Last week Wed (9/24) I was cleaning out a few of the many tanks we’ve got. I had just finished my 7 year old son’s tanks (he’s got a 30 and a 20). When I clean out my tanks, I use a 20′ hose to suction the water out the window to the plants below, then haul the regular hose up through the window and re-fill the tanks. (we’re on well water, no worries).

So his tanks re-filled and the hose turned off, I put it in the bathroom in case of leaks and went downstairs to make dinner and get the boy’s homework checked. I’m not sure how long it was between then and when I heard the crash. We had a shelf on the wall in the pantry/laundry room that held all my teas and other things. When I ran in there (Christian like cussing the cats out), I found the floor covered with water and the door way dripping loudly.  I ran upstairs to find that the hose had been moved into the middle of my boy’s room and turned on full out.  Not sure how long it was, but stepping into the room the water covered my foot.

To make it a bit shorter, I spent the next hour or so with the steam cleaner vac suctioning all the water out of the carpet. The boys I had sleep in the other room as I was afraid the floor would break through (I had no clue what the floors were built out of as the guy who first built this house cut every corner he could) and I lowered the water level in both tanks so the weight would be a bit less.

Next day I went out and got 2 box fans and a dehumidifier and set them up. Luckily my husband got home late that night (Thurs) and the floor was already starting to dry. Course in the living room now we’ve got a beautiful big brown stain all through the middle of the ceiling, but hey, could have been way worse!

When my husband got home he cut the carpet from the middle of the boy’s room. the wood was still damp, but nothing as bad as it could have been.   Now we need to get that room cleared out of everything and rip up the rest of the carpet. There’s a few things we’ve got to do though to even be able to do that. I’ve got a big tank outside that needs cleaning out and setting up downstair in the living room, then all of my son’s fish will be moved into that big tank. Then…I can take down his tanks and we can clear out that room.  But the big tank is so freakin’ heavy (it’s 75g old style heavy glass) that I can’t move it by myself.  Hopefully tonight either my bro wil be able to come help me move it, or it’ll have to wait till tomorrow when my husband’s home again. Then we can finally start getting that room back into shape. 

I’ve also decided because of this to sell off all my fish but for my son’s and my betta pairs.  So, this Sat Oct, 4th (for anyone interested) is an aquatic auction in town. All my angelfish (babies and adults) will be sold.  There will be various other fish that I have that’ll sell as well. My parents are setting up a 55g there and a few of the special angels that I have will go there till I can get my fish room built in the garage.  But basically I’ll go from 20+ tanks (not including all the betta tanks) to 3 or 4. Will be weird…lol  But will help calm things down here a bit…again, till I get my fishroom *grin*

Okay, I know this is nothing compared to what a lot of our country is or has been dealing with flood wise, I mean we’re lucky we didn’t have to do more than rip up carpet. Just the little bit that we’ve done here though makes me feel terribly for those that have lost everything in floods. And thanks to everyone that has done things to help those that need it!!!