florida joe
Well-Known Member
Starting any arguments with Sir Q
BIGGEST mistake you've made in the hobby
- Thread starter funkysean5
- Start date
cocoacf
Member
This hasn't happened yet, but maybe you can help prevent it ...
I was first interested in some clowns when I was at a Pet store, and they told me I would need at least a 30g tank and it would add up to about $1000 just to keep the two clowns, and some rock, coral etc.. I bailed on that.. and later I was at a LFS and told them about this. The guy told me that was nonsense, he could hook me up with a biocube or aquapod and get me some clowns for around $300-400. So I was pretty excited. He told me that he could give me live sand, rock and cycled water all from their main tanks, so I would not have to wait on a cycle, and could proceed to pick up the fish the next day.
I got a little busy with school and work so it never happened. But recently for Christmas I got a biocube. Different people at the same LFS told my parents the same thing about getting the fish right after the tank was set up, because it had all come from their main tanks. Well when we went to get the lr, ls, and water, the guy told us to let it cycle for a couple weeks.... We were kinda pissed cause before we bought anything the same guy told us the next day would be fine!
It had been up cycling for two days when we went to a different LFS. We told the guy about it, and he said he's been to that LFS a few times, and knows where all the lr, ls, and water came from. He said with a biocube it should be fine, nothing bad would be going on. He told us to bring in some water the next day, he'd test it, and if it was ok he'd get us some baby clowns..
So I'm wondering if that's too good to be true.. what do you guys think?
I know some LFS can bs, but I also know and go to school with one of the guys in the first LFS. Are all LFS bad/liars?
I was first interested in some clowns when I was at a Pet store, and they told me I would need at least a 30g tank and it would add up to about $1000 just to keep the two clowns, and some rock, coral etc.. I bailed on that.. and later I was at a LFS and told them about this. The guy told me that was nonsense, he could hook me up with a biocube or aquapod and get me some clowns for around $300-400. So I was pretty excited. He told me that he could give me live sand, rock and cycled water all from their main tanks, so I would not have to wait on a cycle, and could proceed to pick up the fish the next day.
I got a little busy with school and work so it never happened. But recently for Christmas I got a biocube. Different people at the same LFS told my parents the same thing about getting the fish right after the tank was set up, because it had all come from their main tanks. Well when we went to get the lr, ls, and water, the guy told us to let it cycle for a couple weeks.... We were kinda pissed cause before we bought anything the same guy told us the next day would be fine!
It had been up cycling for two days when we went to a different LFS. We told the guy about it, and he said he's been to that LFS a few times, and knows where all the lr, ls, and water came from. He said with a biocube it should be fine, nothing bad would be going on. He told us to bring in some water the next day, he'd test it, and if it was ok he'd get us some baby clowns..
So I'm wondering if that's too good to be true.. what do you guys think?
I know some LFS can bs, but I also know and go to school with one of the guys in the first LFS. Are all LFS bad/liars?
atrialfib22
Member
Originally Posted by Cocoacf
http:///forum/post/2890655
This hasn't happened yet, but maybe you can help prevent it ...
I was first interested in some clowns when I was at a Pet store, and they told me I would need at least a 30g tank and it would add up to about $1000 just to keep the two clowns, and some rock, coral etc.. I bailed on that.. and later I was at a LFS and told them about this. The guy told me that was nonsense, he could hook me up with a biocube or aquapod and get me some clowns for around $300-400. So I was pretty excited. He told me that he could give me live sand, rock and cycled water all from their main tanks, so I would not have to wait on a cycle, and could proceed to pick up the fish the next day.
I got a little busy with school and work so it never happened. But recently for Christmas I got a biocube. Different people at the same LFS told my parents the same thing about getting the fish right after the tank was set up, because it had all come from their main tanks. Well when we went to get the lr, ls, and water, the guy told us to let it cycle for a couple weeks.... We were kinda pissed cause before we bought anything the same guy told us the next day would be fine!
It had been up cycling for two days when we went to a different LFS. We told the guy about it, and he said he's been to that LFS a few times, and knows where all the lr, ls, and water came from. He said with a biocube it should be fine, nothing bad would be going on. He told us to bring in some water the next day, he'd test it, and if it was ok he'd get us some baby clowns..
So I'm wondering if that's too good to be true.. what do you guys think?
I know some LFS can bs, but I also know and go to school with one of the guys in the first LFS. Are all LFS bad/liars?
Well...I don't think ALL LFS are bad/liars...some are just bad liars period. But all kidding aside, I just think a lot of them are misinformed, or will just do/say anything to get your business.
Keeping this in mind, I would consider your situation a great gambling occassion. The thing is...I don't like to gamble outside of casinos. Sooo...I would be weary of any LFS that tells you that there is a shortcut or a "2-day", "1-day" cycling process that they can hook you up with.
Even if all the sand/rock comes from an established tank there is no guarantee that your system will be ready to properly support life. 2 clowns are not considered to be a huge bioload, but it is a bioload nonetheless. The only way to really really know for sure that your tank is ready to have fish is to have it go through a monitoring period of time. A phase during which you log the basic testable parameters (ammonia, pH, nitrates, nitrites) and identify a pattern. Look up the resources on cycles here on the boards...there is extensive details on what you should look for.
You just wanna make sure that your system won't be harmful to your fish and that when they create waste that it can handle it. That's the basic idea.
So take your time...get all your equipment, put your tank through a proper cycle and avoid making a significant contribution to this topic of "Biggest mistakes made in the hobby". There already is a surplus of rushed processes and untimely advances that account for a lot of the mistakes made by all of us at some point.
Good luck!
P.S. Always double check information coming from the LFS...any LFS.
http:///forum/post/2890655
This hasn't happened yet, but maybe you can help prevent it ...
I was first interested in some clowns when I was at a Pet store, and they told me I would need at least a 30g tank and it would add up to about $1000 just to keep the two clowns, and some rock, coral etc.. I bailed on that.. and later I was at a LFS and told them about this. The guy told me that was nonsense, he could hook me up with a biocube or aquapod and get me some clowns for around $300-400. So I was pretty excited. He told me that he could give me live sand, rock and cycled water all from their main tanks, so I would not have to wait on a cycle, and could proceed to pick up the fish the next day.
I got a little busy with school and work so it never happened. But recently for Christmas I got a biocube. Different people at the same LFS told my parents the same thing about getting the fish right after the tank was set up, because it had all come from their main tanks. Well when we went to get the lr, ls, and water, the guy told us to let it cycle for a couple weeks.... We were kinda pissed cause before we bought anything the same guy told us the next day would be fine!
It had been up cycling for two days when we went to a different LFS. We told the guy about it, and he said he's been to that LFS a few times, and knows where all the lr, ls, and water came from. He said with a biocube it should be fine, nothing bad would be going on. He told us to bring in some water the next day, he'd test it, and if it was ok he'd get us some baby clowns..
So I'm wondering if that's too good to be true.. what do you guys think?
I know some LFS can bs, but I also know and go to school with one of the guys in the first LFS. Are all LFS bad/liars?
Well...I don't think ALL LFS are bad/liars...some are just bad liars period. But all kidding aside, I just think a lot of them are misinformed, or will just do/say anything to get your business.
Keeping this in mind, I would consider your situation a great gambling occassion. The thing is...I don't like to gamble outside of casinos. Sooo...I would be weary of any LFS that tells you that there is a shortcut or a "2-day", "1-day" cycling process that they can hook you up with.
Even if all the sand/rock comes from an established tank there is no guarantee that your system will be ready to properly support life. 2 clowns are not considered to be a huge bioload, but it is a bioload nonetheless. The only way to really really know for sure that your tank is ready to have fish is to have it go through a monitoring period of time. A phase during which you log the basic testable parameters (ammonia, pH, nitrates, nitrites) and identify a pattern. Look up the resources on cycles here on the boards...there is extensive details on what you should look for.
You just wanna make sure that your system won't be harmful to your fish and that when they create waste that it can handle it. That's the basic idea.
So take your time...get all your equipment, put your tank through a proper cycle and avoid making a significant contribution to this topic of "Biggest mistakes made in the hobby". There already is a surplus of rushed processes and untimely advances that account for a lot of the mistakes made by all of us at some point.
Good luck!
P.S. Always double check information coming from the LFS...any LFS.
atrialfib22
Member
And my own biggest mistake made in the hobby would be between:
1. Starting off with a small tank...
AND
2. Letting my neighbor take care of my tank while I was away for 2 wks.
1. Starting off with a small tank...
AND
2. Letting my neighbor take care of my tank while I was away for 2 wks.
cocoacf
Member
Thanks AtrialFib. I'll go get the water tested in a little.
My biggest mistake happened in 7th grade.. quite awhile ago but still worth sharing.
Me and my friend lived right next to a grocery store, so we frequented it a lot. One morning we saw some cool lobsters in the seafood section.. so we decided to each buy a 30 gallon plastic tub, and a foot long lobster from the nicest old man you'll ever meet. He hooked us up with about 5-10 gallons of salt water, and we were on our way. We both wound up returning the lobsters before the day was over. Unlike my friend's, my parents were actually cool with the idea, but Larry didn't fair to well in his tub of unfiltered goodiness..
My biggest mistake happened in 7th grade.. quite awhile ago but still worth sharing.
Me and my friend lived right next to a grocery store, so we frequented it a lot. One morning we saw some cool lobsters in the seafood section.. so we decided to each buy a 30 gallon plastic tub, and a foot long lobster from the nicest old man you'll ever meet. He hooked us up with about 5-10 gallons of salt water, and we were on our way. We both wound up returning the lobsters before the day was over. Unlike my friend's, my parents were actually cool with the idea, but Larry didn't fair to well in his tub of unfiltered goodiness..
mx mr bean
Member
Big mistake of buying a pair of banded coral shrimp... they ate my cleaners
The other one was when i bought a naso tang and a powdered blue tang at the same time while my 90 gallon wasnt cycled very well.... needless to say i wasted a good $120 but hey mistakes make aquarists better!
The other one was when i bought a naso tang and a powdered blue tang at the same time while my 90 gallon wasnt cycled very well.... needless to say i wasted a good $120 but hey mistakes make aquarists better!
justdugan
Member
Originally Posted by SnakeBlitz33
http:///forum/post/2882880
hmm. Worst mistake(s):
1. When I was just starting out: Not researching my purchases.
2. Not keeping a log of everything that was done to the tank. (this has saved me several times)
3. Listening to my LFS and believing everything they had to say.
4. Having one of my friends get me into this hobby.
5. Thinking back on all of the money that I have spent in this hobby.
.
This pretty much sums it ALL up for me, minus the log part.
http:///forum/post/2882880
hmm. Worst mistake(s):
1. When I was just starting out: Not researching my purchases.
2. Not keeping a log of everything that was done to the tank. (this has saved me several times)
3. Listening to my LFS and believing everything they had to say.
4. Having one of my friends get me into this hobby.
5. Thinking back on all of the money that I have spent in this hobby.
.
This pretty much sums it ALL up for me, minus the log part.
cokepelli
New Member
Just getting started, and after being very patient and doing a lot of reading and research, my firefish and clowns were doing great in my cycled 75G. However, I was unaware that you had to also quarantine any live rock. Now the firefish and clowns are back into quarantine undergoing hyposalinity treatment.
noah's nemo
Member
Not going with a bigger tank from the start.
reifermadness
Member
Adding a sand sifting starfish to my 75g reef... HUGE mistake... HUGE!!
Killed off untold life.
Killed off untold life.
mr.clownfish
Active Member
i was acclimating my new cleaner shrimp, and i was using an average sized pitcher. it filled up so i emptied some into the sink so i could get my hand in to take it out and right when i wanted to stop my shrimp fell into the sink hole.
i was about to cry
my hand was to big to fit so only my fingers could go through.
after like a minute of stress i got him by the whiskers. he was all soppy and dirty. he didnt eat for like a week and his whiskers where all cut. i felt so bad
i was about to cry
my hand was to big to fit so only my fingers could go through.
after like a minute of stress i got him by the whiskers. he was all soppy and dirty. he didnt eat for like a week and his whiskers where all cut. i felt so bad
S
shrimpy brains
Guest
Continuously going to the lfs to try, once again, to keep alive some ornamental shrimp! Don't understand how they just dissappear after awhile!
Oh yeah, no longer go to this lfs, after all they are the same ones that sold me hawk fish and large wrasse!!
Pretty stupid,
Pretty stupid,
saltygerman
Member
My biggest mistake was listening to my LFS and burying both my Heaters under my sand, base rock, and 75 lbs of live rock...... I did set the dial to 78 deg on both but to say the least they are a little off...
scottallert
Active Member
Originally Posted by saltygerman
http:///forum/post/2902202
My biggest mistake was listening to my LFS and burying both my Heaters under my sand, base rock, and 75 lbs of live rock...... I did set the dial to 78 deg on both but to say the least they are a little off...
lol, i had to laugh at this one.
http:///forum/post/2902202
My biggest mistake was listening to my LFS and burying both my Heaters under my sand, base rock, and 75 lbs of live rock...... I did set the dial to 78 deg on both but to say the least they are a little off...
lol, i had to laugh at this one.
todj2002
Member
id say mine biggest mistake is like many others - making a purchase without doing ur homework first and trusting what lfs has to say. all they want is the sale. like right now i bought a yellow gorgonian and from what i gather from info here, i am basically just waiting for it to die. i swear, that is the last time i buy something without looking into it first. in fact i have been having great luck with ordering what i want off internet so i prolly wont buy live mdse from lfs ne more. find it on the internet, read about it, THEN purchase it. live and learn.