Most worst/embarrassing thing you've done in a reef tank???

[Palytoxin]

For me, it was a 40 gallon tank I created. back in November when I was brand new to salt-water. (Still brand new but I learned a lot, cut me some slack!). Anyway, Tank was a month old, Tank began showing diatoms so I figured the tank was sterile enough to hold an actual creature(s). I was impatient and bought two Haddon's green carpet anemones. huge, maybe 10x10 inches?
I didn't know anything about tank maturity, I floated them for 30 minutes, dropped them in the tank, shut off the powerheads, canister, lights, everything. an hour goes by neither had attached, they actually began to sting each other it seemed like. Waited until the next day, neither attached, still. Week goes by, they're still just kind of tumbling around before they stick to the glass, they shrunk down to about 4x4 inches, spraying out their reproductive juices here and there. Disintegrated completely a week later. I felt like such a horrible person for not knowing.

I also had this coral life giant fixture 48 Inches, 4 HO T5s, 2 Metal hallides, 20000k, Two transformers. Really old light, discontinued by coral life over 10 years ago. I put it right on top of the 40 gallon with about 6 inches hanging off on either side. This thing was meant to be hung up about 4 or 5 feet from the tank itself. I just planted it right down on the rim! (Not my finest work. By far.)

 

[Palytoxin]

For me, it was a 40 gallon tank I created. back in November when I was brand new to salt-water. (Still brand new but I learned a lot, cut me some slack!). Anyway, Tank was a month old, Tank began showing diatoms so I figured the tank was sterile enough to hold an actual creature(s). I was impatient and bought two Haddon's green carpet anemones. huge, maybe 10x10 inches?
I didn't know anything about tank maturity, I floated them for 30 minutes, dropped them in the tank, shut off the powerheads, canister, lights, everything. an hour goes by neither had attached, they actually began to sting each other it seemed like. Waited until the next day, neither attached, still. Week goes by, they're still just kind of tumbling around before they stick to the glass, they shrunk down to about 4x4 inches, spraying out their reproductive juices here and there. Disintegrated completely a week later. I felt like such a horrible person for not knowing.

I also had this coral life giant fixture 48 Inches, 4 HO T5s, 2 Metal hallides, 20000k, Two transformers. Really old light, discontinued by coral life over 10 years ago. I put it right on top of the 40 gallon with about 6 inches hanging off on either side. This thing was meant to be hung up about 4 or 5 feet from the tank itself. I just planted it right down on the rim! (Not my finest work. By far)

 

[KWT]

I have not done it yet, I will get back to you

 

[DracoKat]

Umm, when I started out I used bright blue aquarium gravel in a 10 gal tank instead of sand. This was the days before reefing forums and articles was popular on the internet. Oops.

Eventually I learned and switched the gravel to sand- and for the 3 years I had the tank, I'd still find pieces of blue gravel whenever I cleaned lol

 

[Goaway]

I sat my coffee on top of my reef tank while doing a water change..... Coffee fell in... Larger water change took place. Carbon was run.
No one died.

 

[jgirardnrg]

Emergency water change for my frag setup at midnight because my Mg was off the scale... Red Sea kit, don't test when tired. 2ml sample, not a 5ml sample. I printed out a label to remind myself:

 

[ZoWhat]

Fed the fish naked.... fish hid for a week

 

[Scorpius]

Fed the fish naked.... fish hid for a week

I have a witty reply for this, but do to the family friendly nature of R2R I'll refrain from such talk.

 

[Nick Steele]

In tank I’m not too sure I have anything but outside of said tank……

I got my first rock flower nem I was opening the bag in the sink and the little guy plopped right down the drain! Lucky I was able to fetch him without hurting it and it’s still alive to this day. Always open corals over a bucket from now on!

 

[James_O]

Eh... not really sure I've done anything BAD... yet... ;Poto