What's in your aquarium toolbox?

Jivatma · Jul 30, 2021

As I dive into my first tank, it got me thinking. Surely not everyone gets shoulder deep in their tank when they messing with stuff, so it got me thinking.

What's in your toolbox specifically for your tank? What do you keep on hand vs what do you make a trip to LFS for?

I want to get a small collection so I'm not always sticking my hands in the water. And i don't really have a LFS so I have to limit my trips or plan ahead with online purchasing. So I'm looking for practical and useful things.

Just curious to see what everyone has!

lapin · Jul 30, 2021

I have a back up of almost everything electrical and machanical

Lukeluke · Jul 30, 2021

If you're talking about things specifically for keeping your hands out of the tank, I haven't picked one up yet, but some kind of long grabber would be handy. Either stainless tongs or something like this: https://www.bulkreefsupply.com/aquarium-tongs-tunze.html

I ordered something similar from Amazon but it arrived borken.

Buckets. Obs. I have one 1 gallon bucket but need at least one more. Handy for acclimation. 5g buckets come free with salt. Eventually.

ying yang · Jul 30, 2021

Tweezers
Dental pick
Coral feeder
Gravel vac and tubing
Extra pump to mix saltwater and pump water out sump sometimes doing water change then use pump to pump new saltwater back in,saves using jugs and my back filling tank back up.
So far 5 different kinds frozen cubes food.
Algae sheets/ nori
Algae flakes
PLASTIC GRABBER DESIGNED FOR REEF TANKS, made mistake at first buying £ 2.99 one and had steel cable inside and off course saltwater ate it up in 2 weeks lol and snapped.
Few empty containers to dip corals ( i juat use old take away plastic containers.
Couple different coral dips ( decided what corals i want to get then researched what pests usually on these corals then bought the dips that target them pests,
If got sump then some kind light under stand.
Some kind cable management i will need to get as right rats nest at moment.
Qt tank constantly running,( can just have hang on back filter or i prefer internal canister filter in sump so always got bacteria on.just squeeze out in tank water when do wc and put in qt tank when needed)
Spare heater.
The pump for mixing salt and doing wc is my spare return pump as need return pump to connect sump to main display.
Algae scraper.
I not got many meds but couple the basics.
I dont bother but some use long gloves that go to the shoulder.
Thats all i can think off what i got.i know some dont fit in " tool box per say" but imo there important for me

Edit: for storing rodi i got 4 x 25 litre containers and always got 3- 4 full so can mix up saltwater quick if needed.some have big brute bins with rodi and another with saltwater cobstantky mixed/stored etc.i may do this in future.
I did want to get label maker to label up what plug is for what equipment but at moment i just wrote on paper and celotaped tjem to plugs.
Also i save all the bags when buy corals/fish as sometimes they come in handy

Mr. Mojo Rising · Jul 30, 2021

I have spares of everything. And i keep all my broken equipment to use the parts

Mehlvis · Aug 2, 2021

ying yang said:
Tweezers
Dental pick
Coral feeder
Gravel vac and tubing
Extra pump to mix saltwater and pump water out sump sometimes doing water change then use pump to pump new saltwater back in,saves using jugs and my back filling tank back up.
So far 5 different kinds frozen cubes food.
Algae sheets/ nori
Algae flakes
PLASTIC GRABBER DESIGNED FOR REEF TANKS, made mistake at first buying £ 2.99 one and had steel cable inside and off course saltwater ate it up in 2 weeks lol and snapped.
Few empty containers to dip corals ( i juat use old take away plastic containers.
Couple different coral dips ( decided what corals i want to get then researched what pests usually on these corals then bought the dips that target them pests,
If got sump then some kind light under stand.
Some kind cable management i will need to get as right rats nest at moment.
Qt tank constantly running,( can just have hang on back filter or i prefer internal canister filter in sump so always got bacteria on.just squeeze out in tank water when do wc and put in qt tank when needed)
Spare heater.
The pump for mixing salt and doing wc is my spare return pump as need return pump to connect sump to main display.
Algae scraper.
I not got many meds but couple the basics.
I dont bother but some use long gloves that go to the shoulder.
Thats all i can think off what i got.i know some dont fit in " tool box per say" but imo there important for me

Edit: for storing rodi i got 4 x 25 litre containers and always got 3- 4 full so can mix up saltwater quick if needed.some have big brute bins with rodi and another with saltwater cobstantky mixed/stored etc.i may do this in future.
I did want to get label maker to label up what plug is for what equipment but at moment i just wrote on paper and celotaped tjem to plugs.
Also i save all the bags when buy corals/fish as sometimes they come in handy

I also find this to be very valuable info. Thanks!