how does one not spill everything on the floor whilst doing anything?

[Alpha_and_Gec]

I just spilled out maybe five, six gallons of water on the floor and carpet whilst doing routine cleaning(Hose came loose from the filter sock, put it back on, then it came loose again, then once again when I'm trying to stop the flow. During which I accidentally damaged my hammer because I was paying attention to the spilling end), same with last week, and the week before that. For three years I've done maintainance and not a single time had things not spilled, gotten everywhere, or broken somehow. Last time my water - change pump broke and was no longer able to pump water out of the reservoir and I spilled half of it because I had to haul them up by hand, the time before last I broke my fuge lights because I turned them off wrong somehow and had to wait two days for a new one to arrive. What is the secret to not breaking things every time you touch it?

 

[littlefoxx]

Yep looks like my house after water change day

 

[Alpha_and_Gec]

This simply can't continue. The floor under the tank has begun to sag and the constant wetness is going to collapse the house.

 

[Cichlid Dad]

 

[Alpha_and_Gec]

So you see uh
I don't have that much space in my house
most of my water change is done in the yard, the point of failure is the hose. That's all the space I have left in the house and it isn't big enough for even one of the 40 gallon reservoirs.

 

[slingfox]

To keep hoses from moving I use plastic 4.5" clamps which I purchased from Amazon.

To remove water from the tank I use a cheap electronic gravel vac I purchased from Amazon. It is somewhat okay for gravel vac purposes (not that strong and gets clogged easily), but is excellent to move water around efficiently and cleanly.

To move water to the tank I use a Sicce Zero pump connected to a long run of Python hose. If you don't have to use buckets that reduces the chance of spillage.

I also lay large beach or bath towels on the ground to catch stray water.

 

[slingfox]

So you see uh
I don't have that much space in my house
most of my water change is done in the yard, the point of failure is the hose. That's all the space I have left in the house and it isn't big enough for even one of the 40 gallon reservoirs.

If you can't fit reservoirs in your house try to find space in the garage or even outside and run a hose when you need. I use 55 gallon barrels from ULine.

 

[CBonito]

haha!!! The title of this thread...too funny.

One of the best things I bought recently was this cheap chinese aquarium vac with a priming bulb. I use it to transfer water to my ATO from a bucket, I use it to clean, do water changes...it keeps water off the floor man. And it comes with a bucket clip to retain the hose. Nuff Said.

 

[Alpha_and_Gec]

If you can't fit reservoirs in your house try to find space in the garage or even outside and run a hose when you need. I use 55 gallon barrels from ULine.

Yeah, that's what I do... as I described in my post. I keep screwing up with something and leave the pump out of water, forget to unplug the switch when the tank is overflowing, or accidentally step or fall into it.

 

[TokenReefer]

Spring Clamps - Harbor Freight Tools

Find a full assortment of spring clamps in some of the popular sizes at Harbor Freight. Secure, dependable hold. Ideal for arts and crafts, woodworking and more.

www.harborfreight.com

Some cheap spring clamps come in clutch for keeping things in place temporarily

 

[Alpha_and_Gec]

haha!!! The title of this thread...too funny.

One of the best things I bought recently was this cheap chinese aquarium vac with a priming bulb. I use it to transfer water to my ATO from a bucket, I use it to clean, do water changes...it keeps water off the floor man. And it comes with a bucket clip to retain the hose. Nuff Said.

Is there one for 3/4 inch tubes? I used to have a thinner one when I played with fresh, but I can't find any individual ones for sale on facebook of the right size.

 

[TokenReefer]

Fluval Medium/Large Gravel Vacuum Cleaner, 11081 https://a.co/d/3tSUyao
I also use this. It has a slider to pause the siphon. I can move the hose to the next bucket and then reopen the valve and water starts flowing with minimal drops between if done fast. My fav vac

Fwiw I don't vacuum the gravel... Terrible name imo fluval lol

 

[2Wheelsonly]

This simply can't continue. The floor under the tank has begun to sag and the constant wetness is going to collapse the house.

I don't know man, if your floor is sagging then the damage is already done and the wood is ruined. Once wet wood weakens it never regains it's solidity and strength. I'd have someone look at it asap...

You also mentioned that your house is small, any chance to plumb a drain outlet for water changes that shoots it into the yard through the wall? That's what I installed in my fish room, when I water change I shoot the water directly out of the house with a hose attached to the wall.

 

[slingfox]

haha!!! The title of this thread...too funny.

One of the best things I bought recently was this cheap chinese aquarium vac with a priming bulb. I use it to transfer water to my ATO from a bucket, I use it to clean, do water changes...it keeps water off the floor man. And it comes with a bucket clip to retain the hose. Nuff Said.

Agreed I purchased something similar a few weeks ago and use it often. Much easier than trying to manually siphon or using smaller containers to move water from one thing to the next. I previously had three different siphon hoses with some sort of ball you squeezed to start siphon. It worked but not nearly as convenient as an electronic siphon which can move water more quickly and from low to higher water levels.

 

[Alpha_and_Gec]

I don't know man, if your floor is sagging then the damage is already done and the wood is ruined. Once wet wood weakens it never regains it's solidity and strength. I'd have someone look at it asap...

You also mentioned that your house is small, any chance to plumb a drain outlet for water changes that shoots it into the yard through the wall? That's what I installed in my fish room, when I water change I shoot the water directly out of the house with a hose attached to the wall.

tbh, I could just run a hose through the window and that wouldn't be much different distance - wise. I'm very averse to losing water though, because the chemicals I need really is expensive and adds up in the long term, and I have buckets saved up behind the couch and on the porch.

 

[2Wheelsonly]

tbh, I could just run a hose through the window and that wouldn't be much different distance - wise. I'm very averse to losing water though, because the chemicals I need really is expensive and adds up in the long term, and I have buckets saved up behind the couch and on the porch.

Dumb question but I have to ask...have you thought of just doing smaller water changes? Not sure what your alk usage is or if you supplemental dose but I find once I have my dosing dialed in I really only need to change a little water once a week for the tank to flourish. When I had my smaller tank (90G) I would only change 10 gallons per week and it was easy to dip a small bowl in and dump into a bucket without a mess.

 

[Alpha_and_Gec]

Dumb question but I have to ask...have you thought of just doing smaller water changes? Not sure what your alk usage is or if you supplemental dose but I find once I have my dosing dialed in I really only need to change a little water once a week for the tank to flourish. When I had my smaller tank (90G) I would only change 10 gallons per week and it was easy to dip a small bowl in and dump into a bucket without a mess.

My choices are 5 gallons or 40. I've got two five - gallon buckets and two 40 - gallon reservoirs, and buckets are crazy expensive around here.
80 gals so 5 gallons don't do much.

 

[Shibaken3]

Do you do water change by urself? Get someone to help out during the water change. Also working out and getting muscle will get u better at being a little more stable and not knocking off everything.

 

[Alpha_and_Gec]

Do you do water change by urself? Get someone to help out during the water change. Also working out and getting muscle will get u better at being a little more stable and not knocking off everything.

Me and some pumps. This is pretty much my workout... guess you're right.

 

[CBonito]

Is there one for 3/4 inch tubes? I used to have a thinner one when I played with fresh, but I can't find any individual ones for sale on facebook of the right size.

Go on Amazon. They're there. You have to sort through a lot of crap to find them, but they have them and they're worth the 12 bucks or whatever it was.