Mistakes I made as a Newbie

I removed a glass heater that was stuck in the "on" position and was trying to cook my tank. It exploded "in the air" while I was BAREFOOT!!!

 

While I would always recommend a refractometer, I realize many people financially have to stay with a hydrometer for a while.

I didn't check the accuracy of my hydrometer with a LFS's refractometer. I also didn't take good care of my swing arm hydrometer.

It was waaaaaaaay off and I didn't even know it. Even though the instructions say to rinse well after each use, I didn't always do that. I learned after that lesson how to take care of a hydrometer. Rinse it with tapwater and if you're storing it near your tank, always store it in a ziplock bag. Every other week or so, fill it with white vinegar for a half hour, rinse with tap or ro/di water, and put in the bag.

 

those are all great pieces of advice...i have also experieced the innaccuracy of a hydrometer that was not cared for....most people dont know this, i was one of them but hydrometers need to be cleaned to stay accurate. vinegar and hot water works well. My stuck on heater did a similar thing to me and shattered in my hand when i removed it and cut me bad enough that i needed 7 stitches.

my latest lesson was is.... ground probes are important! I had stray current going through my tank and am sure it was the cause for one fishes death. Install a ground probe if you don't have one already

 

update: apparently im still new. DO NOT RELY ON ZIP TIES TO HOLD A POWER HEAD TO A MOUNT AND DO NOT RELY ON SUCTION CUPS..... http://www.3reef.com/forums/general-reef-topics/suction-cups-failure-89744.html

 

i like that... the "arm and hand coral"

 

I was all excited that I got a sump and a new filter system... the Lifeguard series. There were slip fitting on either side of each canister and it said to glue them together. So I did... with silicone....

I turned it on... stood back very proud that it was all working. Then the pressure built up....

That was my first experience with a massive flood and the effects of back siphoning....

 

GSP and Anthelia on the main rock work : ugh, never again.

 

Someone a lot wiser than myself once said: Smart people learn from their mistakes, but geniuses learn from the mistakes of others.
After your bryopsis infestation, and the bryopsis I got from a zoanthid colony, I'll be very prudent when I upgrade.

With my first tank two years ago I naively fed aiptasia because I thought they were cool. They thought all this easy food was cool too, and they multiplied from about 5 to about 100 in a couple months.

 

Mine was just getting started in the marine hobby should have just never ever started ..