What do you use for water spill cleanup?

Zinda

Community Member
View Badges
Joined
Mar 30, 2024
Messages
44
Reaction score
13
Location
Seattle
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
In the 3 months I've had my 110 gallon tank, I've already had 2 spills of, let's say, over 1.5 gallons of water. Given that the tank is on hardwood, that can do some damage. One of them was contained in a quite large custom tray I have built, but then I need to get the water out.

So, I'm looking for quick and simple ways to soak up a ton of water.

I thought "water absorbing" technology had come a long way, but it seems very hard to find products that start thin, can absorb huge water and then get thrown away.

I started with a Pig product which are thin blue mats. Turn out each one only absorbs a surprisingly small amount of water, like 1/10 of a gallon.

After researching what I finally understand are called "sorbent" products, it appears that they come in a few standard forms and, unless you just want to scatter a dust over everything (and try to clean it up later), the most absorbent kind are the "pillows" as far I can tell. The best I've found are this one from ULine that does 1.75 gallon per pillow and this one from Pig that does 2 gallon per pillow. The problem is they are *really* expensive. Like ~10$ per pillow.

Outside of grabbing all the towels in the closet, what products are people using for emergency spill cleanup?
 

Dan_P

7500 Club Member
View Badges
Joined
Sep 21, 2018
Messages
7,571
Reaction score
7,962
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
In the 3 months I've had my 110 gallon tank, I've already had 2 spills of, let's say, over 1.5 gallons of water. Given that the tank is on hardwood, that can do some damage. One of them was contained in a quite large custom tray I have built, but then I need to get the water out.

So, I'm looking for quick and simple ways to soak up a ton of water.

I thought "water absorbing" technology had come a long way, but it seems very hard to find products that start thin, can absorb huge water and then get thrown away.

I started with a Pig product which are thin blue mats. Turn out each one only absorbs a surprisingly small amount of water, like 1/10 of a gallon.

After researching what I finally understand are called "sorbent" products, it appears that they come in a few standard forms and, unless you just want to scatter a dust over everything (and try to clean it up later), the most absorbent kind are the "pillows" as far I can tell. The best I've found are this one from ULine that does 1.75 gallon per pillow and this one from Pig that does 2 gallon per pillow. The problem is they are *really* expensive. Like ~10$ per pillow.

Outside of grabbing all the towels in the closet, what products are people using for emergency spill cleanup?
How have a box of old towels within reach for emergencies.
 

VintageReefer

10K Club member
View Badges
Joined
Nov 16, 2023
Messages
10,181
Reaction score
16,462
Location
USA
Rating - 100%
2   0   0
Stop spilling 1.5g of water? How
Does that happen? Are you pouring water out of heavy 5g buckets?

For minor splashes and drips I just use spare towels. The ones that would normally get thrown out and replaced with new towels. I keep those and use them for floor spills
 
OP
OP
Z

Zinda

Community Member
View Badges
Joined
Mar 30, 2024
Messages
44
Reaction score
13
Location
Seattle
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Stop spilling 1.5g of water? How
Does that happen? Are you pouring water out of heavy 5g buckets?

:) Spill #1: have both ends of a vinyl tube in the tank with a loop of it over the side. Go to the bathroom. Come back and realize one side flopped out due to wave action from the powerhead and has siphoned a surprising amount of water onto the floor.

Spill #2: Go on vacation (that's probably enough of a reason right??). While you are there, inexplicably have the sump level rise slowly over the course of 5 days. About 3/8" per day. At some point, shut off the return pump to stop the rise, but of course the sump gets filled just a little bit more, let's call it 1.5 gallons, which basically goes over the side.

I have to believe most people have some kind of bizarre thing that has caused a big ole leak like that.
 

Twocorns

Well-Known Member
View Badges
Joined
Apr 13, 2016
Messages
581
Reaction score
224
Location
LV, NC
Rating - 0%
0   2   0
Shop vacation, but remove the filter before using to suck up water.

I also use my.carpet cleaner to.suck up water, or my mop
 

Rubymoon286

Active Member
View Badges
Joined
Oct 23, 2019
Messages
380
Reaction score
780
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
This is going to sound really really stupid, but I've had success with it with a tray under my orchid shelf, orbeez, and a shop vac - ymmv

put dry orbeez in the tray, let them absorb the water, shop vac them out of the tray, lay them out in the sun for an afternoon to dry back out (I think you may be able to also use an oven on low heat but I don't know for sure) and then the next time you spill repeat. I imagine if you don't hate the look of it, you could leave them in the tray to catch spills or minor overflows.
 

HAVE YOU EVER KEPT A RARE/UNCOMMON FISH, CORAL, OR INVERT? SHOW IT OFF IN THE THREAD!

  • Yes!

    Votes: 32 45.7%
  • Not yet, but I have one that I want to buy in mind!

    Votes: 9 12.9%
  • No.

    Votes: 26 37.1%
  • Other (please explain).

    Votes: 3 4.3%
Back
Top