Avoiding Common Mistakes as a Beginner

[WalkerLovesTheOcean]

Getting into fish keeping is an exciting journey, but it can be overwhelming, especially when you're just starting out. Spending hundreds, if not thousands, of dollars only to see everything go south because of a simple mistake is disheartening. To help you avoid these pitfalls, here are some crucial tips:

1. Skipping and/or Rushing The Cycling Process
Cycling your tank is crucial. Make sure to properly cycle your tank before adding any fish. Thankfully, with today’s options like live ocean rock, cycling has become a lot easier. Take the time to read up on how to do it right to ensure your tank is set up for success.

2. Stocking Your Tank Too Quickly
After cycling, it’s tempting to fill your tank with fish right away, but don’t. Introducing too many fish too soon can overwhelm the beneficial bacteria that are supposed to manage waste. Start with just one or two fish and gradually add more over a few weeks. This approach helps keep ammonia levels in check and keeps your fish safe.

3. Not Doing Your Research
Before you add any new fish or inverts to your tank, do your homework. Make sure you understand their specific needs and how they’ll interact with the rest of your tank’s inhabitants. I’ve seen too many beginners make the mistake of adding fish that are too large for their tank or have compatibility issues. Research can prevent a lot of headaches and heartache.

4. Not Testing Your Water Regularly
Keeping an eye on your water parameters is crucial, especially in a new tank. New setups can be unstable, and monitoring things like ammonia, nitrates, phosphates, alkalinity and calcium helps you keep everything in balance. Stable water quality is key to keeping sensitive organisms, like corals, healthy.

5. Buying the Cheapest Equipment
While sticking to a budget is important, don’t skimp on essential equipment. A high-quality heater or filter can make a big difference in maintaining the health of your tank. I’ve learned the hard way that cutting corners on equipment can lead to costly problems down the line.

6. Not Sticking to a Maintenance Routine
Regular maintenance is the backbone of a thriving tank. Set a schedule for water changes, equipment checks, and other routine tasks, and stick to it. Skipping maintenance can lead to problems like nutrient imbalances and stress for your livestock. Consistency is key!

7. Not Having Patience
Reef keeping isn’t a race. It’s a hobby that rewards patience. Give your tank time to mature, and don’t rush into adding too many fish or making sudden changes. Enjoy the process and remember that good things take time.

7A. Not Taking Things Slowly; Going Too Fast.

This is one I see very often. It's understable that you want to get this fish and that coral right away. But you have to take things slowly. The slower is better in stocking your tank in most cases. Like I have said above, be patient! Credit to @RV Reefs.

8. Overstocking Your Tank
It’s easy to get excited about adding new fish, but be mindful of your tank’s capacity. Overstocking can lead to increased waste and aggression among fish. Consider the size of your tank and the adult size of your fish when planning. Balance is essential for a healthy tank.

9. Trusting everyone

A lot of times, beginners listen to advice from everyone. Only listen to advice from people you trust. Just because your LFS (Local fish store) tells you something, it does not mean it's true! Do your own research! Credit to @smitten with ocean life.

10. Over/Under Feeding Your Fish

Over and under feeding fish is one I see unfortuantly often. It's most common to over feed, but there's a case of severe under feeding every once in awhile. Over feeding has no bad affect on fish, but it will degrade your water quality. Overfeeding (especially in smaller tanks) will lead to very poor water quality which could severely harm or kill the fish. Be very mindful on how much you're feeding your fishes. Credit to @Mr. Mojo Rising.

Many beginners dont realize how much food they need to feed their fish.
I hope this helps you get started on the right foot. Reef2Reef is a fantastic resource, and there are plenty of experienced hobbyists ready to offer advice and support. Don’t be afraid to ask questions—sometimes, a little guidance can save your tank from major issues.

 

[eliaslikesfish]

not staying on top of nuisssnce algae.

 

[WalkerLovesTheOcean]

not staying on top of nuisssnce algae.

Yes - definitely. I thought that fit into not keeping up with regular maintenence and not monitoring parameters as algae will grow only if there is high nutrients.

 

[smitten with ocean life]

believing everything you lfs tells you. even though theyre great people and probably mean well, be careful. research stuff carefully for yourself

 

[WalkerLovesTheOcean]

believing everything you lfs tells you. even though theyre great people and probably mean well, be careful. research stuff carefully for yourself

Yes! I forgot about this one. I will add it and give you credit.

That goes for anybody. If you'd like me to add one just let me know. I will add it and give credit.

 

[SmolGoby]

When starting out, white light is usually to blame for your excessive algae & coral growth issues. It looks much prettier, but the tank needs that dark blue color more than anything. 5-10% white light max.

 

[RV Reefs]

Start slowly. I’m all for jumping into the deep end, but you’ll save yourself money, time, and more if you take your time. Do your research, no one expects your first tank to be a 150 gallon mixed reef tank!

 

[Mr. Mojo Rising]

2A - Don't overfeed the feed your fish. Each fish can only eat a few pieces of food per serving, so adding too much food will foul the water, leading to algae issue, and possibly leading to an ammonia spike if too much food is fed into too new of a tank.

(phrase it better if you can I'm not good with words, but basically the biggest newbie mistake IMO is adding too much fish too fast then dumping a handful of pellets or a whole cube of food into the tank)

 

[Gumbies R Us]

not staying on top of nuisssnce algae.

This is one I have made sure to do, cause if you let it slide it can get out of control real quick

 

[kingranch2003]

2A - Don't overfeed the feed your fish. Each fish can only eat a few pieces of food per serving, so adding too much food will foul the water, leading to algae issue, and possibly leading to an ammonia spike if too much food is fed into too new of a tank.

(phrase it better if you can I'm not good with words, but basically the biggest newbie mistake IMO is adding too much fish too fast then dumping a handful of pellets or a whole cube of food into the tank)

I think you phrased it perfectly!

 

[WalkerLovesTheOcean]

Start slowly. I’m all for jumping into the deep end, but you’ll save yourself money, time, and more if you take your time. Do your research, no one expects your first tank to be a 150 gallon mixed reef tank!

2A - Don't overfeed the feed your fish. Each fish can only eat a few pieces of food per serving, so adding too much food will foul the water, leading to algae issue, and possibly leading to an ammonia spike if too much food is fed into too new of a tank.

(phrase it better if you can I'm not good with words, but basically the biggest newbie mistake IMO is adding too much fish too fast then dumping a handful of pellets or a whole cube of food into the tank)

Added both of these.