What is Your Biggest Mistake in the Hobby?

[Poseidon03]

Mine would have to be selling all the anemones in my tank. It caused it to be super unstable.

 

[blaxsun]

Thinking I'd be spending more time watching my tank than maintaining it.

 

[Wasabiroot]

Being arrogant enough to think I could keep an Acropora carduus alive as one of my first purchases in my month old tank with no dosing.

I wouldn't trade away any of the painful experiences I gained, though.

 

[Calm Blue Ocean]

My first tank was a mistake. Didn't do enough independent research and trusted my LFS too much. Started over a year in with many lessons learned.

 

[Sean Clark]

Thinking that I could keep four triggers in a mixed reef.

 

[CayeCaulker]

Jumping too fast to only learn the details later.

 

[MillennialReefer]

Rushing....lol. But thinking even though my tank has been running for months with perfect parameters and thriving animals that I'm ready to put the new challenging coral or more difficult fish. When in reality the system still needs time to stabilize for the more demanding critters.

 

[tharbin]

Starting a monti garden tank before I knew that MEN was a thing (early 80s). Lost a lot of montis and almost quit over it. Took me a long time to figure out what that white stuff was.

 

[mdb_talon]

My biggest mistake was when I didnt have a coral QT. It has been many years since then, but the memory of dealing with AEFW in a tank loaded with acros will always remain (not to mention battles with things like zoa and monti nudis that were much easier to deal with than AEFW, but still certainly no fun).

 

[JonEB]

buying a high end torch before I had a thriving reef.... lost a good investment and a precious animal

 

[olonmv]

Getting comfortable not testing and assuming religious water changes were enough.

it cost me losing my favorite coral (a torch my daughter took the time to go on her own to my fav LFS and purchase) I was gutted.

 

[Geebs19]

Getting lazy and not doing maintenance on the tank. Algea got way our of control, aptasia was introduced at somepoint and that got out of control. Lost 75% of my corals. Working now on starting a new tank.

 

[JakeAndAmanda]

Letting my wife see how much everything costs

 

[olonmv]

Letting my wife see how much everything costs

I recently got the “$200 on corals this week” talking to. In one ear out the other and she knows it lol.

 

[Hugster78]

I recently got the “$200 on corals this week” talking to. In one ear out the other and she knows it lol.

So thankful my wife buys corals with me. Didn’t even flinch when I bought a homewrecker

 

[olonmv]

So thankful my wife buys corals with me. Didn’t even flinch when I bought a homewrecker

My wife n I have a ton in common…..except the love of reefing. It was a minor talking too, about 5 seconds worth, because she already knows that it’s like talking to a wall when it comes to my tank. To be fair, I’ve had her pick up supplies for me before without having to beg so there’s that lol.

 

[UkiahTheTurtle]

Buying corals from a store that looked super sketchy

 

[JakeAndAmanda]

It’s not that my wife cares what I spend, it that it’s goes like this. “Well you spent x on corals and equipment so I’m going to spend x on fuggin towels or some other girl junk I don’t care about

 

[olonmv]

It’s not that my wife cares what I spend, it that it’s goes like this. “Well you spent x on corals and equipment so I’m going to spend x on fuggin towels or some other girl junk I don’t care about

Lol. My wife likes plants so that’s how we price match each other.

 

[Porpoise Hork]

My first tank was a mistake. Didn't do enough independent research and trusted my LFS too much. Started over a year in with many lessons learned.

This. This is mine as well.