• Looking to buy a cephalopod? Check out Tomh's Cephs Forum, and this post in particular shares important info about our policies as it relates to responsible ceph-keeping.

Where is your tank, and does it make a mess?

I find that the best way to avoid spills is to minimize the amount of non connected tubing and buckets you need to use to move water around.
My water changes on the reef (haven't quite caught up with the cuttle system) are via a hose connect to the pump manifold. I pull the hose to the sink or the toilet and turn a valve.
If there is no sink or toilet near by (or no window!) you can get a large sturdy trash can on wheels that also has a locking lid. Put a pump and tubing in it (not a hose), drain the tank into the can filling it only 1/2 way. Put the lid on and wheel it slowly to where you want to pump the water out to dispose of it. You can also mix new water in the can and use the pump to fill the tank (thats why not a hose). Hmm. I guess you would really need two cans - one for draining and one for filling or you would have a long time with a 1/2 empty tank.

My skimmers (on all systems) have external collection buckets and each bucket has a pump on a switch. When the bucket is full (and the skimmer shuts off because it is on a float switch in the bucket) I flip the switch and the icky water pumps into a sink or hole in the ground - my lines are always in place, but you could reel them up.

I also automated my topoff via floats witches and pumps.

Most of these things I have done, and they have really cut down on the amount of spills I have had. I think buckets of water are made for spills and bad backs!

When working in front of the tank a towel on the floor (as mentioned) works, or a small tarp may work better.

I guess the biggest thing I would say is that if you want to avoid spills, you need to be methodical, slow, methodical and not improvise in the moment.

Let us know when you set it up Kat!
 
Will do! And those are all great ideas! At the moment the tank is housing a bunch of freshwater tropicals, so it will be a while before we convert it (since the fish are still novel and interesting... only had them since August), but someday, someday. My cephkeeping dreams used to be octo-specific, but I have to say, the more I read about cuttles... :roll:
 
i'm absolutely paranoid about flooding. i live on the third story of an apartment complex that apparently is very leaky. i got warned after the last mini flood i caused, so i think if my overflow clogged and the 30 gallon sump of saltwater went on the floor i'd be evicted. :goofysca:
 
sepiolida;84292 said:
i'm absolutely paranoid about flooding. i live on the third story of an apartment complex that apparently is very leaky. i got warned after the last mini flood i caused, so i think if my overflow clogged and the 30 gallon sump of saltwater went on the floor i'd be evicted. :goofysca:

I've never lived in an apartment complex that allowed aquariums because of that.

I got home early yesterday morning to find my girlfriend very angry :mad: , and a few inches of water missing from my tank. :confused: Apparently I left the airline tubing in the U-tube after sucking the air out to get the overflow started, and the tubing ended up dangling, created a syphon, flooded the kitchen floor. Thank goodness it's tile. The baseboard on the other hand...:banghead:
 
I knew it could happen. I just wasn't paying attention the last time I messed with the U-tube and forgot to pull the tubing out.

My next mission is to modify the skimmer collection cup so it will drain out into a seperate larger container. I've had that overflow on me before too... and ohhh is it stinky.
 
when i had mine on carpet i rarely got water on the floor, but when i did i just have a little steam cleaner that sucks the water out before it can sit in. its just one of those bio spot ones, not a full upright. but now i have mine on tile since i moved. iv never had any smell issues with both placments.
 
Animal Mother;84312 said:
I knew it could happen. I just wasn't paying attention the last time I messed with the U-tube and forgot to pull the tubing out.

My next mission is to modify the skimmer collection cup so it will drain out into a seperate larger container. I've had that overflow on me before too... and ohhh is it stinky.

Iv done exactly that too with forgeting to pull the airline out. :roll:
 
Hi everyone, no introduction intended. Just curious, I found a cozy love seat in the shed that belonged to my brother.It's now in my room. When his lease is up he is moving elsewhere and is taking the sofa.

For a matter of reference here's the current location
http://i59.photobucket.com/albums/g289/pro2010/DSC_6607.jpg

In the time to come I would like to put a 75g tank in my room. Would that be an adequate place for an Octo in the far future? Being a) In front of a bed, B) Next to a sliding glass door and C) the possibility of having a snuggle buddy.

Typically speaking tanks are against walls. Though I just need to hope that my mom approves of a fish tank. Im only a freshman in college it'll be too long until I have a degree and move out!
 
I have flooded the garage several times with one thing or another getting stuck or not shutting off with the RO, mixing tank and saltwater holding tank.

I still so want that octo (in your avitar)
 
Has anyone ever had any issues with a bad smell. Would it stink up my bedroom if I were to put a saltwater aquarium in there?
 
My tank is in my room and if i had taken just a second to think about long term use instead of maximizing sump and fuge volumes under the stand i would have put a big plastic ground cover thing... I'm afraid to find something really gross or messed up on my carpet when i move.
 
Tommycs;133899 said:
Has anyone ever had any issues with a bad smell. Would it stink up my bedroom if I were a saltwater aquarium in there?

I swear it smelled like fish tank for a while but now it doesn't. It's neutralized by my glade plug in and i ask my friends if it reaks of fish tank odor and they say no. Or perhaps i'm just basking in it's odor and no longer have the ability to smell it.
 

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