For fun - Open your secret shame! - tank stand storage

I used to wonder why there were so many random bits of plastic in my father's tank stand cupboard, and why he didn't just throw it out since he didn't seem to be using it. A year into the hobby, and I get it now! The stuff you use daily, weekly, or have used in the past and know that you will need again like airline tubing, airstones and random suction cups. Remains of meds that are still in date, boxes and manuals for equipment - it builds up quickly! And in my case at least, chaotically. Be brave and share photos or video, we'll all feel better about our own mess! Also please share any tips for how you organise these bits and bobs. I'm having a sort out and a tidy now since I'm re-arranging tanks, and we could all pick up some useful tips.

My secret shame, before photos. Cupboard as it is right now, stuff on top is from the two drawers I use and emptied out to sort:

That's an impressive rubber-band-ball

mbsqw1d said:

That's an impressive rubber-band-ball

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Haha, I bought it rather than making it I'm afraid. Was often taking 3-4 bags of young fish to the LFS at a time, and could never find enough small-ish rubber bands. So it lives in my fish cupboard with the bags.

Where's yours then! I wanna see your private hidden spaces! Wait, that sounds weird...

No longer an impressive rubber-band-ball then haha

Will share a pic later when I'm home..

AdoraBelle Dearheart said:

I used to wonder why there were so many random bits of plastic in my father's tank stand cupboard, and why he didn't just throw it out since he didn't seem to be using it. A year into the hobby, and I get it now! The stuff you use daily, weekly, or have used in the past and know that you will need again like airline tubing, airstones and random suction cups. Remains of meds that are still in date, boxes and manuals for equipment - it builds up quickly! And in my case at least, chaotically. Be brave and share photos or video, we'll all feel better about our own mess! Also please share any tips for how you organise these bits and bobs. I'm having a sort out and a tidy now since I'm re-arranging tanks, and we could all pick up some useful tips.

My secret shame, before photos. Cupboard as it is right now, stuff on top is from the two drawers I use and emptied out to sort:
View attachment 111038View attachment 111039View attachment 111040

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Love the empty wine glass...... mines always empty ..... time for a refill me thinks lol.

I would love to share my dark messy spot unfortunately mine is all over the place, I am killing myself laughing here.... I hope I’m not the only one!!

I haven’t built my cupboard For everything yet.

I don't use fish tank stands. All my tank are on my desk, save my 20g long and my 29g tank - they are on a super sturdy sitting bench. My 5g tank is near my bed.

Stands cost to much IMO - crazy.

PheonixKingZ said:

I don't use fish tank stands. All my tank are on my desk, save my 20g long and my 29g tank - they are on a super sturdy sitting bench. My 5g tank is near my bed.

Stands cost to much IMO - crazy.

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Doesn't have to be a tank stand. Mine technically isn't a tank stand. Just whatever space you use to store all your random fish related items. Come on, spill the stash!

xxamyxx85 said:

Love the empty wine glass...... mines always empty ..... time for a refill me thinks lol.

I would love to share my dark messy spot unfortunately mine is all over the place, I am killing myself laughing here.... I hope I’m not the only one!!

I haven’t built my cupboard For everything yet.

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Come on, show us some of it! Some of it has to be heaped in a drawer or a box, somewhere.

I used the wine glass as a surface skimmer, I SWEAR! A pint glass was too tall to use. I don't know what it says about me that those are the main two types of glassware I own, but I plead the fifth.

Come on folks, share yours! It's not fair to mock my balls and drinking habits, while keeping your embarrassing little secrets...

Here’s my storage areas. In the first pic, I have some meds and testing items in a wall cabinet nearby. In the second pic, I have a bookcase/cabinet next to my 35 gallon hex tank and stand. I keep food items and fertilizer on the lower bookshelf for easy access. Seachem prime and assorted filter accessories and an extra bag of colored gravel are kept in the cabinet. Finally in the third pic, I have leftover heaters, a light, and a couple of spare filters in one drawer of a metal filing cabinet filed under”fish equipment”.
There is also space inside the 35 gallon hex tank stand but I dont use it as it is hard to access.




.

Fishmanic said:

Here’s my storage areas. I have some meds and testing items in a wall cabinet nearby. I have the 35 gallon hex tank to the left of this bookcase/ cabinet. I keep food items and fertilizer on the lower bookshelf for easy access. Finally I have leftover heaters and a filter in one drawer of a metal filing cabinet filed under”fish equipment”.
There is also space inside the 35 gallon hex tank stand but I dont use it as it is hard to accessView attachment 111076

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I'm so happy I'm not the only one who shared, thank you!!

I made progress on sorting out mine today, but then abandoned it to do something else for a while because it was getting frustrating, lol. Fish stuff doesn't lend itself to being neatly sorted and tidy. Thank you for sharing yours!

I'm gonna let myself be messy, all my fishy stuff is all around my room

AdoraBelle Dearheart said:

Come on, show us some of it! Some of it has to be heaped in a drawer or a box, somewhere.

I used the wine glass as a surface skimmer, I SWEAR! A pint glass was too tall to use. I don't know what it says about me that those are the main two types of glassware I own, but I plead the fifth.

Come on folks, share yours! It's not fair to mock my balls and drinking habits, while keeping your embarrassing little secrets...

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Okay so heres my box full of stuff in my hallway and Buckets In the my kitchen (yes my kitchen, my organisational skills went out the window 5 months ago when my daughter was born). The buckets have a bonsai which is ‘in the making‘, moss balls and some little bits of java fern. API test kit is on kitchen side where it pretty much lives and my syphon and cleaning tools are hanging up in there. can’t wait until it all has a place.

wine glass as a surface skimmer?!?! Eh?? Enlighten me please?

AdoraBelle Dearheart said:

I don't know what it says about me that those are the main two types of glassware I own, but I plead the fifth.

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Well mind yer P's and Q's!!!

xxamyxx85 said:

View attachment 111094View attachment 111095
Okay so heres my box full of stuff in my hallway and Buckets In the my kitchen (yes my kitchen, my organisational skills went out the window 5 months ago when my daughter was born). The buckets have a bonsai which is ‘in the making‘, moss balls and some little bits of java fern. API test kit is on kitchen side where it pretty much lives and my syphon and cleaning tools are hanging up in there. can’t wait until it all has a place.

wine glass as a surface skimmer?!?! Eh?? Enlighten me please?

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Ahh, see? Doesn't it feel better to share and realise that you're not alone? We all have a problem with this stuff in this hobby I also have a bucket with java fern and moss in it, ready for when I finally get around to making another underwater 'tree'!

Wine glass as surface skimmer - it doesn't have to be a wine glass, lol. A short squat glass would work better, but the other drinking glasses I have are high ball ones, and they didn't fit well in the tank. My water lettuce was struggling at the time and leaving a horrible film on the surface, so I used the glass. Place the bottom on the surface then move it down while keeping it level until the water is just at the edge of the rim. Then allow just the surface layer of the water to flow slowly into the glass. Empy and repeat until you're happy it's clearer.

My plants are doing better now and filters do a better job of keeping the surface disturbed, but I was using it daily for a while, so it just lived in the cupboard. I've washed it and filled it with wine now, so all is as it should be.

AbbeysDad said:

Well mind yer P's and Q's!!!

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My apologies ma'am/sir!