What were your biggest purchase mistakes?

[whatcaneyedo]

This looks like a fun game!

Coralife PC fixtures. I've had two 65W ballasts burn out within a year for no reason.
Coralife Aquagloves. I've bought two sets and within a year three out of the four gloves leaked through the seams.
Coralife timer powerbar (anyone see a pattern here?). The little sliding covers broke very easily and the timer would occasionally not shut off the lights!
AquaMedic Biotherm Controller. They don't even make these anymore... Two of them lost their their calibration within two years and cannot be re-calibrated. What good is a temperature controller that is out 8ºC?
AquaMedic Titanium heaters. I bought three and had to send three back when they would no longer heat up. All within a year.
RedSea Prizm Skimmer. Needs no explanation.

[Lance]

Originally Posted by whatcaneyedo

This looks like a fun game!

Coralife PC fixtures. I've had two 65W ballasts burn out within a year for no reason.
Coralife Aquagloves. I've bought two sets and within a year three out of the four gloves leaked through the seams.
Coralife timer powerbar (anyone see a pattern here?). The little sliding covers broke very easily and the timer would occasionally not shut off the lights!
AquaMedic Biotherm Controller. They don't even make these anymore... Two of them lost their their calibration within two years and cannot be re-calibrated. What good is a temperature controller that is out 8ºC?
AquaMedic Titanium heaters. I bought three and had to send three back when they would no longer heat up. All within a year.
RedSea Prizm Skimmer. Needs no explanation.

Coralife, Aquamedic and Red Sea. Yup, I've had experience with all three brands and they're crap!

[fishoholic]

Originally Posted by Lance

Coralife, Aquamedic and Red Sea. Yup, I've had experience with all three brands and they're crap!

+1 agreed

[Coleus]

My only regret is that I should never come to Kien's house and see his tank : ). Because I would happy with my 45 bow font with Rena xp 3, couple cheap powerheads and couple fishes and some softies.

Now couple years later, looking at my tank and Kiens tank and after spending tons of my money and still wonder if I am in the right hobby lol.


Ok back to the main topic. My worst purchase would be any thing to help my tank cycle faster like bateria liquid, nitrate destroyer. The are all bs except for biopellets


S

[Funky_Fish14]

Originally Posted by whatcaneyedo

AquaMedic Biotherm Controller. They don't even make these anymore... Two of them lost their their calibration within two years and cannot be re-calibrated. What good is a temperature controller that is out 8ºC?
AquaMedic Titanium heaters. I bought three and had to send three back when they would no longer heat up. All within a year.

I have to say i've had the exact same problem! Not as many times, but once for the controller itself and twice for the element!

Another one for me:

Fluval Spec: Purchased and started to leak instantly. (though it wasnt discovered till two hours later... luckily it was only 2g of SW on my desk).
Fluval 304: Leaky! Brand new. Returned. Eheim wins.

[VFX]

Biggest mistake is my 1st tank when I was in my early teens.

That set the snowball rolling that has so far led to a 6x2.5x2 currently sitting in my basement & a 72g in my living room.

Lord knows how much it's cost me in terms of time, money, blood, tears & probably relationships!

But in the spirit of the thread, biggest mistake so far is a Via Aqua skimmer, UV filter, heater all-in-one HOB thingy. That thing was louder than a 747 on take off & pulled as much cr@p out as broken down Red Sea Prism. At least I never had ich with that UV going.

Best part was parting somewhere around $500 for it

[don.ald]

my first skimmer was a skilter....and i thought it was cool!

[Lance]

I got a good price on a new Aqualight Pro 3x 150W HQI, 4x 96W CF and 4x LED moonlights. I had no issues with the fixture, the problem was me. The tank was going to be a FOWLR and the light was plenty good enough. I soon changed my mind and turned the tank into a reef, making the light underpowered for corals. So I had to buy another light.