Streamlining aquarium maintenance to accommodate injury

[Krys]

Hello again everyone, i haven’t been on much since I’ve joined, life is interesting right now. I am in the process of trying to modify my 40g breeder set up so that it is easier for maintenance. 

briefly, the story goes like this. About 7 years ago i fell on my shoulder and after going to dozens of doctors since then I’ve only recently been diagnosed with, basically a pinched nerve that has to be surgically resolved. Who knows when that will happen.
 

The symptoms include not being able to reliably hold my arm up parallel to my shoulder without losing all feeling in the pinky and ring finger. Its a degenerative issue, so i hadn’t noticed how difficult it was for me to deal with until i weekly began needing to remove the glass lid from our 40g tank in order to gravel vac, and cutting my hand several times when my fingers went numb and i couldn’t maintain a grip.

I also can’t see inside the tank to clean it with the lights off. 

first I was going to try to make those pendulum lights like the kingofdiy’s but he doesn’t really tell you anything about the bulb that goes in the lights. Or actually what products he uses at all. I bought These e26 light cords so that i could hang them over the tank, thinking i could just adjust their height when i needed to move them out of the way and i wouldn’t have to reach up too much to do it. The light bulbs i got don’t seem to penetrate the water column at all, despite being 100w (or the led equivalent of 100w incandescent). I have all low light plants and don’t want to spend $40 for a plant light bulb, that seems ridiculous honestly.

 The other modification is to get a lighter lid. I was going to make a polycarbonate lid, in 2 parts, so it is easier for me to lift for feeding and such but it has not been available in my area for a while. There are the clear polycarbonate sheets that are more like glass but they are only .08 inches thick and that seems too thin.  At least its not the kind cory used in his video about diy lids. We want to purchase clown killifish in the future so the lid is important, otherwise i’d just leave the lid off and get a python hook to top off the tank every few days. Plus it would allow me to put my hang on back filter on the side instead of the back of the tank and it would be way easier for me to get to it to clean. It wouldn’t look at good but, beggers can’t be choosers lol. Does anyone have experience with this stuff? 

i really appreciate everyone’s help once again, i want to make maintenance as easy as i can so we can keep the aquariums because they truely give us joy. 

[Ken]

To get the sheeting to make my lids I bought this stuff from Home Depot.

PALRAM

Sunlite 24 in. x 48 in. x 5/16 in. Polycarbonate Clear Twinwall Sheet

They don't stock it in stores here either so I bought it on the website and had it delivered to the local store (free).

I made the lid on my 40 breeder in three sections to make it even more convenient. The back piece only comes off to service the HOB and has the cutouts for the HOB and airlines. The center section comes off if I need to get in for plant trimming etc. The front piece is only 3" wide for feeding, fertilizing or topoffs.

There was enough material left over to make lids for my two 10 gallon tanks. 

 

[sairving]

Would something like this using polycarbonate instead of glass work for you?  You would have to move the filter to the side and make a cutout.  Then you could slide the lid instead of lifting it.

 

[Krys]

On 10/16/2021 at 7:15 PM, Ken said:

To get the sheeting to make my lids I bought this stuff from Home Depot.

PALRAM

Sunlite 24 in. x 48 in. x 5/16 in. Polycarbonate Clear Twinwall Sheet

They don't stock it in stores here either so I bought it on the website and had it delivered to the local store (free).

I made the lid on my 40 breeder in three sections to make it even more convenient. The back piece only comes off to service the HOB and has the cutouts for the HOB and airlines. The center section comes off if I need to get in for plant trimming etc. The front piece is only 3" wide for feeding, fertilizing or topoffs.

There was enough material left over to make lids for my two 10 gallon tanks. 

 

Thanks so much for the correct link! I have been scouring posts and youtube video descriptions to find the right product. If you don’t mind, Were you able to cut it yourself with a utility knife? i had a terrible time cutting the plastic piece that slides on the edge of the aqueon glass top to make a hole for the HOB. Eventually i just threw that part out.

On 10/16/2021 at 7:33 PM, sairving said:

Would something like this using polycarbonate instead of glass work for you?  You would have to move the filter to the side and make a cutout.  Then you could slide the lid instead of lifting it.

 

That would be amazing! Thank you! I didn’t even think of something like that! 

[Ken]

On 10/17/2021 at 10:26 AM, Krys said:

Were you able to cut it yourself with a utility knife?

Yes. Use a brand new blade. A nice metal straight edge makes it easy.

[Guppysnail]

Here is a question that may actually be good for @Krys as well. I have wrist issues and seen the sliding lids and want them. Could you take the center hinge off an aqueon lid and use the slide track with the Aqueon glass? I use egg crate cut to fit in back instead of the plastic strip so it being too short won’t be an issue.  If this works it saves from buying and cutting glass. If this could work how on earth do you get that center hinge off. I’ve tried many times to get it off so I could thoroughly clean it to no avail.

[sairving]

On 10/17/2021 at 5:19 PM, Guppysnail said:

Here is a question that may actually be good for @Krys as well. I have wrist issues and seen the sliding lids and want them. Could you take the center hinge off an aqueon lid and use the slide track with the Aqueon glass? I use egg crate cut to fit in back instead of the plastic strip so it being too short won’t be an issue.  If this works it saves from buying and cutting glass. If this could work how on earth do you get that center hinge off. I’ve tried many times to get it off so I could thoroughly clean it to no avail.

There must be a way to get the off hinge.  I've seen replacement hinges for sale online. A hairdryer?  Maybe by heating it up, the hinge would expand enough for removal.

Edited October 17, 2021 by sairving

[Torrey]

On 10/17/2021 at 4:19 PM, Guppysnail said:

Here is a question that may actually be good for @Krys as well. I have wrist issues and seen the sliding lids and want them. Could you take the center hinge off an aqueon lid and use the slide track with the Aqueon glass? I use egg crate cut to fit in back instead of the plastic strip so it being too short won’t be an issue.  If this works it saves from buying and cutting glass. If this could work how on earth do you get that center hinge off. I’ve tried many times to get it off so I could thoroughly clean it to no avail.

Is your hinge the clear silicone?

If yes, I cut mine down the center with a brand new utility knife blade and a metal straight edge.

Put the glass edge in the center, and attach the "handle" to the silicone edge to slide the front back over the back part for maintenance. 

Now that we live in the desert, very few of my tanks have lids, so I can keep the humidity in the apartment high enough to not have nosebleeds. 🤷‍♂️

In NC & WA, I kept lids on my tanks, lol

[Torrey]

@Krys I have helped a fair number of folx figure out accommodations as part of my daily job.

Things that can make it easier to service the aquarium:

A stool (adjustable, tall bar stools) to sit on that ensures your weight is easily distributed on 4 legs, and your armpit is at least 2" above the tank will reduce the pinching. If you already have a glass lid, and it's cutting your hand(s), if someone can assist you in cleaning the glass lid really well (isopropyl alcohol helps), and then apply silicone beading to the entire edge (or front and back edges and leave the last 1/2" on the 2 ends, if you want to put the glass in a slide support, to slide back and forth) will keep you from having to lift it.

Other possibilities are the "lift and tilt" hinges they have started using in desks and coffee tables so you can elevate the surface. 

If the tank is against a wall, and you own your home, there are a lot of possibilities that will allow you to lift the lid and have it held in place. 

I use shop lights for several of my tanks, because light weight, inexpensive, and they will take a beating. The fish took a few months to adjust to the fact that the shop light was going to be moved when I service the tank to either hang on the back between the tank and the wall, or be slid to the back, or for the 4' tank, taken off the top of the tank and be rested on the end on the floor, with the other end against the wall, and leave the light on so I can see in the tank as the light illuminates  it from the side. (Did I mention lightweight and nearly indestructible?)

Since I never know when fibroflare, or unidentifiable nerve issues will flare up, I plant heavy and stock carefully, and have gotten rid of all filters except sponge combined with UG, so my tanks can survive if I can't service for some reason. 

I have to avoid vibrations in my hands, because it takes my nerves weeks to recover. That being said, electronically removing water is safer for me and the fish. Pond pumps or electrical fluid transfer units come in handy. 

Look at how the tank is planted. Would adding more plants along the ends and back part reduce needing to clean the glass?

What kind of substrate do you have?

Are there any fauna that can be added to work the substrate for you, so you don't need to gravel vac (turning the substrate means letting the aquarium animals turn the mulm into the substrate for the plants to use).

I am testing out theories in my Walstad, not just because I got 2 tanks for the price of 1, but also because I need to set up my dining room tank in a manner to accommodate my physical limitations that are not going to get any better. 

If you aren't looking at TikTok, there are some wonderful inspirations for how to create better accessibility accommodations. The more creative you are willing to be, the easier (and less painful and less numb) aquarium keeping can be. 

[Krys]

On 10/21/2021 at 9:19 PM, Torrey said:

@Krys I have helped a fair number of folx figure out accommodations as part of my daily job.

Things that can make it easier to service the aquarium:

A stool (adjustable, tall bar stools) to sit on that ensures your weight is easily distributed on 4 legs, and your armpit is at least 2" above the tank will reduce the pinching. If you already have a glass lid, and it's cutting your hand(s), if someone can assist you in cleaning the glass lid really well (isopropyl alcohol helps), and then apply silicone beading to the entire edge (or front and back edges and leave the last 1/2" on the 2 ends, if you want to put the glass in a slide support, to slide back and forth) will keep you from having to lift it.

Other possibilities are the "lift and tilt" hinges they have started using in desks and coffee tables so you can elevate the surface. 

If the tank is against a wall, and you own your home, there are a lot of possibilities that will allow you to lift the lid and have it held in place. 

I use shop lights for several of my tanks, because light weight, inexpensive, and they will take a beating. The fish took a few months to adjust to the fact that the shop light was going to be moved when I service the tank to either hang on the back between the tank and the wall, or be slid to the back, or for the 4' tank, taken off the top of the tank and be rested on the end on the floor, with the other end against the wall, and leave the light on so I can see in the tank as the light illuminates  it from the side. (Did I mention lightweight and nearly indestructible?)

Since I never know when fibroflare, or unidentifiable nerve issues will flare up, I plant heavy and stock carefully, and have gotten rid of all filters except sponge combined with UG, so my tanks can survive if I can't service for some reason. 

I have to avoid vibrations in my hands, because it takes my nerves weeks to recover. That being said, electronically removing water is safer for me and the fish. Pond pumps or electrical fluid transfer units come in handy. 

Look at how the tank is planted. Would adding more plants along the ends and back part reduce needing to clean the glass?

What kind of substrate do you have?

Are there any fauna that can be added to work the substrate for you, so you don't need to gravel vac (turning the substrate means letting the aquarium animals turn the mulm into the substrate for the plants to use).

I am testing out theories in my Walstad, not just because I got 2 tanks for the price of 1, but also because I need to set up my dining room tank in a manner to accommodate my physical limitations that are not going to get any better. 

If you aren't looking at TikTok, there are some wonderful inspirations for how to create better accessibility accommodations. The more creative you are willing to be, the easier (and less painful and less numb) aquarium keeping can be. 

Thanks so much for the help, since I’m still trying to figure this out.

When cleaning the tank, I use a step ladder that does elevate me a decent height above the tank. I also added seachem purigen to my filter to remove the tannins which makes it a lot easier to see in the water with less light / sunlight.
 

Part of the problem with the lid is that it doesnt actually fit properly and I’m not sure what’s really wrong with it. It is the proper size for the tank, it is just that something is either wrong with it or the tank. So, In order to get the lid to lay flat,  it needs to be set crooked. The glass edges cut into the plastic rim a bit And get stuck, and make it difficult to lift the lid with the handle in the front. Because of the ill fit i took off the plastic guard at the back since the out flow of the filter was pooling on top of the lid. If i move the lid even a few millimeters it will fall into the tank. Ive attempted to straighten the panels of glass, i think they are not perfectly parallel, or something like that. I don’t know if there is anything i can do to salvage the lid, or I’d end up spending just as much as making a siding or lighter lid as i would buying stuff to deal with the glass lid. 
 

ultimately i think the sliding lid would be the best choice for now. I’m also considering a canister filter in the future if only because it will be below the tank and not tucked behind the tank and easier to get to. 

as for the lights, shop lights would be a good idea. I’ve also seen hang flood lights over their tanks. Atm i am going to try to attach our regular mounted lights to a another piece of polycarbonate (the one linked to me seemed to have a decent amount of extra) and hang that above the tank using plant hanger hooks. I dont know how the lights will fare so far from the tank when it comes to lights penetration so shop lights may be the alternative if this doesn’t work. Fortunately we can return the stuff from Amazon lol

It’s a 40g that is currently stocked with 7 spotted corydoras, 7 amano shrimp, an assassin snail (after our pond snail population got out of control while i have been keeping them around for pea puffer food), a decent number of neocaridina shrimp, maybe like 20? They’re still shrimplets and that’s how many I’ve been able to count. We have since moved the mama shrimps to a 5g breeding tank. We plan on adding a school of medaka rice fish and a breeding set of clown killifish in the next several months, and perhaps an apistogramma and a dwarf goby but at the moment we aren’t exactly sure. I am waiting between each addition for the bacteria to catch up for several weeks and quarantining them accordingly. 
 

as for plants, i think it’s pretty decently planted. i wouldn’t say heavily but it’s getting there. We are waiting for the plants we have purchased to grow in now since there are a decent number of them but they’re baby plants and i think i am finally done messing with the scaping. For a while at least. I think. Our substrate is ecocomplete so it’s not hard to clean, not like the sand in the puffer tank. The cories have done a good job of keeping it looking clean, but i do at least change the water at least 25% once a week to replenish nutrients in the water for the plants and shrimp since i have noticed during my initial (plant in) cycle, several weeks without water changes results in a decent drop in KH. Despite having a pretty high ph (7.6ish) our KH is very low (about 2, or 40ppm). There is some crushed coral in the substrate help buffer against a major kh drop.

I will try finally downloading tiktok haha I’ve been avoiding it like the plague as i don’t really get along with social media well. Especially if these ideas don’t work out.

 When it comes to water changes we have a python, which works great, but i have to hold it in place. I was thinking of getting the python hook but i haven’t been able to find a baffle for it to prevent shrimplets from getting sucked up so I haven’t purchased one yet. If i can diy a python hook that i can baffle, that would solve a lot of issues.

i hope i answered everything. Thank you for your help!

[Odd Duck]

On 10/22/2021 at 1:11 AM, Krys said:

If i can diy a python hook that i can baffle, that would solve a lot of issues.

I think you could add a large ACO prefilter to the end of the python hook and that would keep your shrimplets safe.  When you stop the siphon, just remove the prefilter and shake it off well into the tank, then also do a visual inspection.  That should remove anybody that got caught and it will tend to diffuse the suction anyway so you may not even catch anybody.  Shrimplets are pretty fast when motivated.

I 100% agree with @Ken on getting some twinwall greenhouse sheeting for lids (available from big box hardware stores like HD).  It is extremely light weight and you can use a medium Command hook as a handle.  If you hang or suspend the light above the tank it would make it extremely easy to move the lid(s) as needed.