Helpful tips
- Thread starter Andrew_bram
- Start date
“Moyes Law”.
http://moyesreef.com/wordpress/moyes-law/
If you build it, it will break
If you buy it, it will also break
If you sell it, give it away, or better yet, trash it and someone else finds it,
it will work perfectly for them. Forever.
If you have no back-up, it will break.
If it is out of warranty, it will break.
If it has been discontinued,it will break but just a little.
If you watch it, it will not break.
But if you take your eyes off of it, it will break.
If you leave the house, it will really break.
If it’s a holiday, it will break so badly, it might break something else.
Obviously, if you go on vacation, you are screwed.
The severity of the screwage while you are on vacation is in direct proportion to (a) your distance from home and (b) the amount of fun you’re having.
Once you are aware of even the possibility of something going wrong, it will immediately begin to go wrong.
The leading cause of problems is bragging to someone that you never have any problems.
When it comes to leaks, water always travels in the most expensive direction.
So does electricity.
If you order a part or entire unit simply for back-up, it will arrive in perfect condition and in a timely matter. if you order a part or entire unit because something is about to break, it will either arrive too late but in perfect condition or in a timely manner, but broken. if you order a part or entire unit because something is already broken, it will be on backorder. backorder will last until you sell your system for scrap? The day after which it will arrive in perfect condition.
You know that little part you need? the one you just know the hardware store doesn’t have in stock. they have it in stock. just one though and they’ve had it in stock for ye?oops, just sold it, too bad.
without knowing what it is, just because it looked cool or cute , save yourself some time and dismantle everything now. if your spouse or kids gave it to you, ignore the above advice as it will most likely dismantle everything for you, while you watch.
The cheapest always eats the most expensive.
When company’s coming, it will break.
Never settle for thirteen of anything. not even laws.
http://moyesreef.com/wordpress/moyes-law/
If you build it, it will break
If you buy it, it will also break
If you sell it, give it away, or better yet, trash it and someone else finds it,
it will work perfectly for them. Forever.
If you have no back-up, it will break.
If it is out of warranty, it will break.
If it has been discontinued,it will break but just a little.
If you watch it, it will not break.
But if you take your eyes off of it, it will break.
If you leave the house, it will really break.
If it’s a holiday, it will break so badly, it might break something else.
Obviously, if you go on vacation, you are screwed.
The severity of the screwage while you are on vacation is in direct proportion to (a) your distance from home and (b) the amount of fun you’re having.
Once you are aware of even the possibility of something going wrong, it will immediately begin to go wrong.
The leading cause of problems is bragging to someone that you never have any problems.
When it comes to leaks, water always travels in the most expensive direction.
So does electricity.
If you order a part or entire unit simply for back-up, it will arrive in perfect condition and in a timely matter. if you order a part or entire unit because something is about to break, it will either arrive too late but in perfect condition or in a timely manner, but broken. if you order a part or entire unit because something is already broken, it will be on backorder. backorder will last until you sell your system for scrap? The day after which it will arrive in perfect condition.
You know that little part you need? the one you just know the hardware store doesn’t have in stock. they have it in stock. just one though and they’ve had it in stock for ye?oops, just sold it, too bad.
without knowing what it is, just because it looked cool or cute , save yourself some time and dismantle everything now. if your spouse or kids gave it to you, ignore the above advice as it will most likely dismantle everything for you, while you watch.
The cheapest always eats the most expensive.
When company’s coming, it will break.
Never settle for thirteen of anything. not even laws.
Use a 10'' PVC pipe, connected to a shelf for a built in Paper towel holder(have this in my water heater/fish room and it's great!).
Buy 2 more buckets at the store than you think you will need of different sizes as well. I can dip my 2gal bucket fully in my RO/DI reservoir and fill a 5gal bucket much faster than siphoning.
Use a 10ML syringe to fill your testing kit tubes, instead of getting your fingers all wet dipping it in the tank.
Don't chase a number too aggressively when it comes to water parameters - you will cause others to change quickly as well.
Run your ATO output line(if it is positioned highly to avoid siphoning) through a PVC pipe to avoid splashing and salt spray.
Don't leave filter socks in the washer the day your wife does laundry-especially if they are still a bit dirty!
Don't buy a fish/creature at the store unless you have already researched it's requirements. In the time you do your researching after getting the animal, it may have already died or become stressed.
Cover your overflow with a piece of foil, etc. to avoid unnecessary algae growth in a hard to reach place.
Buy 2 more buckets at the store than you think you will need of different sizes as well. I can dip my 2gal bucket fully in my RO/DI reservoir and fill a 5gal bucket much faster than siphoning.
Use a 10ML syringe to fill your testing kit tubes, instead of getting your fingers all wet dipping it in the tank.
Don't chase a number too aggressively when it comes to water parameters - you will cause others to change quickly as well.
Run your ATO output line(if it is positioned highly to avoid siphoning) through a PVC pipe to avoid splashing and salt spray.
Don't leave filter socks in the washer the day your wife does laundry-especially if they are still a bit dirty!
Don't buy a fish/creature at the store unless you have already researched it's requirements. In the time you do your researching after getting the animal, it may have already died or become stressed.
Cover your overflow with a piece of foil, etc. to avoid unnecessary algae growth in a hard to reach place.
I know this is a years old suggestion but just had to interject: We did this and [genius idea] added a battery backup. Husband not home and I [handle the chemistry and coral research not the plumbing] hear this snapping noise. I start to investigate around the refugium and shazzam! -fire shoots out the end of the battery backup! So now, I have flames and not a lot of knowledge of what he has done under the tank. All I remember is thinking "I can't call the fire dept, they will **** up the tank!" So I grab the back up pull it out onto the floor and start trying to put the fire out w/o any of the thousand cords under there getting burned. It occurred to me at that point that backup was still plugged in - duh. Unplugged it and left hysterical message on h's cell phone. So, as to that list above of things going wrong? Yeah, pretty much!
Jody
Jody
Last edited by a moderator:
I have got to believe there are tons more helpful tips out there. Our recent "aha momnents" include:
Use ballast rather than glass top in summer to keep tank temp stable.
If the above does not work fill plastic H20 bottles and freeze and insert in fuge if temp rises on super hot days.
When buying LED lighting, find out the rating of EACH Led as the quality varies.
Check out meetings, meet live humans and you will learn a lot.
Use ballast rather than glass top in summer to keep tank temp stable.
If the above does not work fill plastic H20 bottles and freeze and insert in fuge if temp rises on super hot days.
When buying LED lighting, find out the rating of EACH Led as the quality varies.
Check out meetings, meet live humans and you will learn a lot.
One of the things I am still dealing with that everyone should think about is add your corals thoughtfully. We research our fish to death but some of us myself included get what we think is a pretty zoa or paly or some other coral, stick it to a rock and next thing you know it's everywhere. I have a few like yellow sand polyps and I think they're pink and gold palys that are just everywhere. On my new build I'm not even going to put in any palys. I've started to hate them and their insane reproductive rates.
Research your corals before you just drop them in.
Research your corals before you just drop them in.
