Worst Investments You've Made in the Hobby.

[Ron Reefman]

The Marineland LED fixture I got for free at MACNA in 2010. It may have been free, but it's a piece of junk.

Anything you try to buy from Reefs2Go. My last order, I got a BTA in what looked like a bag of milk. And that was a healthy anemone less than 24 hours earlier? I don't think so. I'm betting they never took it out of the bag from the wholesaler! These people kill more marine life than a successful tuna boat or a Japanese whaler!

 

[masonicman]

Aqua Trader products

 

[Digitalelectric]

Hrm well lets see...

Believing that my half bankrupt LFS had a newb's best interests in mind.
Believing that the person buying his business from him would also have my bests interests in mind.
The usual Canister filter, skilter, "PC lighting is plenty enough for SPS, just put them up high"
55 gallon tank and HOB skimmer

Due to reefcentral..... 125 long with flourishing Acroporas and Montis that grow like weeds.

 

[mgrmax]

55 gallon tank:thumbdown

 

[faisal629]

The Marineland LED fixture I got for free at MACNA in 2010. It may have been free, but it's a piece of junk.

Anything you try to buy from Reefs2Go. My last order, I got a BTA in what looked like a bag of milk. And that was a healthy anemone less than 24 hours earlier? I don't think so. I'm betting they never took it out of the bag from the wholesaler! These people kill more marine life than a successful tuna boat or a Japanese whaler!

+1,000 they suck! nothing lives! out of 200 living crabs and snails, only 5-10 arrived live and i was not refunded! bought zoas and turned out to be DOA!

 

[solitude127]

Power Compact lighting

 

[JohnV8r]

Sugar fine coral sand instead of the slightly more coarse stuff. NEVER AGAIN!!!

Buying two expensive Anthias that looked a little too skinny and thinking I could fatten them up. Four days later they developed lesions and died shortly thereafter.

 

[rcmania]

3 yellow tail damsels!!

 

[david pinder]

Eshines, chinese leds once you buy them your on your on warranties not honored

 

[jimmy n]

A Schuran calcium reactor! They give the German people a bad reputation.

Could you elaborate? I"ve never had much trouble with mine.

 

[j tavares]

Snake oils from anyone really not needed, DO more small water changes w a Good Marinemix, and less is REALY MORE, Knqwledge TRUMPS 95% 0f the Products out there!!! after thirty years doing marines I have seen the Good, not so good, the crap and the downright ulgy and false claims, need I say more Buyer beware.

 

[unkel j]

It is definatly expensive to buy everything twice. You get what you pay for. That is a lesson I have learned very well and it applies to everything in life.
Knowing that every item I buy for my reef will only bring back a fraction of what I paid for it makes it hard for me to refer to it as an "investment". I feel more like I am spending (maybe even blowing) money than investing.

Also, I agree with the above post "knowledge trumps equipment". A Ferrari doesn't go very fast if you don't know how to drive it.

 

[Bmgrocks]

Buying a Nanocustoms 12.3 Picolamp from chris...Horrible service, 2 leds burnt out 6months later. He played the okey doke for an additional month. Finally sent the entire thing to his residence so that he could personally fix it.

The entire fixture since stopped working, warranty is up...horrible service. Horrible Light. Out $250...here I come Aqua Illumination

 

[reef562]

more like an epic fail i bought a used marineland penguin 350 bio wheel filter and my nitrate spiked -_-

 

[reeflovin]

- Various supplements like strontium
- Backup air pump (never used it in several years)
- I bought way too many power heads. I think I had 7 at one point. I don't know why I got so many, but I ended up giving 4 away for free on craigslist

 

[reeflovin]

Not listening to all the advise to not buy cheap in the beginning. Then over time realizing that everyone else was right and then the painful process of spending more money to replace what I had already bought with quality products.

That's not necessarily true if you're doing DIY. I built some DIY stuff very cheap, like a Calcium reactor that cost $20 (not including the CO2 tank). It worked like a charm in a tank with LPS and clams. I also built a hangon back overflow, again dirt cheap

 

[raypadro]

A custom made tank stand that I paid $250.00 for deposit and never get,store close and never get a refund.

 

[EzReef79]

-Marineland led light...fail
-Tetra whisper (Haha) filter...double fail
-Countless bottles of "just in case/ give it a try" stuff....

 

[aandfsoccr04]

sugar fine sand. Hands down

 

[erock68]

My worthless hydrometer.