Whats the best advice youve evre gotten in the hobby

Hello all
Im new to posting on the site but have read along for awhile now. I find the this forum is a great place to get info so thanks to all the users. I was thinking that it might make an intresting thread to read on what one simple bit advice you were given that helped you along the way. Any small tip or technique that you have found to make a difference. We all know the one that "Paitence is the key", and the truth, but maybe a little thing like trick for water change, feeding, testing procedure.
For me I was once told "When in doubt get it out."
Also i took the reccomendation of keeping a testing log to heart and really think it has helped me learn how to keep my water chemistry/ quality up.
I just thought it might be cool, you never know where that cool tip or idea may come from.
In short whats the best advice you got, that really had affect on you regarding the hobby
Thanks
Chris
 
S

shrimpy brains

Guest
Welcome to the boards! Glad you signed up to post and quit lurking in the shadows!

It's hard to pick just one tip, but the most important advice I think I've ever received would have to be to install GFCI outlets, and make sure you have drip loops in all lines.
This insures safety for you as well as your fish!
 
thanks for the welcome, could not agree more on gfi, i replaced the wll outlet on each tank to be safe and keep cabinet clutter down
 

aquaknight

Active Member
I think the best advice I was given, was "always figure out the reason why that something happened." If a fish dies, I always try to make sure I know why it did. If I can't seem to keep ALK up, I need to figuring out why. If I'm getting nusiance algae, I need to find the source of the issue. And so on....
 
R

roxannej

Guest
The best advice I ever got was an adage - "nothing good ever happens fast in this hobby."
 

drtito

Member
The best tip I ever read was, " always have extra saltwater ready " you never know when you will need it.
 

calbert0

Member
1.) The best piece of advice i have been given is to try to do everything naturally, and to provide my tank with all natural products and means of filtration.
The more chemicals, additives, synthetic components, skimmers, activated carbon, bio-balls you add the more you have to worry about.
Deep sand bed refugium with macro algae and LOTS of water movement (in DT) has never done me wrong... no wet/dry, skimmers, carbon, or bio-balls here
2.) NOTHING BEATS FREQUENT WATER CHANGES
3.) Nothing good ever happens quickly in this hobby
4.) Don't ever buy anything at sticker price! Wait for the sales, discounts, or deals....
 

flower

Well-Known Member

best and 1st advice...Don't get a damsel, be picky about what coral and fish you put into the tank, getting anything out later is not easy to do.
 

loopy101

Member
Hi and welcome to the boards!
best advice ive learned the hard way several times... and some one might of already said this but DO NOT impulse buy! do research on what ever it is your looking at. my lfs is a hour away so if i see something i want to buy i head over to ther bood section and read on it before making up my mind. bought couple different things that i have lost cuz i took the employees word for it.
 

mantisman51

Active Member
Don't run with scissors! No, wait. 1)Quarantine everything-original, I know. 2)The solution to pollution is dilution-nothing replaces frequent water changes.
 

the_bandit

Member
Not sure it was given to me but I have figured out the hard way that adding chemicals and addatives isnt always the answer to fixing a problem. Put it only what you can test for. Adding things can maybe make things worse or just be a quick fix that will rear its head up later down the line.
 

u mike

Member
Read up on every thing you want to do long before you do it . After 3 years I have wasted a lot of time and cash because I was not really doing what I thought was right until I made a mistake .
 
I have to add one, it was learned the hard wya and shoul be in everyone basic equipment list. A shop vac for that OMG situation.
 
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