Uber noob mistakes

Discussion in 'New To The Hobby' started by devlzluv, Aug 6, 2009.

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  1. devlzluv

    devlzluv Ritteri Anemone

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    1. Hearing weird noises coming from your skimmer and not looking into it
    2. Thinking your test kits are bad when it co-insides with problem 1
    3. Thinking things will just get better!
    4. Always checking your outside the sump reactor for leaks.
    5. Always follow directions for anythign you do to your tank

    Lol well im letting all the other new people know my mistakes. I have 4 fish in my tank right now and was wondering why my skimmer was not pulling alot of skinmate from the water. I have a NW octopus skimmer and reading stories from other people sayign there cup is full after a couple days when mine would take 2 weeks to be 1/4 full. Well my nitrates and ammonia have slowly been on the rise and I was thinking that omg my test kits are bad. Well last night in my inebreated state I decided to clean my skimmer pump and remove the rest of the dead cyano Ive been battling (won that battle and it was no small feat in any means). Took apart the pump and to my surprise there were 4 snails just chillin inside of it causing that noise I was talking about, it wasnt making effective skimming like it should. Removed them and put the pump back in and mother of god 12 hours later and the cup was about overflowing with the nasty smelling green stuff and my tank is crazy clear. Well then I notice that my damn phos reactor is leaking from the top so made room in my sump and slapped it in and also turned the flow up on it liek it should have been to effictivetly remove the phosphate and stirred the phos up so it would not become a hard clump that would ruin my reactor. No lie the algae that has been plaging me now would come back after a day or so on the glass im guessing from the skinmate always staying in the tank not goign anywhere was the cause of that. Im very happy now and want to pass my lessons on to other beginers. always make sure and always double check things!

    Later
    dev
     
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  3. JJK

    JJK Teardrop Maxima Clam

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    Awesome story! I started using a filter sock over my water hose leading from the DT to the sump. That way any debris/snails, etc that comes down from the tank into the sump gets caught in the sock before it ends up clogging my skimmer. Might be of help in this case.
     
  4. divott

    divott Giant Squid

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    weve all been there at one point or another dev. im sure everyone could post something theyve done wrong whether a newb or a more seasoned aquarist. im at work , so i dont have ti e to liust or remember what i messed up. good of you to point these mistakes for anyone else.
     
  5. devlzluv

    devlzluv Ritteri Anemone

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    Lol ya i got to help others out, I want to do the sock but heard stories of bad nitrate buildup from it. Idk like about 25 snails are in my sump but are eating plenty, im just gonna have to pay close attention now and know what im looking for.
     
  6. Daniel072

    Daniel072 Giant Squid

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    personally, I don't like having snails in my sump for this reason. I don't mind any algae buildup in my sump at all as long as it doesn't make it to my display tank. These are some really good tips though and I and others alike, will appreciate you sharing. As far as the sock goes, I don't use one and never will. I welcome the tiny floaters as the coral will snatch it up for dinner. As long as your skimmer is running properly, you should have no problems.
     
  7. devlzluv

    devlzluv Ritteri Anemone

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    lol ya my snails seem to make it down below, 1 day i will move them all back to the dt
     
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  9. bama

    bama Humpback Whale

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    I have my DT drain going through small holes in a piece of PVC and then through a floss filter to prevent snails getting into my sump. I just check the piece of pvc every sunday to remove the snails.. there are usually 2-4 small ceriths.. its better them there than in my skimmer or return pump
     
  10. TritonsGarden

    TritonsGarden 3reef Sponsor

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    Early on in my reefing adventures, I made the mistake of blowing off my live rock with a power head during a water change and stirring up the top of my sand bed. This caused quite a bit of debris in the water column. Later that night I hear my return pump sucking air. Turns out the filter sock got clogged with debris and the water overflowed the sock into the floor.


    I could write a book on things not to do. Seems I've made every mistake possible but it's a learning adventure. One day I'll grasp the concept of "siphon" and stop leaving hoses dangling out of my tank or water barrel.

    Jack
     
  11. devlzluv

    devlzluv Ritteri Anemone

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    actually i have a bunch of bio bag filters that i can change out every 2 weeks totally forgot about them so i put one of them into my overflow to help keep these damn snails out


    ***actually nm i took it out, ive got to figure out a snail trap
     
    Last edited: Aug 6, 2009
  12. steve wright

    steve wright Super Moderator

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    The most amusing one for me was failing to follow the 3 simple steps for maintenance of a cannister filter

    1 - turn off power
    2 - turn off taps
    3 - undo clips , remove lid and clean trays

    going from step 1 to step 3 , with 2 hands full of a large cannister fliter top, underneath the tank with a less than spacious cabinet , meant loads of water cascading out onto the floor whilst I balance it on 1 knee and reach for the taps with the free hand

    Steve

    Steve