Top Ten Most Costly Mistakes You've Made With Your Reef...

10) My most costly mistake was keeping track of every single cost since I first started my reef tank. (After three years I quit keeping track - how could I explain to my son that his college fund was gone?!)
SnkyJake of Quad Cities

9) My most costly mistake was telling my three-year-old daughter that I wanted to get more sand for my reef tank. She got some and added it for me... right out of the cat’s litter box.
Scavenger of Nanaimo, BC

8) My most costly mistake was letting a friend babysit my "fool-proof" SPS tank for a couple of weeks while I was out of town. A power surge caused by the utility company fried some breakers (just the tank ones, of course), and because the lights kept coming on, he didn't notice that the heater, pumps, skimmer and everything else was not working. I came home to find every single coral in my tank DEAD, bleached out, and stinking to high heaven... over $5,000 in corals alone! My solution: getting my son hooked on saltwater so that he can take care of my tanks when I'm out of town... Sneaky, huh?
Ladipyg of Sweet Home, Chicago

7) My wife asked if I was sure I could put that big tank on the second floor. "Sure, no problem!" One week later we had to rip up the ceiling below it (our dining room), jack up the floor and add a support beam.
Frank an engineer in Doyletown PA

6) My most costly mistake was showing my wife Reef Central before going to bed. I awoke to find two shopping lists: one for Live Aquaria, one for Premium Aquatics and a missing credit card...
SethSPST of Hawaii

5) My most costly mistake was finding out that for every purchase I make, she gets something for her hobby. Everything hits me two-fold now.
osprey77 of Loveland, CO

4) Having your girlfriend find out that you spent $300 on rocks, so she figures $1000 on jewelry is ok.
Seanpmayfield of Hammond, LA

3) My most costly mistake was looking at my neighbor's tank... My freshwater tank had to go. Got to keep up with the Jones's, you know...
Atticus of Unknown Whereabouts

2) The most costly mistake I ever made was buying a tank in the first place.
Pattylucylaura of Decatur, MI

1) My most costly mistake can be summed up in one word: UPGRADING!
Cmondo of Delaware

Reefkeeping's next Top Ten for November: Top Ten Unexpected Skills Learned from Reefkeeping... Our thanks go out to NicoleC for suggesting the next topic!

Honorable mention goes out to the following members for submitting 10 Top Ten reasons: RCBruce. Thanks, RCBruce!

If you have questions, would like to suggest a future Top Ten topic or place an entry, visit our online forum or hit the button below: