The importance of a "Scientific Laboratory" in fish keeping.

[eon aquatics]

I often find that, when setting up aquariums, I run into clutter, lack of space, dirty equipment, lack of cleaning materials and so on.
Including things like a lack of buckets, organization of equipment, organization of other things aquarium related.
Lack of shelves for equipment to be organized on.
Lack of towels to clean up water that is spilled or dripped.
Lack of secondary tanks with ample room, such as a breeder tank or a isolation tank.
Lack of light fixture space and such.
Tangled power cords, creating confusion as to what cord goes to what electronic item.
A inability to get behind the tank.
Dirty decor and little space to clean it.
Lack of extra filter media.
Space needed for a canister filter.
Dirty sponges that need organization.
Dirty equipment that needs a larger bucket or container to put it in.
A need for plant separation tanks.
A need for extra equipment such as a backup canister filter.
A need for containers for extra gravel, including different assortments and such.
Cleaning rag/towel buckets for dirty and clean rags/towels.
A area to keep smaller equipment components such as suction cups.
A shelf to keep water treatments on.
A way to organize various types of fish food.
A bucket to put dead plant or algae scum in.
A nice place for a siphon and its bucket.

 

[eon aquatics]

I feel that often these smaller problems make a larger one.

 

[eon aquatics]

Has anyone else ran into these problems?

 

[esoxlucius]

I looked at this thread when you first started it in April. Strange subject matter I thought, and so I left it. Maybe others felt the same, hence no replies. But now you've bumped it I feel like I need to reply, though I still find it strange.

All the things you mention, almost absolutely every single thing as far as I can see, are down to YOU basically. I don't understand why you seem to be experiencing so many trivial problems when, through better planning, better use of space available, better husbandry, improved maintenance procedures you can eliminate almost everything you mentioned.

The biggest problem as I see it when you get balls deep in this hobby, and one that's not easily solved, and effects us all I wager, is space. Space is, and always will be the serious hobbyists worse problem.

But the things you mention, nah, not a problem for me at all because I've set my stall out in such a manner to eliminate these type of trivialities.

 

[HUKIT]

With the exception of the ability to get behind your tanks(I don’t know why you need to) every single thing on that list is something I’d expect someone new in the hobby to experience. I don’t know how old you are but with that said, each and every one except the aforementioned is an easy fix with time and forward thinking. I’d wager even a relatively new fish keeper makes quick work of that list in no time. I currently have 42 tanks running to give you an idea of my hobby.

 

[Trouser Cough]

I can help w/ one item.

You mention that you lack add'l filter media. Don't buy floss or pads, etc. Use pool balls and when they're dirty you can either squeeze them out in a bucket or toss them in mamma's wash machine and let her gnaw on your head for having made a mess of it. Don't use detergent... just rinse and that's it. I've been using them for years and they're the best alternative I've found in several decades of fish keeping.

As far as the rest goes you may find that requiring less structure and organization makes much of that list go away. Organize those processes that can be automated or made quicker but expecting to have the right number of buckets or sponges, towels, etc. may be expecting too much. Move your tank if you want to get behind it or decide you don't want to get behind it, which is much easier.

 

[Hybridfish7]

Has anyone else ran into these problems?

I don't get the point of this post, everything just seems like what one would describe as a "you problem", all of these are (like esox says) just matters of underlying issues, or poor planning.

Lack of shelves for equipment to be organized on. -- build a stand for your tank that incorporates a storage level or buy a wire rack
Lack of towels to clean up water that is spilled or dripped. -- buy a shamwow
Lack of secondary tanks with ample room, such as a breeder tank or a isolation tank. -- build a stand that incorporates space for smaller tanks or buy a wire rack, buy smaller tanks when they go on sale or find them used. walmart always has empty 10 gallons for $15.
Lack of light fixture space and such. -- how?
Tangled power cords, creating confusion as to what cord goes to what electronic item. -- unplug everything, untangle them, label them with tape, plug them in in a more organized fashion, use zip ties to tie together excess cordage.
A inability to get behind the tank. -- first of all, why is this needed, second of all, build a stand that allows for access to whatever you need behind the tank or buy a wire rack
Dirty decor and little space to clean it. -- you shouldn't need to be cleaning your decor, every surface of your tank has beneficial bacteria. if unsightly kinds of algae are your issue, then treat the underlying cause
Lack of extra filter media. -- buy more, and buy better media that lasts longer, or get filters that don't need media. seachem matrix or eheim substrat pro. lava rock from home depot also works if you can fit it.
Space needed for a canister filter. -- build a stand for your tank that incorporates space for a canister underneath or buy a wire rack
Dirty sponges that need organization. -- put them in labeled ziplocs on the aforementioned storage level
Dirty equipment that needs a larger bucket or container to put it in. -- either clean them or get another container to put them in
A need for plant separation tanks. -- why?
A need for extra equipment such as a backup canister filter. -- just get used HOBs and sponges/aerators for emergencies. amazon does sales on whisper 110 aerators for like $5 ea
A need for containers for extra gravel, including different assortments and such. -- why? you don't need to be randomly changing out your substrate. this is probably what's leading to the issues with needing to clean your decor because you're taking chunks out of your beneficial bacteria culture
Cleaning rag/towel buckets for dirty and clean rags/towels. -- why? just hang them somewhere or put them under the sink
A area to keep smaller equipment components such as suction cups. -- aforementioned storage compartment, get sterilite bins from walmart for like $5 ea
A shelf to keep water treatments on. -- aforementioned storage compartment
A way to organize various types of fish food. -- sterilite bin/aforementioned storage compartment
A bucket to put dead plant or algae scum in. -- this is called the trash can
A nice place for a siphon and its bucket. -- stack empty buckets on top of eachother and put them in a closet or the storage room or garage or something

This is what I mean by wire rack:

they come in a variety of sizes that should be sufficient for your purposes, and the racks can be moved to different heights. They should suffice for most smaller tanks (any size you can lift by yourself safely)

I have solved all of your issues. I have additionally color coded them based on the kind of solution. Red is things that can be solved by just building a new stand or rack for the tanks that accommodate what you need in the way of accessibility and storage. Green is things that can be solved by buying the thing you need. Blue is common sense, yellow is what I deem unnecessary/nonsensical.

 

[Friller2009]

I don't get the point of this post, everything just seems like what one would describe as a "you problem", all of these are (like esox says) just matters of underlying issues, or poor planning.

Lack of shelves for equipment to be organized on. -- build a stand for your tank that incorporates a storage level or buy a wire rack
Lack of towels to clean up water that is spilled or dripped. -- buy a shamwow
Lack of secondary tanks with ample room, such as a breeder tank or a isolation tank. -- build a stand that incorporates space for smaller tanks or buy a wire rack, buy smaller tanks when they go on sale or find them used. walmart always has empty 10 gallons for $15.
Lack of light fixture space and such. -- how?
Tangled power cords, creating confusion as to what cord goes to what electronic item. -- unplug everything, untangle them, label them with tape, plug them in in a more organized fashion, use zip ties to tie together excess cordage.
A inability to get behind the tank. -- first of all, why is this needed, second of all, build a stand that allows for access to whatever you need behind the tank or buy a wire rack
Dirty decor and little space to clean it. -- you shouldn't need to be cleaning your decor, every surface of your tank has beneficial bacteria. if unsightly kinds of algae are your issue, then treat the underlying cause
Lack of extra filter media. -- buy more, and buy better media that lasts longer, or get filters that don't need media. seachem matrix or eheim substrat pro. lava rock from home depot also works if you can fit it.
Space needed for a canister filter. -- build a stand for your tank that incorporates space for a canister underneath or buy a wire rack
Dirty sponges that need organization. -- put them in labeled ziplocs on the aforementioned storage level
Dirty equipment that needs a larger bucket or container to put it in. -- either clean them or get another container to put them in
A need for plant separation tanks. -- why?
A need for extra equipment such as a backup canister filter. -- just get used HOBs and sponges/aerators for emergencies. amazon does sales on whisper 110 aerators for like $5 ea
A need for containers for extra gravel, including different assortments and such. -- why? you don't need to be randomly changing out your substrate. this is probably what's leading to the issues with needing to clean your decor because you're taking chunks out of your beneficial bacteria culture
Cleaning rag/towel buckets for dirty and clean rags/towels. -- why? just hang them somewhere or put them under the sink
A area to keep smaller equipment components such as suction cups. -- aforementioned storage compartment, get sterilite bins from walmart for like $5 ea
A shelf to keep water treatments on. -- aforementioned storage compartment
A way to organize various types of fish food. -- sterilite bin/aforementioned storage compartment
A bucket to put dead plant or algae scum in. -- this is called the trash can
A nice place for a siphon and its bucket. -- stack empty buckets on top of eachother and put them in a closet or the storage room or garage or something

This is what I mean by wire rack:
View attachment 1547862
they come in a variety of sizes that should be sufficient for your purposes, and the racks can be moved to different heights. They should suffice for most smaller tanks (any size you can lift by yourself safely)

I have solved all of your issues. I have additionally color coded them based on the kind of solution. Red is things that can be solved by just building a new stand or rack for the tanks that accommodate what you need in the way of accessibility and storage. Green is things that can be solved by buying the thing you need. Blue is common sense, yellow is what I deem unnecessary/nonsensical.

I Don’t trust those wire racks. Had em buckle with just storage stuff. Let alone a couple hundred kilos of water.

 

[Hybridfish7]

I Don’t trust those wire racks. Had em buckle with just storage stuff. Let alone a couple hundred kilos of water.

There's always heavier duty ones... I had no problem with 20 longs on mine for a few years, scrapped because they didn't fit the aesthetic of the fishroom

 

[Rougarou]

It sounds like organizational skills, or lack there of, is the problem here. Or it's one of those cases where a tank is set up, and simply expected to run itself. And when that doesn't work, just throw more stuff that's not needed at it until that doesn't work either. Wash, rinse, repeat.

By the way, I don't understand "Cleaning Decor". In all the years I've been keeping tanks, granted I don't put treasure chests, skeletons, or sunken pirate ships in them, I've never had to "clean " any inanimate object in the tank.