Baby proofing

[Crabs McJones]

Kids are naturally silly I swear. I walked in my living room the other day my toddler was standing up on our coffee table naked. And I realized she was wet... she somehow stole her daddy's drink that was 5 ft talk she is 2 and a half feet. She figured out her potty chair is also a stool... Yeah. I really hope she doesn't do that....

I have no idea how or why he did it but I probably lost about 80% of my coral, all the fish and inverts were fine though. Ran some carbon and a 50% water change.

This happened Aug 1st 2016.

I'm sure i've just jynxed myself, but I had no issues with my oldest getting into the tank, but my 1 year old who is proving to be more of a stinker I may have issues with. She's already climbed on the tv stand multiple times, she likes to climb off the coutch onto our end tables. Luckily she hasn't shown any interest in pulling up a kitchen chair to the tank..yet!

 

[mandi29221]

I'm sure i've just jynxed myself, but I had no issues with my oldest getting into the tank, but my 1 year old who is proving to be more of a stinker I may have issues with. She's already climbed on the tv stand multiple times, she likes to climb off the coutch onto our end tables. Luckily she hasn't shown any interest in pulling up a kitchen chair to the tank..yet!

Mine does that too with end tables. We have a ottoman that she pushes everywhere. I'm trying to figure out if I can somehow ruin it so hubby let's me get rid of it. It just takes up room... I know she will push it over to the tank to make a mess of my tank. Good word on the stinker part.

 

[Rick's Reef]

I have tot locks (magnetic releases...use the algae magnet as much as the tot lock key [emoji5]) on the under cabinet as well as the canopy. My son has 10 and has autism so he just doesn’t understand.

Before I finished the canopy, I walked by to the scene below (only the first half of my TBS rock was in). That is a full size beach towel, couple of PVC pipes and one thing not in the picture ([emoji336]). I didn’t freak out...just thought I need to get my phone and snap a picture...of course it was then I realized that my brand new iPhone was in the tank. Fortunately, it was a new one with waterproofing, so...

Let me just say the canopy instantly moved to the top of the build schedule [emoji1303]!

 

[mandi29221]

I have tot locks (magnetic releases...use the algae magnet as much as the tot lock key [emoji5]) on the under cabinet as well as the canopy. My son has 10 and has autism so he just doesn’t understand.

Before I finished the canopy, I walked by to the scene below (only the first half of my TBS rock was in). That is a full size beach towel, couple of PVC pipes and one thing not in the picture ([emoji336]). I didn’t freak out...just thought I need to get my phone and snap a picture...of course it was then I realized that my brand new iPhone was in the tank. Fortunately, it was a new one with waterproofing, so...

Let me just say the canopy instantly moved to the top of the build schedule [emoji1303]!

Welp a canopy is my next project!!!. This sounds like something my kids would do.

 

[Darryl]

how about...
"the fish looked hungry so i emptied a whole bag of oreos in the tank"

 

[mandi29221]

how about...
"the fish looked hungry so i emptied a whole bag of oreos in the tank"

I have a funny story about that. I was living with my dad during my 1st saltwater set up. I walked in to empty beer cans in my tank. I flipped out. He washed 3 cans with dawn rinsed them each 15 minutes each. Then placed them in my tank to tick me off when his friends were over because I told him to keep his nutty friends out my room... then I walked in the house n heard my nephew say here nemo her some cheese..... shredded cheddar cheese the whole dang 2 lbs bag...

 

[Crabs McJones]

how about...
"the fish looked hungry so i emptied a whole bag of oreos in the tank"

At least they ate good

 

[Ocelaris]

I've tried to involve my 2 year old in as much as I can with the fish tank. He's pretty good and that's worked out for us. We haven't baby proofed anything except the knife drawer and one other drawer. Kids are naturally curious and teaching them how things are done is our baby proofing which has it's own rewards. Sure they make some mistakes with the titrations, but I hear people on here making mistakes too

 

[salty joe]

When my son was two or three, I caught him climbing up my tank stand. He was a chunky big toddler and I was afraid he might bring the 30 gallon down on himself so I made wood spacers for between the stand and wall and screwed the stand to the wall studs.

 

[Ocelaris]

I can agree with the safety portion, I've heard too many horror stories of dressers etc... falling on the kids. There's a reason Ikea distributes wall attachment anchors for everything now.

 

[DCR]

Be careful not to provide any access to an open top or even a sump. They love to climb, and if they were to somehow lean over and topple over into the tank, they cannot get out and will not even struggle to. I watched my 18 month fall into a pool and for the few seconds he was underwater, he made no effort to move. I used to wonder how kids drown with adults around, but they put up no struggle. Do not get distracted when they are around water.

 

[mandi29221]

Be careful not to provide any access to an open top or even a sump. They love to climb, and if they were to somehow lean over and topple over into the tank, they cannot get out and will not even struggle to. I watched my 18 month fall into a pool and for the few seconds he was underwater, he made no effort to move. I used to wonder how kids drown with adults around, but they put up no struggle. Do not get distracted when they are around water.

Very good point.

 

[ca1ore]

Make sure your child cannot pull over the tank. Probably only an issue with small ones, but still. I always anchored the stand to the wall with heavy duty zip ties. Also, make sure your child cannot look directly into the main lights. I hung light block curtains around mine until they were old enough, and tall enough, to not do it.

Important to protect the tank; more important to protect the child.