habits that will save you

[Sk8r]

Having answered a few "hellllp!" posts, I have some suggestions on habits to get into.

1. 'dedicated' cups, spoons, nets, buckets, etc. Do not mix cookery with tankery, and do not mix salt with fresh. Keep the stuff in separate boxes.

2. keep fish chemicals and garden poisons far from each other and far from pets and toddlers.

3. if you use tap water to rinse a sample bottle, wipe it out with a paper towel even if it's a few drops. It makes you think about it.

4. spread out paper towel when working with your test kits and don't be spilling your chemistry bottles/syringes/tips etc out on the counter you just wiped down with something toxic.

5. keep records: every time you add a creature, test the water, and write both things down in a log. Run the full set of tests at least once a week. Do it while cycling: call it practice for when you have livestock.

6. keep spare salt in house. Emergencies always happen on holidays. I'd add: a spare pump and airstone, air line, net, and anything else you sometimes need.

7. lid your tank/downflow with eggcrate if you have a known jumper.

8. make it clear to toddlers that approaching mama's or papa's tank without direct parental permission is Not At All A Good Thing.

 

[TOURKID]

awsome post. learned a few things the hard way. adding one to number 6. - a battery operated airpump/stone. just got one sent with my other order. 4.00 a piece with the airline and stone! I paniced the other day when the electric died for 15 minutes lol

 

[Andrew]

"6. keep spare salt in house. Emergencies always happen on holidays. I'd add: a spare pump and airstone, air line, net, and anything else you sometimes need."

I agree. With my luck, when I need to do a water change and when I'm out of salt, the lfs is closed.

 

[Sk8r]

Which reminds me of a couple of other really good emergency items: activated carbon, a packet of women's knee-high nylons (for a bag for same., and a packet of polyfilters. If you have a softie war or your pliers fell in the tank and you didn't see it for an hour, use them. Carbon will remove bio-contaminants like leather coral effluvient or really dead snail; polyfilter will grab any metal contaminant out of solution.

hint: you never should lay metal objects above the water line: they will fall in if at all possible.

 

[xtrstangx]

If you are running a RO/DI line straight from the RO/DI to your sump without a float valve... Use the loudest most annoying timer in your house to make sure that you turn the water off.

I have put atleast a hundred gallons of water on my floor before I finally figured this out.

 

[Sk8r]

Ohhh, yes, to the kitchen timer---including running ro/di into a bucket as I do!

Using bulldog clips to secure the ro/di waste line into the drain is a Good Idea.

And have another 'dedicated' item: a tall stack of thick terry rag towels on a shelf you can reach in a hurry. When you need them is too late to search them up.

 

[Sk8r]

And if you are about to take an 'innovative' or 'major change' step on your tank, based on something you a) sort of heard about doing or b) you used to do in the old days of floss filters, do ask online, even if you can't frame the question too precisely. Do not, for instance, suddenly yank out all your bioballs because some post said they were nitrate factories. There is always a process for doing things safely. In that case, the correct answer is: few at a time, and even so, ask re your precise system. Many times people can wave you off short of a really bad mess.

 

[phenom5]

nice post sk8r.

i would add to #1, have dedicated stuff for fresh SW & tank SW. i started a cycle in my mixed SW bucket not too long ago b/c a tiny bit of tank water found it's way into my mixed SW through a cup that i use for "in tank" stuff.

and to #3 i would add...don't do your test on the kitchen counter...or anywhere that food is served or prepared. last thing i want is some nasty chemicals from a Ca test kit on my steak!

i would also add X gals of mixed SW to the emergency list. i use to just mix water a few days before i was going to do a WC, but i've been caught with my pants down a couple of times, now i have ~5g of water ready to go at all times. this may be a little easier to do b/c i have a nano, but is a good idea for any size tank IMO.