What were your biggest purchase mistakes?

[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.