$150 in prizes! Best/Worst Mistakes Contest

[pearl_aqg]

It's contest time again!

This time, we've upped the stakes.

I want your best (or worst, as the case may be) stories about mistakes you've made in your time as a hobbyist. Don't be embarrassed - everyone has a story! I was actually inspired to run this contest based on another thread on this forum where some of you voluntarily shared such experiences, so I know you've got em.

And I'm willing to shell out for them too - $75 gift certificate to the first place submission, $50 for second place, and $25 for third place - so now's your chance to turn those early mistakes into sweet rewards.

The caveat with this contest is that I want to publish our favorite submissions in a section on AquariumGuys.com - so that fellow beginners can take some solace in the fact that they are not alone and that stumbling along the way shouldn't discourage anyone from learning more and succeeding in the end.

I will use whatever name you wish - forum name, real name, pen name - but I ask that you submit only if you are willing to have your dirty laundry aired on our site!! Hopefully, in the spirit of fun, camaraderie and big prizes, you'll indulge me

So here's the details.

Contest: AquariumGuys.com Best/Worst Beginner Mistakes
Dates: 2/20/08-3/5/08
Post entries in this thread - one per person please (although if you can find a way to combine stories in one entry, that's fine by me)
Prizes: First place - $75 gift certificate; Second place - $50 gift certificate; Third place - $25 gift certificate.

As always, creativity counts!

[d3sc3n7]

Ok, after some deliberation, I've decided on this story.

My wife and I had just moved to Ft. Bragg, NC. We had moved into our house on post, and got ourselves a dog. At the time, we only had 1 child. We felt we needed something for our daughter (3 at the time) to be able to interact with. We decided on a betta. Now, you must remember, neither of us had ever truly kept a fish before.

Looking back, we ended up with a 5g hex kit system. No heater, or anything for the poor little guy. I'm not sure if it even had a filter. Anyway, we get this beautiful blue male betta. We did the normal rookie thing, and got the tank and the fish the same day. Got them at walmart even. Lucky for us, the tank came with some water treatment. So, we fill 'er up, treat the water, and drop in Mr. fish. Soon after, we go on vacation for a week. We decide to take the dog with us, but we cant take the fish, now can we! We dont know any of our neighbors what so ever, so we cant have them coming in the house, while were gone now can we? SO! We give him about a double portion of food, and leave for a week.

Upon returning home, my wife and I are expecting a dead betta. However, that wasnt the case, he was very much alive...hungry, but alive.

Surprisingly (well, at least now) he does rather well. We have him for a few months, never do a water change, or clean the tank. We do nothing but feed him his little pellets daily.

Time passes, and I start to notice green algae forming all over the inside of the tank. After being pretty lazy about it...I decide to clean it. I remove a good bit of the tank water, then the betta...putting him in his own water. Dump the tank, clean it up all nice and pretty. Then refill it, allowing it to come back to room temp, since thats where his water temp always was.

Then I put him back in his home...within a few hours he was dead. I didnt even thing about it till I was typing this, but I bet it was the chlorine in the water, since I'm sure I didnt treat the new water!! All these years and I just now figured it out!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I guess knowledge really is power!


Edit: Ok, lock the thread and give me all 3!!!!!!

[Kissyboots]

Ok. Here’s my stupidity. It was about a week after I put fish in my tank. Being a newbie doesn’t give you an excuse to do this -->

I got a 20g tank and put fish in it a week or so after adding the water (oh yeah, and I didn’t cycle it) There was a gap between the filter and the lid so I was worried my fish would jump out (later learned the gap was too small and my fish don’t usually jump.) So anyway, I put a towel around my filter so the gap would be closed. The next morning I discovered the towel hanging in the water, sucking up the water, and dripping it behind the tank onto the other towel under my tank, the table, and then the carpet. There was probably at least one gallon of fishy water all over my carpet. I spent most of that day emptying the tank and cleaning up what I could. I had to empty the whole thing so I could move it, wash the towel under the tank, and wipe the table which now has water marks all over it. Meanwhile, my fish spent the day in a bucket.

So, what have I learned? Never hang a towel in the tank. The water will go up and over. Nice opportunity to "megaclean" your tank though...

[ishar]

hahaha wow, Thank you kissyboots!!!! I htink you have saved my butt!! hahaha. I have been hanging a towel over my tank to protect my bristol board background from the bubbler splashes at night. Guess I won't be doing THAT anymore!!

[sweetpickles7]

The only thing i can think of at the moment is when i first started. I of course went to walmart got a 5.5gal kit and fish at the same time. Too bad that wasnt the only thing bad about this! I didnt really have any sort of sturdy table or stand to put it on so i go and put it on my coffee table thinking that ooo that should hold the weight, it cant weigh that much can it? Well it held for a few days, and i was having a little get together that night so i was trying to clean the house and so on. The next thing that i shouldnt have done is i accidentally bumped in to the coffee table[just barely enough to make it wooble]. Next thing i new, my tank was on its side and the carpet was full of water and fish. O man was i in trouble for that one! Always make sure the item you decided to set your tank on can hold it up!

[Kissyboots]

Haha, ishar. Nice to know my stupidity was helpful...to someone...other than me...

[d3sc3n7]

PSSSHHH! I'm SO winning right now!

[charls]

One of my BIGGEST mistakes took place about 6 months ago.....

I was just setting up my new 10 gal. saltwater tank. I was so happy to finaly have a salt water tank. unfortunatly because of my excitment i rushed to complete it. It cost me one or two hundred dollars but a few hours later i was nearly done. All that was left was my very big coral light. I tried to make it fit on the tank, but i had no such luck. Thinking of a fast way out i began to carefully tear off the exterior black lineing so that my light would fit. I was making good progress and thought it would work until....the back of the tank. Once i rounded the back corner the black lineing got stuck so i started to PULL. BAD IDEA! The black lineing ripped off the tank and took with it a foot long piece of glass with it. The water began gushing out all over the Wires(for the Bio-wheel, heater, ect.)!!!!! I acted fast and turned the power to the wires off but the damage was already done. My new tank was rewend and i felt awful. Luckely no fish were in the tank.

So lesson learned don't pull the BLACK LINEING OFF YOUR TANK! So please DON'T do what i did.

[silver dollars]

All my life i have loved fish. I started to really get into the hobby in 6th grade. All i cared about is having my favorite fish and pretty fish in my tank. We had this 29gal that i got to put my fish in which was two 15'' goldfish, 3 full grown bala sharks, 4 serpae tetras, 20+ swordtails, and 2 cory cats. Yes i was a newbie and as soon as i got information i removed the bala's and goldfish and sold a bunch of swordtails.

[brooklynfish]

Charls, IMO, your winning.