What is one regret (if any) you have in this hobby?

[Gumbies R Us]

Sometimes, we have regrets about something. Maybe we bought a fish and regret getting it, regret getting a certain size tank, or maybe regret buying a piece of equipment. I am wondering what is the one regret you have in this hobby!

 

[Anemone_Fanatic]

Not going with the 110 gallon tank and sticking to a 65. Now, instead of just adding one, I need to do philosophical debates with myself on whether or not it's ethical to add a foxface to eat bubble algae.

 

[Reefer Matt]

Black volcanic sand in my sps tank. It has iron in it, I didn't know when the tank was new, and I scratched the glass a few times with the magnetic glass cleaner.
Also, not properly quarantining a parrotfish that broke out in velvet and killed a mag foxface, bursa trigger, and the parrotfish in the fowlr tank.

 

[shwareefer]

Getting rid of my original Marshall Islands rock when I moved houses. It was so easy to balance. Started up again a few years later with new mystery rock and had continuous battles with pests and pathogens for years.

 

[Gumbies R Us]

Black volcanic sand in my sps tank. It has iron in it, I didn't know when the tank was new, and I scratched the glass a few times with the magnetic glass cleaner.
Also, not properly quarantining a parrotfish that broke out in velvet and killed a mag foxface, bursa trigger, and the parrotfish in the fowlr tank.

Didn't know that kind of sand had iron in it. And sorry about the velvet outbreak!

 

[Reefer Matt]

Didn't know that kind of sand had iron in it. And sorry about the velvet outbreak!

Thanks, yeah I just did a two week observation in a qt tank instead of adding cupramine. The fish was great for about two weeks after, but must have gotten stressed and broke out.
At the 6:30 mark in this video, I show the iron coming out of the sand. Some people may refute the iron, but it is the case in my tank.

 

[Reef Devils]

Sometimes, we have regrets about something. Maybe we bought a fish and regret getting it, regret getting a certain size tank, or maybe regret buying a piece of equipment. I am wondering what is the one regret you have in this hobby!

I wish I went with a bigger tank. I would have been broke if I did but it would have been worth it.

 

[Timfish]

Time.

 

[Mark Goode]

My one regret? Being too poor to have a gazillion gallon super reef with everything in it. Two of everything in fact, At least.

 

[fodsod]

Getting a bigger tank. I've got a 55g and a 90g. I wish I'd upgraded to a 180-220g instead of settling on the 90g. Oh well, that's my next tank regardless.

 

[plutz]

Algae….hate the stuff!

 

[burrfishbloatin]

Sometimes, we have regrets about something. Maybe we bought a fish and regret getting it, regret getting a certain size tank, or maybe regret buying a piece of equipment. I am wondering what is the one regret you have in this hobby!

The biggest mistake I made so far was moving the old sand with the tank during a move. I would never do it again even though all of my fish did survive.

 

[FUNGI]

Winning a goldfish at the fair.......almost 50 years ago....and decided to keep it.....

 

[stoney7713]

Selling my 125 thinking I was done with the hobby to only buy a 75 a few years later and wanting a larger tank already.

 

[bestfishes]

it all started with a guppie at the fair for me. Now with a 125 gallon reef and 40 years of experience, I have so many lessons, over the years. I always regret when i tried to make things work that I didnt do enough research to accomplish and something died. I regret whan I rush to "fix"something and make it worse than just doing things slow. I wish I had more data some times to make good decisions about what can go together, which has improved a lot since I started. I wish I automated sooner as that has made my success with stony corals much better and easier to manage. Now I wish things would stop growing so fast that I have to get rid of things as I cant afford to do more than this time wise. I also regret that my kids may never have the concern to keep all this going once I pass on. I really care about the creatures I have been growing and caring for for decades. My anemone is older than both my kids combined!

 

[biecacka]

Passing on a brand new 900 gallon tank from a buddy. He just took delivery of it and then his job relocated him. He offered it for pennies on the dollar years ago. I passed because it wouldnt fit in my apartment door at the time. Have since moved and wished I would have bought it and put it in a garage or storage. Haha
corey

 

[Ben's Pico Reefing]

Not doing research on used equipment and spending thousands for equipment that sell for a couplee 100 new at the time. Spent about 3k plus. 90 gallon that was 20 to 30 year old back in 2010 roughly and home made standvi believe was 800 dollars. A 4 bar t8 that ran length with moonlights for 400 that were about ready to fall apart. A used chiller for about 350. Skimmer was 300 used then replaced with reef octopus for i believe another 300 new. 20 gallon sump I made about 50. 50 in sand, 250 for 20lbs rock. Ontop of the other tanks and equipment I bought. i spent well over 5k all said and done. Had to sell everything around 2012. I only recovered about 6 to 800 when I sold it all.

 

[jmichaelh7]

Not going the biggest the first time round . 4 tanks total I think I finally am content

 

[tzabor10]

Using brass fittings on my UV sterilizer. Epic fail

 

[OctaviusBrine]

Getting a Red Sea A/C skimmer and then thinking the D/C upgrade would make it better. Could have just bought a good one for the money I have into it now.