What one thing would you change?

[jflick345]

Other than going bigger or drilling your tank, what is the one thing you would have done differently when you set up your tank?

 

[drywallninja]

Read a book and learned how to do things right the first time

 

[agreeive?fish]

got rid of the x wife sooner wich would of allowed me to have more $$$ in the begining to do it right the 1st time

 

[SAZAMA]

get a different girlfriend, who can appreciate my ridiculous reef obsession.... ( just kidding )

 

[DC_40gallon]

I would have went all white sand, bought a ro di unit instead of some of the other junk.

Everything else I'm ecstatic about. My brand new current USA 36inch PC that I bought on craigslisy for $65 tops the best thing Ive ever done so far though lol

 

[DC_40gallon]

And I would have done 2 koralia 1s instead of 1 koralia 2.

 

[RAbdouMD]

Honestly, I would've started off when I had more money saved up for the hobby. Nowadays, I stare at beautiful corals I wish I could buy, and stare at my tank after seeing someone else's gorgeous reef system and say "Mine looks so bland. If only I had 3grand to blow on all the corals I could wish for..."

I also would've read a lot more before I started up my first failure of a tank, 3 years ago. Now, after 6 months of non-stop reading...nothing can stop me! =D

 

[DC_40gallon]

Not to be cocky but I'm glad I stumbled onto this site so early into our first saltwater because it has saved us tons of money and made things a lot better than the first few monta when we were forced with just the lfs for info.

 

[RAbdouMD]

Not to be cocky but I'm glad I stumbled onto this site so early into our first saltwater because it has saved us tons of money and made things a lot better than the first few monta when we were forced with just the lfs for info.

I definitely agree. The LFS here in San Diego are pretty darn good, with several passionate people working there. But, there's only so much you can ask them when they are busy and when (a lot of the time) you feel your question may be stupid.

 

[RAbdouMD]

Also, not drilling your tank isn't such a bad thing these days. Some HoB overflows work REALLY well, and the overflow boxes don't take up as much room in the tank as the ones needed for a drilled tank.

 

[Playa-1]

I would have passed on the hermit crabs and went primarily with snails for the cuc. I would have learned what a QT was and how to properly use it before I had to learn the lesson the hard way. I also would have stocked less fish. Some of us have to do things the hard way

 

[DC_40gallon]

Funny you say that. I was just thinking tonight while watching my tank that with the addition of the nassarious snails on the way I am going to let natural attrition take care of the hermits I have and keep my snails in replenishment and when one disappears or dies I'll replace it with 2 or more.

I love my hermits but have learned that you can get snails in various varieties
that do the same thing a hermit will do and snails will do it with no concern to anything.

 

[Steve175]

Basement rather than in the livingroom (over wood floors) given my frequent (unplanned) "water changes".

 

[blakemiller1981]

more money is always the answer

 

[arinova8]

get the ro unit

 

[dots]

Nothing.....I wouldn't have learned from my mistakes had I not had them. I wouldn't have the success I have had to date, and because I didn't go and upgrade to the big tank within the first year, and burn myself out......I am still here to help others who have yet to learn about the hobby.

 

[gws76]

I would have had the tank built just two feet longer. Problem is, even if I had done that, I would still be saying the same thing.

 

[robot2222]

started with a nano.........

 

[dwd5813]

I would have gotten involved with my local reefing community. I think thats something that will happen when I get back to a position of being able to rebuild the tank I lost. The opportunity to meet like minded people and the ability to share knowledge on a more personal level seems to be truly valuable, and I'm quite sure that had I known someone who was already bitten by this bug and been able to ask them instead of just someone close to me otherwise who does not keep tanks to look after my tank while I was gone, the chances of it surviving my absence would have increased exponentially.

 

[jenjen]

I would have researched more thoroughly before adding things to my tank (and believed the research I did do). And I would have stocked more slowly. I would have selected only pieces I 'love', and maybe not ended up with quite so many mushrooms & brown zoa colonies.

Luckily, these were things I was mostly able to adjust with my tank upgrade and some newly learned fragging skills.