top 100 things about reefs I had to learn the hard way...
- Thread starter aztbs
- Start date
jpslickorocks
Premium Member
9) Do not leave the tube of superglue out where the cat can get to it and superglue all kinds of stuff to her poor feet and chin
Fliger
New member
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6274004#post6274004 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by kirstenk
10) Do not try and squeeze Super Glue out with you teeth. You may bite into the tube and get it all over your teeth and tongue.
:lol: :lol: :lol:
8) do not trust Kirsten or jpslickorocks with superglue.
hot4teacher
New member
5) Use caution when someone tells you something that doesn't sound right..."yeah, I'd put 20 Turbo's in that 12G nano...that should church up any algae!" 
4) Having an awesome reef tank will score with the ladies.
3) Having an awesome tank that sounds like Niagara Falls is a big turn-off with the ladies.
4) Having an awesome reef tank will score with the ladies.
3) Having an awesome tank that sounds like Niagara Falls is a big turn-off with the ladies.
jpslickorocks
Premium Member
this is an awesome thread!!!
Thanks Tiffanie!!!
Thanks Tiffanie!!!
jpslickorocks
Premium Member
OOOOHHH I CAN'T WAIT!!!!!
aztbs
Active member
So, here it is in entirety, renumbered as best I could for your reading pleasure
100... You can't succeed without planning. You can't plan without knowledge. The best knowledge comes from experience. If it's your first reef tank, you have none. Don't believe everything you read on the internet. Do your best and expect to make some giant mistakes. Get a mentor and ask lots of questions.
99... Kenya Tree coral is indestructable and can spread ANYWHERE.
98... Just because you test for Ammonia, Nitrites, and Nitrates it does not mean you have perfect water conditions. PH, CA, ALK can be included in this list too.
97... Lengthy stirring, mixing, aerrating your DI top off and change water is not just something weird people do to dissolve salt and such. If you fail to do this you will have problems maintaining PH and alkalinity in your tank. (this took me a long time to figure out)
96... Reef tanks require a LOT of storage space in your house. There is probably 5x more volume of equipment than there is actual aquarium. I am talking about water storage and mixing, water filters, chemicals, scrapers, towels, etc, etc, etc
95... if you are DIY at all, you will soon collect an entire toolbox full of reef tools and you will have to yell at your spouse to not use them on the car or other non reef friendly applications.
94... any attempt at DIY usually results in "unexpected" water changes - put aquariums on tile, not carpet!
93... PAY YOUR ELECTRIC BILL!!!
92... Reef tanks always take more time than you think
91... Don't use tap water
90... Glass heaters suck
89... Mushrooms, Mushrooms, Mushrooms everywhere
88... Hermit Crabs live in snail shells for a reason.....they eat them!
87... No matter how well you cover the top of your tank your prized jawfish/fairy wrasse/dartfish, will find a way out.
86... The only place for crabs is on a dinner plate, not a reef tank.
85... Your protein skimmer can NEVER be "Too Big"
84... It is easier to clean your class once a day with a mag float than to spend 2 hours scraping of the glass once a month
83... More flow the better
82... NEVER believe your friend when he says you can set up a complete SW tank for only $300 because that wont even cover the price of CHEAP Live rock...lol
81... NEVER EVER use brass plumbing fittings on your reef system! ( I found out the hard way!)
80... DIY means AT LEAST 20 trips to the hardware store for that last piece you forgot to get
79... Red bugs SUCK
78... Remove your favorite shrimp before treatment. ;-(
77... Its dedication, not money that makes a tank successful. Money helps though. ;-)
76... A drilled Reef Ready tank costs more, but it will save you TONS of headaches compared to using a continuous siphon over flow.
75... Mount power strips in such a way that they don't fill with salt water when the tank runs over from a broken siphon in the overflow.
74... Never throw anything away!
73... Locate tank near multiple outlets, and two different circuits, if possible.
72... A DIY project will cost twice as much as you calculated it would. (The five dollars you spend on each of the 19 extra trips mentioned in #80 add up)
71... Listen to your friends when they tell you Interceptor will kill your shrimp
70... Crystal's xenia is impossible to kill and eventually it will take over your entire tank (but it's so pretty...)
69... No matter how much you THINK you know, you can never learn enough (luckily I know I don't know enough except that I have a lot more to learn).
68... Get your QT tank setup BEFORE you need it.
67... Never ever buy anything that you can't identify or aren't prepared to provide for. I learned this lesson by jumping in feet first. I saw a bright green clump of algae with an "anenome" on it at ATR and thought it would be so cool to have in my display. I'd heard of sumps, but I just didn't know anything. Of course the algae went sexual (this was fun to clean up) and the anemone was a giant aiptasia. Oh, and of course there are the hermit crabs.
66... The substrate in a tank can be a great asset or a terrible weakness. (Subliminal message: read everything Dr. Ron has written about substrates.)
65... You can't skimp on equipment, especially for a nano.
64... Good equipment for small tanks is not much cheaper than good equipment for larger tanks.
63... Get a significant other who loves your hobby. One with a sense of humor helps as well. If they don't, just remind them that if you weren't doing a water change, you'd be at the bar and single girls love married guys.
62... When you are just starting, go ahead and buy stuff that's TOO BIG to fit on your current aquarium, you're going to need it before you have it set-up anyways! I bought a 55g, changed my mind, tossed a bunch of goldfish in it, and have just purchased a 190g, that NONE of my stuff will fit!
61... Don't work in the tank for hours with the halides on . You will get sunburnt !
60... A turkey baster is the best $5 gadget you can purchase.
59... The "temporary" equipment fix with 15 extension cords and 18 timers will still be in place in 4 years.
58... Acclimate according to the creature. All creatures do not need the same process.
57... DSB, BB, SSB, they all work. Choose your method, find a mentor and stick to your guns.
56... When cleaning equipment with vinegar use RO water because tap counteracts the acid in vinegar and it takes longer.
55... Unplug the heater when doing a water change.
54... Snail Guards.
53... Use Interceptor on ALL incoming acro's no matter who they come from!!
52... If you have a tank larger than 100g and don't feel like you are living, breathing water then you aren't doing enough water changes!
51.. GFCI....GFCI.....GFCI
50... The prettier it is, the more likely it is that it is capable of killing you! (zoanthids)
49... Don't let your arm rest on your anenome it hurts like hell and looks worse.
48... Neat, well hidden pumps and plumbing are hardest to work on
47... Acrylic tanks and 5 yr olds(even the best meaning ones) do NOT mix
46... After you frag some softies and get all slimed up from them trying to defend themselves, thoroughly wash your hands before touching...um...more sensitive parts of your body. Ouch.
45... Water, especially salt water, conducts electricity extremely well.
44... remember when speaking to the insurance agents, only your living room is in the "flood zone", not your whole house, maybe you can get a break on the premiums
43... Lots of Posts on RC does not necessarily mean lots of knowledge.
42... Tanks failures can be summed up in two categories. Equipment failure and Poor Husbandry............that's a tough pill to swallow.
41... When adding washing soda to adjust pH (for the first time and when you're not sure how much to use), do not add the entire amount at once. Unless you really didn't like those damsels much anyway
40... Save money by DIY-ing what you can. Don't try to save money by buying cheaper pumps, etc. In the end you end up paying for the cheap stuff AND the expensive stuff that you replace it with when it fails.
39... Nutrient removal is the bane of our existence. Just accept it and go do another water change...
38... Always factor in the cost of a high quality digital camera when drawing out your initial plans and cost estimates. You will own that camera sooner than you think.
37... The sum of the hours enjoyed finding creatures you never knew you had ALWAYS outways the overwhelming finacial situation
36... Leaks in plumbing are PERSISTANT. no amount of teflon, silicone, or PVC glue will do until you take the entire darn thing apart and redo it
35... Salt water really hurts if you have any cuts/scrapes on your hands or arms
34... If a fish dies, it will make sure to work its way back deep under your rockwork where you can't get it without rearranging the whole tank.
33... Whatever task you think you can complete in 15mins usually takes an hour.
32... Always have a water alarm for when you forgot to turn off the RO unit.
31... Stop looking for the manual on reef tanks because there all different
30... Having a tank is like a child- it costs alot in the beginning levels out for short period then cost more and it doesnt go away, and it gets upset when it doesnt get attention
29... If it isn't broke don't fix it. You'll end up wishing you had left it alone while it was working
28... Learn to like the taste of salt water
27... As smart as SKIP SEEMS and as much knowladge as he contains, just cause he gets allll the ladies... does not mean that SKIP knows it all or is always right....ie.....pink spotted shrimp goby won't eat your snails..... YEAH RIGHT SKIP, THAT MURDEROUS BAS*&^% ATE ALL MY SNAILS.......!!!!!!
26... The most important ingredient is one you canââ"šÂ¬Ã¢"žÂ¢t buy ââ"šÂ¬Ã¢â‚¬Å“ patience.
25... Even really expensive pump seals leak. And move the TV about a foot to the right.
24... Your spouse won't see the humor when you tell them that their breath smells worse than skimmate
23... No matter what you do your Pistol shrimp/Goby combo will set up shop where they want!!! out of view of course!!!
22... star polyps are impossible to kill (unless of course stevens8978 fragged them)
21... Avoid working in your tank when you have cuts or open wounds on your hands/arms. At least wash thoroughly afterwards if you do. At a minimum, it may sting. Otherwise you can get a nasty little infection/disease.
20... Check the price on the internet before buying anything at your LFS. They want $280 before tax for a Red Sea Prism Skimmer!!!!
19... Before you buy something read about it from at least 3 different sources... LFS was also selling moderate sized "glass anemones" for $15... also known as really BIG aptasia
18... Anemones are not suppose to be white... man I hate that store
17... The money and trouble it takes to run a QT tank is only a fraction of what you will go through to get rid of a pest
16... Zoanthid eating nudibranches are very good at camoflage
15... Your neighbor will stop offering his assistance once you have him help lift a 180gallon glass tank
14... Two separate GFCI are really helpful. Make sure they are not daisy chained together.
13... Splitting pumps on each GFCI will save your tank. GFCI are your friend
12... Get out of this hobby now while you still have some sanity and a little bit of cash left.
11... Actually look at your tank instead of doing water changes, cleaning, feeding, rearranging rocks/corals ââ"šÂ¬Ã‚¦
10... Do not try and squeeze Super Glue out with you teeth. You may bite into the tube and get it all over your teeth and tongue.
9... Do not leave the tube of superglue out where the cat can get to it and superglue all kinds of stuff to her poor feet and chin
8... Do not trust Kirsten (10) or jpslickorocks (9) with superglue.
7... Most corals, including SPS are easier to keep than most fish.
6... Use caution when someone tells you something that doesn't sound right..."yeah, I'd put 20 Turbo's in that 12G nano...that should church up any algae!"
5... Having an awesome reef tank will score with the ladies.
4... Having an awesome tank that sounds like Niagara Falls is a big turn-off with the ladies.
3... Check your refractometer to make sure it's still calibrated. don't wait till 8 or 9 corals have died and then finally figure out your SG is way off.
2... Don't believe everything you read on RC
1... NEVER EVER CYCLE WITH A LIVE FISH!!!
100... You can't succeed without planning. You can't plan without knowledge. The best knowledge comes from experience. If it's your first reef tank, you have none. Don't believe everything you read on the internet. Do your best and expect to make some giant mistakes. Get a mentor and ask lots of questions.
99... Kenya Tree coral is indestructable and can spread ANYWHERE.
98... Just because you test for Ammonia, Nitrites, and Nitrates it does not mean you have perfect water conditions. PH, CA, ALK can be included in this list too.
97... Lengthy stirring, mixing, aerrating your DI top off and change water is not just something weird people do to dissolve salt and such. If you fail to do this you will have problems maintaining PH and alkalinity in your tank. (this took me a long time to figure out)
96... Reef tanks require a LOT of storage space in your house. There is probably 5x more volume of equipment than there is actual aquarium. I am talking about water storage and mixing, water filters, chemicals, scrapers, towels, etc, etc, etc
95... if you are DIY at all, you will soon collect an entire toolbox full of reef tools and you will have to yell at your spouse to not use them on the car or other non reef friendly applications.
94... any attempt at DIY usually results in "unexpected" water changes - put aquariums on tile, not carpet!
93... PAY YOUR ELECTRIC BILL!!!
92... Reef tanks always take more time than you think
91... Don't use tap water
90... Glass heaters suck
89... Mushrooms, Mushrooms, Mushrooms everywhere
88... Hermit Crabs live in snail shells for a reason.....they eat them!
87... No matter how well you cover the top of your tank your prized jawfish/fairy wrasse/dartfish, will find a way out.
86... The only place for crabs is on a dinner plate, not a reef tank.
85... Your protein skimmer can NEVER be "Too Big"
84... It is easier to clean your class once a day with a mag float than to spend 2 hours scraping of the glass once a month
83... More flow the better
82... NEVER believe your friend when he says you can set up a complete SW tank for only $300 because that wont even cover the price of CHEAP Live rock...lol
81... NEVER EVER use brass plumbing fittings on your reef system! ( I found out the hard way!)
80... DIY means AT LEAST 20 trips to the hardware store for that last piece you forgot to get
79... Red bugs SUCK
78... Remove your favorite shrimp before treatment. ;-(
77... Its dedication, not money that makes a tank successful. Money helps though. ;-)
76... A drilled Reef Ready tank costs more, but it will save you TONS of headaches compared to using a continuous siphon over flow.
75... Mount power strips in such a way that they don't fill with salt water when the tank runs over from a broken siphon in the overflow.
74... Never throw anything away!
73... Locate tank near multiple outlets, and two different circuits, if possible.
72... A DIY project will cost twice as much as you calculated it would. (The five dollars you spend on each of the 19 extra trips mentioned in #80 add up)
71... Listen to your friends when they tell you Interceptor will kill your shrimp
70... Crystal's xenia is impossible to kill and eventually it will take over your entire tank (but it's so pretty...)
69... No matter how much you THINK you know, you can never learn enough (luckily I know I don't know enough except that I have a lot more to learn).
68... Get your QT tank setup BEFORE you need it.
67... Never ever buy anything that you can't identify or aren't prepared to provide for. I learned this lesson by jumping in feet first. I saw a bright green clump of algae with an "anenome" on it at ATR and thought it would be so cool to have in my display. I'd heard of sumps, but I just didn't know anything. Of course the algae went sexual (this was fun to clean up) and the anemone was a giant aiptasia. Oh, and of course there are the hermit crabs.
66... The substrate in a tank can be a great asset or a terrible weakness. (Subliminal message: read everything Dr. Ron has written about substrates.)
65... You can't skimp on equipment, especially for a nano.
64... Good equipment for small tanks is not much cheaper than good equipment for larger tanks.
63... Get a significant other who loves your hobby. One with a sense of humor helps as well. If they don't, just remind them that if you weren't doing a water change, you'd be at the bar and single girls love married guys.
62... When you are just starting, go ahead and buy stuff that's TOO BIG to fit on your current aquarium, you're going to need it before you have it set-up anyways! I bought a 55g, changed my mind, tossed a bunch of goldfish in it, and have just purchased a 190g, that NONE of my stuff will fit!
61... Don't work in the tank for hours with the halides on . You will get sunburnt !
60... A turkey baster is the best $5 gadget you can purchase.
59... The "temporary" equipment fix with 15 extension cords and 18 timers will still be in place in 4 years.
58... Acclimate according to the creature. All creatures do not need the same process.
57... DSB, BB, SSB, they all work. Choose your method, find a mentor and stick to your guns.
56... When cleaning equipment with vinegar use RO water because tap counteracts the acid in vinegar and it takes longer.
55... Unplug the heater when doing a water change.
54... Snail Guards.
53... Use Interceptor on ALL incoming acro's no matter who they come from!!
52... If you have a tank larger than 100g and don't feel like you are living, breathing water then you aren't doing enough water changes!
51.. GFCI....GFCI.....GFCI
50... The prettier it is, the more likely it is that it is capable of killing you! (zoanthids)
49... Don't let your arm rest on your anenome it hurts like hell and looks worse.
48... Neat, well hidden pumps and plumbing are hardest to work on
47... Acrylic tanks and 5 yr olds(even the best meaning ones) do NOT mix
46... After you frag some softies and get all slimed up from them trying to defend themselves, thoroughly wash your hands before touching...um...more sensitive parts of your body. Ouch.
45... Water, especially salt water, conducts electricity extremely well.
44... remember when speaking to the insurance agents, only your living room is in the "flood zone", not your whole house, maybe you can get a break on the premiums
43... Lots of Posts on RC does not necessarily mean lots of knowledge.
42... Tanks failures can be summed up in two categories. Equipment failure and Poor Husbandry............that's a tough pill to swallow.
41... When adding washing soda to adjust pH (for the first time and when you're not sure how much to use), do not add the entire amount at once. Unless you really didn't like those damsels much anyway
40... Save money by DIY-ing what you can. Don't try to save money by buying cheaper pumps, etc. In the end you end up paying for the cheap stuff AND the expensive stuff that you replace it with when it fails.
39... Nutrient removal is the bane of our existence. Just accept it and go do another water change...
38... Always factor in the cost of a high quality digital camera when drawing out your initial plans and cost estimates. You will own that camera sooner than you think.
37... The sum of the hours enjoyed finding creatures you never knew you had ALWAYS outways the overwhelming finacial situation
36... Leaks in plumbing are PERSISTANT. no amount of teflon, silicone, or PVC glue will do until you take the entire darn thing apart and redo it
35... Salt water really hurts if you have any cuts/scrapes on your hands or arms
34... If a fish dies, it will make sure to work its way back deep under your rockwork where you can't get it without rearranging the whole tank.
33... Whatever task you think you can complete in 15mins usually takes an hour.
32... Always have a water alarm for when you forgot to turn off the RO unit.
31... Stop looking for the manual on reef tanks because there all different
30... Having a tank is like a child- it costs alot in the beginning levels out for short period then cost more and it doesnt go away, and it gets upset when it doesnt get attention
29... If it isn't broke don't fix it. You'll end up wishing you had left it alone while it was working
28... Learn to like the taste of salt water
27... As smart as SKIP SEEMS and as much knowladge as he contains, just cause he gets allll the ladies... does not mean that SKIP knows it all or is always right....ie.....pink spotted shrimp goby won't eat your snails..... YEAH RIGHT SKIP, THAT MURDEROUS BAS*&^% ATE ALL MY SNAILS.......!!!!!!
26... The most important ingredient is one you canââ"šÂ¬Ã¢"žÂ¢t buy ââ"šÂ¬Ã¢â‚¬Å“ patience.
25... Even really expensive pump seals leak. And move the TV about a foot to the right.
24... Your spouse won't see the humor when you tell them that their breath smells worse than skimmate
23... No matter what you do your Pistol shrimp/Goby combo will set up shop where they want!!! out of view of course!!!
22... star polyps are impossible to kill (unless of course stevens8978 fragged them)
21... Avoid working in your tank when you have cuts or open wounds on your hands/arms. At least wash thoroughly afterwards if you do. At a minimum, it may sting. Otherwise you can get a nasty little infection/disease.
20... Check the price on the internet before buying anything at your LFS. They want $280 before tax for a Red Sea Prism Skimmer!!!!
19... Before you buy something read about it from at least 3 different sources... LFS was also selling moderate sized "glass anemones" for $15... also known as really BIG aptasia
18... Anemones are not suppose to be white... man I hate that store
17... The money and trouble it takes to run a QT tank is only a fraction of what you will go through to get rid of a pest
16... Zoanthid eating nudibranches are very good at camoflage
15... Your neighbor will stop offering his assistance once you have him help lift a 180gallon glass tank
14... Two separate GFCI are really helpful. Make sure they are not daisy chained together.
13... Splitting pumps on each GFCI will save your tank. GFCI are your friend
12... Get out of this hobby now while you still have some sanity and a little bit of cash left.
11... Actually look at your tank instead of doing water changes, cleaning, feeding, rearranging rocks/corals ââ"šÂ¬Ã‚¦
10... Do not try and squeeze Super Glue out with you teeth. You may bite into the tube and get it all over your teeth and tongue.
9... Do not leave the tube of superglue out where the cat can get to it and superglue all kinds of stuff to her poor feet and chin
8... Do not trust Kirsten (10) or jpslickorocks (9) with superglue.
7... Most corals, including SPS are easier to keep than most fish.
6... Use caution when someone tells you something that doesn't sound right..."yeah, I'd put 20 Turbo's in that 12G nano...that should church up any algae!"
5... Having an awesome reef tank will score with the ladies.
4... Having an awesome tank that sounds like Niagara Falls is a big turn-off with the ladies.
3... Check your refractometer to make sure it's still calibrated. don't wait till 8 or 9 corals have died and then finally figure out your SG is way off.
2... Don't believe everything you read on RC
1... NEVER EVER CYCLE WITH A LIVE FISH!!!
NaClH20NMYVEIN
Red Dragons!
I cant believe you have the time to relist all that!
