Load off my floor
We lost about 700 lbs today. Nope, not on a Superbowl diet. But the shedding of a freshwater aquarium that had been overlooked recently since I'm involved in other things, including saltwater reef tanks. The CO2 system was working well, the plants were growing, the fish were thriving. A balanced fish tank, like a balanced life, maintains itself until stressors hit. Then it requires watchful maintenance. Perfect time to show and sell.
Yay for Craigslist - one buyer wanted the tank for a reef set-up. The other wanted all the innards and fish for a new freshwater tank arriving this afternoon -- fish, plants, gravel, landscaping, food, and water conditioners.
The two parties arrived within a minute of each other and we kicked into action with floor towels in place. First, we scooped and tore up plants, lifted out rocks and bogwood branches, and started the drain. The 5/8" tubing sucked water quickly as the 15 year old son of one buyer ran back and forth -- door to tank -- to dump fish water into the porch planters. We pulled out the filters, heater, and pump, and packed out the tank and stand. The fish swam into the nets and were popped into transport pails. Within an hour, the flourishing aquarium was dismanted, stowed in two trucks, and moving up the driveway to new homes.
I'm breathing easy. Happy to have space where there was none, and pleased to vacuum the floor and dust baseboards that haven't seen the light for a few years.
Yay for Craigslist - one buyer wanted the tank for a reef set-up. The other wanted all the innards and fish for a new freshwater tank arriving this afternoon -- fish, plants, gravel, landscaping, food, and water conditioners.
The two parties arrived within a minute of each other and we kicked into action with floor towels in place. First, we scooped and tore up plants, lifted out rocks and bogwood branches, and started the drain. The 5/8" tubing sucked water quickly as the 15 year old son of one buyer ran back and forth -- door to tank -- to dump fish water into the porch planters. We pulled out the filters, heater, and pump, and packed out the tank and stand. The fish swam into the nets and were popped into transport pails. Within an hour, the flourishing aquarium was dismanted, stowed in two trucks, and moving up the driveway to new homes.
I'm breathing easy. Happy to have space where there was none, and pleased to vacuum the floor and dust baseboards that haven't seen the light for a few years.
