Pet Forum / Aquaria / Cichlids / January 2006

My 3 1/2-year-old grandson got up early today, didn't wake up mommy or
grandma and went downstairs to play.

I had been cleaning my 55-gal. cichlid/turtle tank, didn't finish and left
the self-priming siphon tube in the tank.  He pulled a chair over to the
tank, fished around to get the siphon, fiddled with it until it started and
siphoned all the water except the bottom 8" or so out of the tank.  Watered
the dormant plumeria sitting next to the tank, washed oh maybe 3 or 4" of
dirt out of it to add to the mess, then played in the dirt in the pot with
his Fisher Price people.

I woke up late, and by then much of it had dried and soaked into the
concrete floor and a large rag rug.  We had previously pulled up the carpet
in preparation for laying hardwood, thank God.

What a mess.  I had told his mama to buy a hook-and-eye for the inside of
her bedroom door, as he has made a habit of this and will not wake us up.
She had them, but didn't put them up.  Damn damn damn.  So I'm cloroxing and
mopping and have fans running and having a hell of a good time.  Made her
take the kid to daycare today too so I didn't beat him or something.