Seriously wondering what I did wrong. The only thing I know happened was my partner saying, "At least we fixed the tub flooding thing" 2 days ago. Is that the problem? Lol

I have your typical quick bucket setup. Reptile Basics 5 gallon tub, tubes and nozzles. I had an issue with flooding 2 months ago, so I took down the nozzles, took them apart and soaked them in some CLR. I'm in southern California and the water is known for being ridiculously hard at times.

I haven't drilled a hole in the bottoms for drainage yet... seriously considering it though after almost coming close to flooding another litter like last time... ugh.

There's no debris in the line. The 2 flooded tubs this time were the bottom two with the least amount of water being needed for rats. The only thing I did was maybe fill the bucket slightly more than I usually do... the last check I'll need to do is check that the actual bulkheads are still tight, but there's no leakage around the bucket.

Tell me.
What are your secrets for keeping your tubs hydrated and leak free! I would like to know.
Is my fate going to hinge on CLR soaks every 2-3 months in case of hard water buildup?