Regular Member Quasi Posted November 10, 2010 Regular Member Share Posted November 10, 2010 Lately I've started to wonder whether other people have strange rituals before they start with a water change. Lets start with my habits First I make sure I'm wearing shoes and the tuck in my pants into my socks. This prevents pants from sucking up 'floorwater' . Certain pants manage to get soaking with from ankle to knee because of capillarity. Second remove anything whit long sleeves as I have a high tank and to clean it I almost have to submerse my arm till my shoulder. Tank-tops are a great invention Third put a CD of Metallica (or Nightwish, Iced Earth, Manowar...) on. I need 'heavy stuff' to get myself in cleaning mode 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member Captain Findus Goldfish Posted November 10, 2010 Regular Member Share Posted November 10, 2010 fun thread! I CLEAN my hands like 100 times. 'Prepare' for any accidents - paper towels, towels, vinegar, phone for 911 etc ! Then i get the dogs in their beds so I don't trip on anything/anyone - or at least minimize the risk! No music, no talking, just absolute concentration! 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member Noreun Posted November 10, 2010 Regular Member Share Posted November 10, 2010 Haha, I do the tank top thing too Paper towels are my best friend. I line the carpet with layers of paper towels and always make sure I have a roll or two on standby. My hair gets slicked back into a tight bun right on the crown of my head. I wear my Hawaiian print shorts and blast some Beyonce and Panic at the Disco. Anything light and dancey will do. Once the parents came home with some guests, and to their horror, found me dancing in front of the tank in my ratty shorts and my hair donning the classic onion updo. My eyeliner decided to migrate all over my face that day too. Seriously hot stuff 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member flutterbudget Posted November 10, 2010 Regular Member Share Posted November 10, 2010 Lol! You guys are great! I guess I haven't really developed a "ritual" yet (give me a little time, I'll get there), but I always put on a short sleeved shirt, get a stack of extra towels, make sure there are no hot wheels cars or legos in "the path", and relocate my laptop that normally sits on the table next to the tank. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member flutterbudget Posted November 10, 2010 Regular Member Share Posted November 10, 2010 Oh yeah, my hair! I forgot! My hair is down to my butt, so I always do tank things with a giant bun on top of my head. I failed to contain it well enough one day and after I was done with my water change I saw a giant long hair caught between a plant and the filter intake! Yuck! 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member Erinaceus Posted November 10, 2010 Regular Member Share Posted November 10, 2010 Tank-tops are a great invention 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member Quasi Posted November 10, 2010 Author Regular Member Share Posted November 10, 2010 Tank-tops are a great invention You wear them too? 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member Hidr Posted November 10, 2010 Regular Member Share Posted November 10, 2010 I find one of my shrits with no sleeves or very very short ones. I get in three of my tanks all the way up to my arm pits to reach the bottom. I always put on walking shoes so I don't get cramps in my feet before I am done. I was my hands and arms really good then I am good to go. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member shellbell4ever Posted November 10, 2010 Regular Member Share Posted November 10, 2010 I like this...Here's mine ... First off clean any dishes from the sink,and hook up thingy Then make sure hair is up and t shirt sleeves are rolled up as well then turn off all power strips to tanks & remove all hoods/lights and anything else that may need a good rinse roll out the python and get started 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member Erinaceus Posted November 10, 2010 Regular Member Share Posted November 10, 2010 Tank-tops are a great invention You wear them too? erm, no 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member Jeana727 Posted November 10, 2010 Regular Member Share Posted November 10, 2010 I put on my old comfy BIG tee shirt & jogging pants (sometimes PJ pants!) then I get my Python all rolled out & hooked up. I take the glass lid & light off of the big tank (it always goes 1st) then clean it real good. Next is the 29 (it's easy Tiger Barbs are ALOT less messy than goldies!!) Then the refill on both. And replacing the lights & decorations. After I take the Python outside & let all the water out then lay it over my car to dry completely!! Then I roll it up & put it away. This ritual can take around an hour to complete. But it is a regular part of my weekends!!! I actually LIKE doing it!! 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member number20121 Posted November 10, 2010 Regular Member Share Posted November 10, 2010 I got the phone right near my fish tank, so that helps in case of emergencies. Other than that... I only get a towel that I put under the container that I use to empty the tank. I remove water only by gravel vacuuming because I'm very anal when it comes to getting rid of poop. I got great water quality in a lightly overstocked tank for a good reason. But sometimes I get the bucket to overflow slightly, which is why I have a towel underneath I usually got music on, and Koko's open just in case. Oh yeah, and of course I wash my hands and arms really good before I start. I wear whatever I wear, preferably a t-shirt and jeans. I also got an extra towel to dry off my hands and arms in between. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member dogsbykat Posted November 10, 2010 Regular Member Share Posted November 10, 2010 I start off by putting peanut butter and crushed cookies in the dogs' Kong toys so they won't look at me like they're bored the whole time! Then I lay towels in front of the tank, grab cleaning equipment and line up all of the jugs of clean water. Then, I find something on TV that will amuse me while I work 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member caitie Posted November 10, 2010 Regular Member Share Posted November 10, 2010 (edited) I try and contain the hair in a bun, or else I find it all over the filters and in the tank. Get into a tank top too and some jogging pants. Lay a small cotton mat on the floor in front of the tank. Set out all my gallons of clean water (I've given up on pails, too heavy) add in the aquaplus. Then I clean my hands and ams with vinegar, ah the marvelous perfume. Put on any loud and fast music and I get to work trying hard not to siphon up one of the goldies. Edited November 10, 2010 by caitie 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member RanchuDressing Posted November 10, 2010 Regular Member Share Posted November 10, 2010 I usually clean the big tank on Monday nights, and have "Dancing with the Stars" on in the background. It's one of those shows that I don't watch TOO closely, so it's perfect because I don't have to pay a ton of attention to the TV. (For the record, Bristol Palin needs to be voted off PRONTO.) Hair goes up in a ponytail. Short sleeves are a must. I remove the lid first, and wipe it down with paper towels to remove any algae. Fake plants or ornaments with algae or diatoms get yanked and scrubbed in the sink. Thorough gravel vacuuming with my Python, then refill. The whole process takes about 45 minutes, unless I'm also cleaning one of the canister filters. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member Rebecca Hampshire Posted November 10, 2010 Regular Member Share Posted November 10, 2010 This is going to sound rather strange but I just get wet through whatever I wear so now I carry out my water changes and tank cleaning in just my undies! I can't stand cold wet clothes on my skin so I crank up the heating, put something on the TV, hair scraped back, towels all over the floor and we are good to go! Crickey I don't know what I would do if someone came to the door! Steve has often witnessed my tank cleaning routine and he hasn't backed out of the wedding yet! He has got five months to change his mind! 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts