating away at my acans !!! Never did a research run on it!w
Tom@HaslettMI
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In the early 90's I had a 29 gallon with black dolomite gravel, an under-gravel filter, 2 T-12 bulbs, and live rock ripped straight from a Florida reef. Boy, we did a lot of things wrong back then!
But back to the NOOB move... I put a beautiful 9" green carpet anemone as the center piece, which proceeded to eat every wild caught (no captive bred yet) occy I added with hopes of hosting. I think I tried 3 or four. Finally, after it ate my yellow tang I sold it to another reefer... but had to give him the under-gravel filter plate as the anemone had pushed its foot through the plate and attached to the bottom of the tank!
Thanks Rev and Tunze for the contest!
Tom
But back to the NOOB move... I put a beautiful 9" green carpet anemone as the center piece, which proceeded to eat every wild caught (no captive bred yet) occy I added with hopes of hosting. I think I tried 3 or four. Finally, after it ate my yellow tang I sold it to another reefer... but had to give him the under-gravel filter plate as the anemone had pushed its foot through the plate and attached to the bottom of the tank!
Thanks Rev and Tunze for the contest!
Tom
Reefing8EZ
unregistered
As a noob I actually followed advice given by my LFS.
NOOB Experience
I decided last August I wanted a Saltwater tank. First I purchased a used 100 gallon tank then learned I could not drill into it and would have stuff hanging all over. Now use that tank for gold fish (hubby deal there). I found a Saltwater tank already set up 130 gallons. Go and look at it looks wonderful but boy was it dirty! I came with a few fish and a couple coral. The guy said to me you can use tap water no need for RO water. Sadly enough complicated set up for someone who'd never had a saltwater tank. Took us too long to get it all moved and set up lost all the fish but one little clown and lost all the coral
Get it set up and yes I used tap water with water conditioner! I noticed quickly I had an algae problem and it continued to get worse. I dosed with algae stuff from PetSmart and did very regular water changes. So now my tank is over taken by that ugly brown algae. I get to researching and find it's probably my water. So I buy a TDS and test my water... wow a whopping 680 it did test! I immediately did purchase a RO/DI unit continued with regular water changes and over a few months I did get this thing going. Did I mention I was quick to add coral!
Now onto the system yes... lights went out very quickly, skimmer wasn't skimming, and no power heads. I bought new lights, bought a skimmer I'd love to throw at who ever created it, and then bought powerheads. Now yes, replacing powerheads with better ones, on the search for a new skimmer that won't randomly fill and spill the junk back into the tank LOL
Took me this long I am on the right road now. Corals looking great and fish are happy too! Be careful buying used and research research research! Remember ONE thing.... cheap is not always best yet you don't have to go most expensive either
I decided last August I wanted a Saltwater tank. First I purchased a used 100 gallon tank then learned I could not drill into it and would have stuff hanging all over. Now use that tank for gold fish (hubby deal there). I found a Saltwater tank already set up 130 gallons. Go and look at it looks wonderful but boy was it dirty! I came with a few fish and a couple coral. The guy said to me you can use tap water no need for RO water. Sadly enough complicated set up for someone who'd never had a saltwater tank. Took us too long to get it all moved and set up lost all the fish but one little clown and lost all the coral
Get it set up and yes I used tap water with water conditioner! I noticed quickly I had an algae problem and it continued to get worse. I dosed with algae stuff from PetSmart and did very regular water changes. So now my tank is over taken by that ugly brown algae. I get to researching and find it's probably my water. So I buy a TDS and test my water... wow a whopping 680 it did test! I immediately did purchase a RO/DI unit continued with regular water changes and over a few months I did get this thing going. Did I mention I was quick to add coral! Now onto the system yes... lights went out very quickly, skimmer wasn't skimming, and no power heads. I bought new lights, bought a skimmer I'd love to throw at who ever created it, and then bought powerheads. Now yes, replacing powerheads with better ones, on the search for a new skimmer that won't randomly fill and spill the junk back into the tank LOL
Took me this long I am on the right road now. Corals looking great and fish are happy too! Be careful buying used and research research research! Remember ONE thing.... cheap is not always best yet you don't have to go most expensive either
shellynjason
Well-Known Member
I clean off the glass with one of those magnets and it keeps dropping in the sand, I think nothing of it and just keep scrapping the glass clean week after week. Then I wonder why my glass is so scratched up - well it was all that sand on the magnets. Now the inside glass is scratched up pretty bad - argh!!!!!
120 gallon tank is practically trashed now.
120 gallon tank is practically trashed now.
alexingalls09
Active Member
If it is rectangular just spin it around
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shellynjason
Well-Known Member
I am 'hoping' I can do that. I don't know what the backside looks like but that is my plan if it's not scratched. I am building a new stand so when I go to do the move I'll check it out. Cross your fingers *smile*
mcarroll
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Embarassingly, even after a lot of research before buying a tank I still began doing evaporation top-ups using saltwater instead of pure water. For anyone who didn't go through this, it's a very "Homer" moment when you finally realize what you are doing. Doh! Thankfully it didn't take long to figure it out - no harm.
-Matt
-Matt
gonzalez78
New Member
guess I will give you my worst saltwater experience and I'm sure I will hear lots of bad for this. When I first started saltwater my older brother gave me a hand me down 45 gallon from my older brother when he upgraded to a 100 gallon back in 1996. Built my very first stand and set up the aquarium with a canister filter and pc lighting, it was a FOWLER. Went to the lfs and bought some live sand and a few pieces of live rock and had the tank running for about a week. Went down to San Francisco to a lfs there that had their big Sunday bay fish sale and bought a clown trigger, ****** trigger and a lionfish for around $45. I hated that they kept dying about a month or so after having in my tank so every time they would die would go buy a new one. Found out the problem one day when my brother asked me what i used to top off the evaporation on the aquarium and i said i would just mix more salt water and add it. that is the first day i started using rodi to top off and never lost the fish again, atleast not in 1 month
GregAW
Active Member
My first salt water aquarium
I'll venture to say when I set up my first salt water aquarium, most of you hadn't been born yet but I started out this way.
Back in 1974 I was working as a Deputy Bailiff in the Franklin County Municipal Court in Columbus, Ohio. I had a really nice boss and he took care of all his employees. We had been talking about aquariums and how I had one while I was stationed in the U.S. Coast Guard but sold it when I got discharged and returned to Ohio. I told him that one of these days I'd like to get another one going. HE told me he had a 10 gallon tank and a few things that went with it and if I wanted it I could have it. Well, I jumped on it and picked it up that next week-end.
Well, my wife and I went shopping and picked up some Neon Tetras, some guppies, a couple of Angel fish and home we went. We also had picked up some filter stuff, a heater and some stuff to take the chlorine out of the water. Also got some bottom sand and some plants. Well within an hour or so we have a nice 10 gallon, METAL FRAME aquarium up and running. We were proud of our week-end accomplishment.
Over the next few months we would go shopping at the local big box store, I don't think we had a Wal-Mart back then but is was a store like that and we would pick up an algae eater, a few more angel fish and guppies. Back then we didn't think too much about over stocking a tank. Things were going great and with the exception of a water change every few weeks to a month, there was very little work. Oh the filter got cleaned and new charcoal and floss replaced every week-end. This went on for about 12 to 14 months and never lost a fish. We were really pleased with our accomplishment.
Well, one day I was up at the grocery store and notice a new fish store being built in one of the end shops that had been vacant so I dropped in. Things were kind of like that then, you could go in and talk while they worked. I asked lots of questions as it wasn't just any old local fish store, this one was going to have marine fish. Well, after we had talked for a while and I had gotten the beer I went to the store to get, I went home and told my wife about the new fish store. We were both SCUBA divers and she was as excited about it as I was so we went back. She got to talk and ask questions and we went home.
We talked it over and after the new fish store opened we went to their grand opening and talked with the owner some more. We asked more questions and felt we kind of knew what we were going to do. We bought a few books on the subject and started to wheel and deal. I asked if I could trade him my fresh water fish for store credit towards marine supplies and fish and he said sure and we were good to go.
We took the books home and read them over and made notes and wrote down a list of things we would need to get going and in a couple of weeks we went back to the store with our fish in whatever we could find to carry them in, like jars for the most part and started picking up the things we would need first, sand, salt, a hydrometer, I think an ammonia test kit and maybe a Ph test kit and home we went. We still had store credit to boot so we were happy. Now, remember, we had a 10 gallon METAL FRAME tank and back then that was the top of the line brand and yes it sis have a metal frame and some sort of black, hard stuff the sealed the seams.
We got the tanked cleaned out, got the filter cleaned and replaced the charcoal and filter floss (looked like angel hair you put on Christmas trees) cleaned the under-gravel filter, and added the very fine crushed coral bottom layer of sand. We added the salt mix and then placed a plate in the bottom and started adding water. We got the tank filled up, with our freshwater decorations and all, and the filter pump running. We waited may a week for the cloudy water to clear and then we tested. All the tests were great and read zero. So it was back to the store where we bought a few damselfish. Home we went. We did acclimate them as we did with the fresh water fish and after about 45 minutes we were in Salt Water Aquarium heaven. We had made the jump.
Well, things went along great and we even got up to where we have a Lionfish and Yellow Tang and everything got along great. Well, the aquarium was doing great but the marriage with my wife was on the rocks and we divorced. She got the fish and I got a new El Camino pick up and moved back to California. Since that time I've had marine aquariums off and on and now I've got a 90 gallon that took a big hit after I had a stroke and heart attack last year and now I feel like a NOOB again and having to refresh my memory as to get back going again.
Well, there you have it my OLD NOOB experience.
I'll venture to say when I set up my first salt water aquarium, most of you hadn't been born yet but I started out this way.
Back in 1974 I was working as a Deputy Bailiff in the Franklin County Municipal Court in Columbus, Ohio. I had a really nice boss and he took care of all his employees. We had been talking about aquariums and how I had one while I was stationed in the U.S. Coast Guard but sold it when I got discharged and returned to Ohio. I told him that one of these days I'd like to get another one going. HE told me he had a 10 gallon tank and a few things that went with it and if I wanted it I could have it. Well, I jumped on it and picked it up that next week-end.
Well, my wife and I went shopping and picked up some Neon Tetras, some guppies, a couple of Angel fish and home we went. We also had picked up some filter stuff, a heater and some stuff to take the chlorine out of the water. Also got some bottom sand and some plants. Well within an hour or so we have a nice 10 gallon, METAL FRAME aquarium up and running. We were proud of our week-end accomplishment.
Over the next few months we would go shopping at the local big box store, I don't think we had a Wal-Mart back then but is was a store like that and we would pick up an algae eater, a few more angel fish and guppies. Back then we didn't think too much about over stocking a tank. Things were going great and with the exception of a water change every few weeks to a month, there was very little work. Oh the filter got cleaned and new charcoal and floss replaced every week-end. This went on for about 12 to 14 months and never lost a fish. We were really pleased with our accomplishment.
Well, one day I was up at the grocery store and notice a new fish store being built in one of the end shops that had been vacant so I dropped in. Things were kind of like that then, you could go in and talk while they worked. I asked lots of questions as it wasn't just any old local fish store, this one was going to have marine fish. Well, after we had talked for a while and I had gotten the beer I went to the store to get, I went home and told my wife about the new fish store. We were both SCUBA divers and she was as excited about it as I was so we went back. She got to talk and ask questions and we went home.
We talked it over and after the new fish store opened we went to their grand opening and talked with the owner some more. We asked more questions and felt we kind of knew what we were going to do. We bought a few books on the subject and started to wheel and deal. I asked if I could trade him my fresh water fish for store credit towards marine supplies and fish and he said sure and we were good to go.
We took the books home and read them over and made notes and wrote down a list of things we would need to get going and in a couple of weeks we went back to the store with our fish in whatever we could find to carry them in, like jars for the most part and started picking up the things we would need first, sand, salt, a hydrometer, I think an ammonia test kit and maybe a Ph test kit and home we went. We still had store credit to boot so we were happy. Now, remember, we had a 10 gallon METAL FRAME tank and back then that was the top of the line brand and yes it sis have a metal frame and some sort of black, hard stuff the sealed the seams.
We got the tanked cleaned out, got the filter cleaned and replaced the charcoal and filter floss (looked like angel hair you put on Christmas trees) cleaned the under-gravel filter, and added the very fine crushed coral bottom layer of sand. We added the salt mix and then placed a plate in the bottom and started adding water. We got the tank filled up, with our freshwater decorations and all, and the filter pump running. We waited may a week for the cloudy water to clear and then we tested. All the tests were great and read zero. So it was back to the store where we bought a few damselfish. Home we went. We did acclimate them as we did with the fresh water fish and after about 45 minutes we were in Salt Water Aquarium heaven. We had made the jump.
Well, things went along great and we even got up to where we have a Lionfish and Yellow Tang and everything got along great. Well, the aquarium was doing great but the marriage with my wife was on the rocks and we divorced. She got the fish and I got a new El Camino pick up and moved back to California. Since that time I've had marine aquariums off and on and now I've got a 90 gallon that took a big hit after I had a stroke and heart attack last year and now I feel like a NOOB again and having to refresh my memory as to get back going again.
Well, there you have it my OLD NOOB experience.
reefsahoy
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my worst experience is when i came home one evening and thought something is strange/different with the house but i couldn't put my finger on it. i entered the house and still couldn't figure out what was bothering me about the setting of the house. Even my dog was acting strange, he never came out to greet me at the door and was hiding in his bed and i still could figure out whats bothering me! I went over to the tank to do the final check before heading to my bed for the night. So, I'm scanning the tank from front to back and then side to side and WHAM! What i saw almost gave me a heart attack! My prized expensive Giesemann light fixture fell into the tank and blowing out the unit. I began to scan for all livestock and it seemd as everything had made the explosition! It must have been pretty loud because the way the dog was reacting when i cam home! Earlier i had hung the fixture and replaced the cables so i could get the desired length from the ceiling. I had crimped the cable, obviously not tight enough, and the fixture worked itself loose and into the tank. I blew out the ballast for the HQI, the ballast for the 4 T5's, all bulbs, all the sockets. I hurried and unplug all the cords of the fixture before even touching the tank and began removing the fixture. Now what to do, i lost my awesome light, and if i dont get another fixture or some kind of light quickly, i'll lose all my livestock! lucky i was a member of the marine club here locally and a friend had a couple of fixtures laying around not using that he loaned me to get by until i replace the fixture, yes another giesemann fixture. then i had to rebuild the old fixture. i cleaned the fixture washing everything with RO/DI water. i got intouch with giesemann and the t5 ballast was like $150. this is where ebay/amazon is your friend. i got the exact model number t5 ballast for like $5. i also replaced all the connections and upgraded the HQI's ballasts. The fixture worked flawless ever since! At that point i had 2 working giesemann fixtures. i hung the origional fixture back over the tank and held the other as a backup in the event i ever lose lights over the tank again to insure i never lose my collection of corals.
SpoonReef
New Member
When I first started with my aquarium I bought live rock from my LFS and found out what Aiptasia and how fast they take over. Sold the rock back to my LFS and started with dry rock. I also put a Yellow Tang in that tank it was a 29 gallon.
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