Kids and reef tanks

[jonwright]

Ive got 3 kids oldest is 5. So another that 4 and then 2

My planning for a tank involves a locking cabinet and screwing a 2x4 to the wall and securing the cab to that. Now that I'm thinking about it I may also see about securing the tank.

Anything I'm misssing or need to take into account?

 

[Ronic]

What size tank is it going to be? Screwing the stand to the wall is a good idea for tall skinny stands like some nano taks have, but even a 10g is around 80 pounds. I have less of a worry about my kids pushing the tank over then toys getting thrown at the tank.

 

[SushiGirl]

Keep all chemicals out of reach, including the saltwater & the food. Make sure they can't get into the RO water. Not everything fits underneath the cabinet. Make sure the tank is covered. One copper penny can destroy a small reef tank. Not sure how you could secure the tank, if it's tall & skinny I'd be concerned about it but I'd think securing the stand should be good. How big/what are the tank dimensions?

Teach your kids about respecting the tank & if they're interested & want to help, give them little non-jobs to help with so that they don't try to help when you're not around. If they're not allowed near the tank, they'll be sneaky about it & disaster could happen.

 

[MuffsAbby]

Some way to secure the lid so the kids can't put anything in the tank, unless you're absolutely sure it's out of reach. I once heard of a toddler dumping a plate of food (don't recall if it was speghetti, or eggs and bacon, or some such thing) into the tank, hoping to "feed the fish"....resulted in a tank crash.

 

[Ceece911]

What size tank? I have a 2 and 4 year old. I use locking cabinets under the tank, locking storage for all chemicals, supplies, and food and a canopy over the tank. My tank is a 150g so no threat of them pushing it over. It also sits high, so I don't have to have a lock on the canopy. Also, go glass, as it doesn't scratch as easy.

 

[markaren]

My 5 and 7 year olds do my Parameter testing with me telling them the steps. the 5 year old ask me if he could do this for a living

 

[r-balljunkie]

My 5 and 7 year olds do my Parameter testing with me telling them the steps. the 5 year old ask me if he could do this for a living

+1,000
why lock it up? you talk to your kids sensibly, and get them involved verses making everything a big loud "NO!" when they touch something it makes the tank less taboo.

my 5 YO has hose duty on water changes, helps mix alk and calcium, counts the drops when doing water tests.

his aquarium is the "fuge". he has full access to it anytime he wants. if he wants to feed the fish, he asks. i let him feed the tank, unsupervised.
a little trust go's along way, both directions.

i only keep an eye on the tank when the neighborhood kids show up to look at the tank.

GL
C

 

[Biocubehqi]

Make sure to have a cover for the tank and no outlets those tiny hands can unplug fom the back... Fish don't like chocolate milk...

 

[Biocubehqi]

What size tank? I have a 2 and 4 year old. I use locking cabinets under the tank, locking storage for all chemicals, supplies, and food and a canopy over the tank. My tank is a 150g so no threat of them pushing it over. It also sits high, so I don't have to have a lock on the canopy. Also, go glass, as it doesn't scratch as easy.

Very true. They wanna show fish their toys. I have a two year old boy, thanks the fish wanna see thomas the train

 

[brutuscz]

I have a 5yr old. Still safer to lock the bottom...even if you tell them no. Electricity, water and a toddler do not mix!!! Also...I keep NO venomous species. No zo's, foxface...none. When my daughter was 1, I had a lionfish jump out and wind up on the floor. I found it before my 2 dogs or 1yr old...thank goodness. So...I allow nothing poisonous or venomous in my tank.

 

[greg1786]

securing the stand is a great idea! I have a 55 gallon on a 52" stand but ints only three feet tall. No kids but I have a large and very playful lab/boxer mix pup. She bangs into it quite often. I screwed a 2X6 to the wall the length of the stand and then screwed 18" pieces of 2X4 from that 2X6 into the back underside of the tank. The dog weighs every bit of 65lbs and is very strong. She's even tried to attack the fish she sees swimming through the glass and thanks to the brace it never budges


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[greg1786]

I meant to the underside of the stand, I obviously didn't screw anything into the tank lol. Sry for the typo


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