what's the 1st thing you wish you had known
- Thread starter chachi
- Start date
brolik1
Member
hey guys and gals, some of you know me but I got out of the hobby b/c funds were running low. I had a 20g tank with 25pds of LS, 30 pds of LR and 1 firefish and 2 cleaner shrimp. I wish id known that i needed a bigger tank to start and ALOTTTTTT of money. I also wish I knew what I know now...LOL BEAUTIFUL HOBBY BUT EXPENSIVE
fishman830
Active Member
i wish i knew that live rock was a must.
swishy
Member
HUmm....I'll go with the classics RO water, live rock/sand and that you usually cant belive what the people at the lfs say, Mandarins can not be kept in a 10gal nano no matter what they say!
But mostly I wish I knew that this was probally the worst hobby for a college student, it spends ever last penny I have(I have litteraly turned in my cans and used the money to buy a new fish!) and I am so addicted I move the tank in and out of my dorm room four times a year!!!! :happyfish
But mostly I wish I knew that this was probally the worst hobby for a college student, it spends ever last penny I have(I have litteraly turned in my cans and used the money to buy a new fish!) and I am so addicted I move the tank in and out of my dorm room four times a year!!!! :happyfish
oceanbreez
Member
Originally Posted by robPSca
yea dont even watch the new big screen tv much anymore watch the tank more than tv LOL
I would appreciate a guy sitting around watching his tank as long as he took the
garbage out in between lol. I have five tanks. My x never appreciated it.
Now it's just me and I got my first saltwater tank. I love it. I do have a fish
guy though from the saltwater fish store. He's great. Tell your fiance's they
should appreciate the fact you aren't running around chasing woman. Instead
you are obsessed with fish. LOL It could be worse.
:jumping:
yea dont even watch the new big screen tv much anymore watch the tank more than tv LOL
I would appreciate a guy sitting around watching his tank as long as he took the
garbage out in between lol. I have five tanks. My x never appreciated it.
Now it's just me and I got my first saltwater tank. I love it. I do have a fish
guy though from the saltwater fish store. He's great. Tell your fiance's they
should appreciate the fact you aren't running around chasing woman. Instead
you are obsessed with fish. LOL It could be worse.
:jumping:
samiam4663
Member
Originally Posted by OceanBreez
I would appreciate a guy sitting around watching his tank as long as he took the
garbage out in between lol. I have five tanks. My x never appreciated it.
Now it's just me and I got my first saltwater tank. I love it. I do have a fish
guy though from the saltwater fish store. He's great. Tell your fiance's they
should appreciate the fact you aren't running around chasing woman. Instead
you are obsessed with fish. LOL It could be worse.
:jumping:
I second that! My fiance' is telling me to do all of the testing and the dirty work because it's "my tank"... but HE was the one calling ME from the LFS saying "Hey.. I got this really cool thermometer and some tonga branch for 'our' tank"!
I would appreciate a guy sitting around watching his tank as long as he took the
garbage out in between lol. I have five tanks. My x never appreciated it.
Now it's just me and I got my first saltwater tank. I love it. I do have a fish
guy though from the saltwater fish store. He's great. Tell your fiance's they
should appreciate the fact you aren't running around chasing woman. Instead
you are obsessed with fish. LOL It could be worse.
:jumping:
I second that! My fiance' is telling me to do all of the testing and the dirty work because it's "my tank"... but HE was the one calling ME from the LFS saying "Hey.. I got this really cool thermometer and some tonga branch for 'our' tank"!
oceanwaves
New Member
I agree with you I made many mistakes because I listened to the wrong guy.
Now I have a great fish guy who does the mainenance on all my tanks.
I have one saltwater a 75 gallon. It took a long time to get it all stable and now
the water is beautiful and testing normal everytime. I have all my fish now
but that took awhile too. You are right to take it slow and read read read.
:happyfish
Now I have a great fish guy who does the mainenance on all my tanks.
I have one saltwater a 75 gallon. It took a long time to get it all stable and now
the water is beautiful and testing normal everytime. I have all my fish now
but that took awhile too. You are right to take it slow and read read read.
:happyfish
kaighan
Member
I wish I had known:
What ADDICTION really was BEFORE I started this hobby!
That I needed a Test tube holder for all the little tubes while testing my water
That my 8yr old Pomeranian would start chewing my shoes/furniture when I feed the fish or test my water
To roll my sleeves up on my t-shirt while working on my tank
That I would be calculating how many lunches I would have to skip to be able to buy an anemone for my clowns :thinking:
That I would consider transforming my freshwater tank into another saltwater tank
That a Pajama Cardinal would be a more picky eater than my youngest child
and that the guys at my LFS would call the house and ask if everything was ok because I didnt come in the store on Tuesday
What ADDICTION really was BEFORE I started this hobby!
That I needed a Test tube holder for all the little tubes while testing my water
That my 8yr old Pomeranian would start chewing my shoes/furniture when I feed the fish or test my water
To roll my sleeves up on my t-shirt while working on my tank
That I would be calculating how many lunches I would have to skip to be able to buy an anemone for my clowns :thinking:
That I would consider transforming my freshwater tank into another saltwater tank
That a Pajama Cardinal would be a more picky eater than my youngest child
and that the guys at my LFS would call the house and ask if everything was ok because I didnt come in the store on Tuesday
S
sinner's girl
Guest
All I ever wanted was a yellow tang. That's why I got the 55gl, but then nope, too small, got 75gl because it was kick butt deal, but still, no yellow tang... Sinner says my next tank has to be double what I have so 150...grr...
I wish I had known to test a new bag of salt. Although I didn't have a problem, that I know of, till lately, if I would have tested that bag, I'd still have most of my urchins/inverts...
and I wish I knew hydrometer sucks! Then I'd still have my brittle, got a new brittle, but he's green, and little and I miss my other brittle, so big and wonderful.
Still have my serpent, he's lived through a lot (mini cycle, high temps, sg swing, alk off the charts..). He's a good star.
Oh, and never, ever, no matter what, trust mother-in-law when it comes to tanks (or anything for that matter). Before we were married, Sinner moved, he had to go out of town that weekend, all his mom had to do was plug in the power strip...tank doesn't like being left with no fliter, light, heater or water movement for a weekend. Evil.
Also, not to let her near my tank. Last time we moved she was spraying bug spray right above our 75gl with open bins of saltwater....dead fish. Had to empty the whole tank and wash it (which is hard to do when you can't move it).
That's more than one...recap, I wish I had known:
1. ugf bad, not so bad when you have it, but if you want to remove it...
2. mother-in-law evil (and careless)
3. yellow tangs need green food
4. bigger tank
5. mother-in-law evil (and not to bright)
6. Hydrometer bad!
7. Test new bags/buckets/boxes of salt
I wish I had known to test a new bag of salt. Although I didn't have a problem, that I know of, till lately, if I would have tested that bag, I'd still have most of my urchins/inverts...
and I wish I knew hydrometer sucks! Then I'd still have my brittle, got a new brittle, but he's green, and little and I miss my other brittle, so big and wonderful.
Still have my serpent, he's lived through a lot (mini cycle, high temps, sg swing, alk off the charts..). He's a good star.
Oh, and never, ever, no matter what, trust mother-in-law when it comes to tanks (or anything for that matter). Before we were married, Sinner moved, he had to go out of town that weekend, all his mom had to do was plug in the power strip...tank doesn't like being left with no fliter, light, heater or water movement for a weekend. Evil.
Also, not to let her near my tank. Last time we moved she was spraying bug spray right above our 75gl with open bins of saltwater....dead fish. Had to empty the whole tank and wash it (which is hard to do when you can't move it).
That's more than one...recap, I wish I had known:
1. ugf bad, not so bad when you have it, but if you want to remove it...
2. mother-in-law evil (and careless)
3. yellow tangs need green food
4. bigger tank
5. mother-in-law evil (and not to bright)
6. Hydrometer bad!
7. Test new bags/buckets/boxes of salt
calgar
Member
Originally Posted by OceanBreez
Tell your fiance's they
should appreciate the fact you aren't running around chasing woman. Instead
you are obsessed with fish. LOL It could be worse.
:jumping:
I hope mine could understand that
I think for me it would have been better to listen to advices in the beginning BEEEEEE PATIENTTTTTTTTTTTT Don't DOOOO THISSSSSSSS.... Damn and I was doing it next day
:hilarious
P.S. Know what "uncured" and "cured" rock was before adding it to my tank
Tell your fiance's they
should appreciate the fact you aren't running around chasing woman. Instead
you are obsessed with fish. LOL It could be worse.
:jumping:
I hope mine could understand that
I think for me it would have been better to listen to advices in the beginning BEEEEEE PATIENTTTTTTTTTTTT Don't DOOOO THISSSSSSSS.... Damn and I was doing it next day
P.S. Know what "uncured" and "cured" rock was before adding it to my tank
kat 4
Member
I love this thread! I don't think I've seen the fact that you shouldn't fill your tank with so much live rock that it blocks being able to clean the walls of the tank and/or catch fish that need to be quarantined. I've had so much trouble trying to catch fish among the live rock that it is very frustrating! Plan ahead on setting up where the rock goes!
hammbone
Member
Originally Posted by Sinner's Girl
I wish I had known to test a new bag of salt. Although I didn't have a problem, that I know of, till lately, if I would have tested that bag, I'd still have most of my urchins/inverts...
How do you test a bag of salt? What are you testing for?
Thanks, Jim
I wish I had known to test a new bag of salt. Although I didn't have a problem, that I know of, till lately, if I would have tested that bag, I'd still have most of my urchins/inverts...
How do you test a bag of salt? What are you testing for?
Thanks, Jim
sethspst
Member
Wish I didn't think I had learned something new. I got ICK and started treating my DT with copper. I got all my hermits and snails out, then a week later I was trying to catch a fish and found a snail in there that was still alive, so I figured maybe copper wasn't bad. I put 1 hermit in and he was fine for a week, so I put the rest of them in there. No it's been 2 weeks and half of them died. I didn't notice they were dying until my ammonia jumped and I couldn't get it to drop.
fighting0
Member
I wish I would have rinsed the sand from Home Depot before I added it to my tank.
It clouded up like a mo fo. When everything *finally* settled, I had a thick film of powdery dust on the top of the sand. Start over.
I'm a little worried right now.. I finally started over again... this time, I bought the "live sand" that has a little water and critters in it, etc. from *****. I put it into the new salt mix tonight. Survey says: Dust.
I don't get it.. I'm going to wait a while to see how things settle out. But there's no way I could rinse this sand cuz it already contained water, and it's selling point is that it's live. By rinising it, I'd be washing away all of the little critters in it and possibly killing it before I put it into the tank.
(and $.02 from people who have used it, please let me know. )
-Scott
I'm a little worried right now.. I finally started over again... this time, I bought the "live sand" that has a little water and critters in it, etc. from *****. I put it into the new salt mix tonight. Survey says: Dust.
I don't get it.. I'm going to wait a while to see how things settle out. But there's no way I could rinse this sand cuz it already contained water, and it's selling point is that it's live. By rinising it, I'd be washing away all of the little critters in it and possibly killing it before I put it into the tank.
(and $.02 from people who have used it, please let me know.
)-Scott
saltwater8
Member
Originally Posted by fighting0
I'm a little worried right now.. I finally started over again... this time, I bought the "live sand" that has a little water and critters in it, etc. from *****. I put it into the new salt mix tonight. Survey says: Dust.
-Scott
What "live sand" does ***** sell that has little critters in it?
I'm a little worried right now.. I finally started over again... this time, I bought the "live sand" that has a little water and critters in it, etc. from *****. I put it into the new salt mix tonight. Survey says: Dust.
-Scott
What "live sand" does ***** sell that has little critters in it?
diane4
Member
I wish I had known ahead of time how much money I would spend within 1 year. The fish hobby is an adicting hobby, I think worse than gambling....you can't have just one. I wish I had known how adicted I was going to get.
In one year, I went from a 30 gallon fresh water tank with some Tetra fish in it. Thats all I knew.
To now, I have the following..... Wall to wall fish tanks.
120 gallon - in the process of converting from fresh water to FOWLR
90 gallon - salwater Fish only
75 gallon reef
90 gallon freshwater - 2 oscars
another 90 freshwater gallon also with 2 oscars
60 gallon - freshwater, blushing koi angel fish and hi-fin tetras
68 gallon - freshwater - 1 oscar
50 gallon freshwater cichlid tank - Blue Acara's, electric blue dempsey's
Thats 643 gallons of water... heheheheh
And all of these tanks are in my living room and dining room - main floor of small cape cod house. And fish equipment is all over the place. It looks like a pet store, not a house.
In one year, I went from a 30 gallon fresh water tank with some Tetra fish in it. Thats all I knew.
To now, I have the following..... Wall to wall fish tanks.
120 gallon - in the process of converting from fresh water to FOWLR
90 gallon - salwater Fish only
75 gallon reef
90 gallon freshwater - 2 oscars
another 90 freshwater gallon also with 2 oscars
60 gallon - freshwater, blushing koi angel fish and hi-fin tetras
68 gallon - freshwater - 1 oscar
50 gallon freshwater cichlid tank - Blue Acara's, electric blue dempsey's
Thats 643 gallons of water... heheheheh
And all of these tanks are in my living room and dining room - main floor of small cape cod house. And fish equipment is all over the place. It looks like a pet store, not a house.