Child safety tips?

[snakeblitz33]

Hey guys and gals,
As some of you regulars on here know that I have a kid... Well, she is almost 9 months old and I tell yah, she is about to walk and get into EVERYTHING. So, I need some tips on how to make my aquarium childproof.
I guess I am going to have to build my side cabinet soon to keep her out of the electrical work, which I guess would be step one. However, what will keep her from unplugging the power cord from the wall when we aren't looking? (No one better call this bad parenting, because we are all human...)
My aquarium doors also need to be locked up tight - is there something that I can use that won't permanently damage the wood,... Ideas will help greatly!
The other thing is that the floor in my kitchen isn't necessarily the most stable thing in the world - since it is a trailer. The aquarium sits on two floor joists, but I can grab the tank rim and jerk it a little bit and the whole thing can shake back and forth. Scares the heck out of me! What should I do about this... I'm worried that my little bundle of joy will ram into it or something and try to knock it over or something. I keep having these nightmares... lol. I know she isn't old enough or strong enough to pull it or push it over but I dunno - just something on my mind. The stand is secure and still level - and solidly built. I guess I just worry too much.

 

[pbienkiewi]

There are all sorts of child proof cabinet larches out there From .

If your tank is wobbly you are going to make some sort of wedges or shims to stabalize the open area under the tank to the floor. Either make small wedges and slide them or measure the total distance that needs to shimmed. Drain some water out to ligten the tank and slide them in. When you fill the tank up it should push the shims tight to the floor. a soft wood like pine will compress some to keep it tight.

 

[snakeblitz33]

It was shimmed when I set the tank up. The stand itself is perfectly level. I made sure of that when I built it.
Thanks for the ideas on the latches. That really helps.

 

[pbienkiewi]

What I was saying is that the shims level the tank. but do you have any open areas under the stand that are open? If so fill them with wood and that will help stabalize it more.. So you have as close to 100 percent contact between the cabinet and floor with no gaps. You get what I me.

 

[pbienkiewi]

Fill in any open areas to help stabalise it. All the weight is on the shims and can rock the tank. Pretty much with only a few shims you make a fulcrum and you do not want that.

 

[snakeblitz33]

Hah, you're right. I took the remaining shims that I had and I pushed one of them under the stand and it slid in a bit on one side. I guess I will have to "fill in the gaps" I didn't think about that. Thank you. I learn something new every day!
I would have built my stand differently if I knew what problems it had now. On the other hand, I know these problems and have been correcting them on the last few stands that I have built!

 

[pbienkiewi]

Safety first especially with little ones. Make sure you drain some water out to lighten the weight of the tank so the shims will be nice and tight. When you add the water back in it will compress the stand tight on the shims and onto the floor.