diff --git a/fluid_lib/depends.txt b/fluid_lib/depends.txt
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..fd3c79f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/fluid_lib/depends.txt
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+node_io?
diff --git a/fluid_lib/init.lua b/fluid_lib/init.lua
index 6530c2c..c2c57a1 100644
--- a/fluid_lib/init.lua
+++ b/fluid_lib/init.lua
@@ -44,3 +44,4 @@ function fluid_lib.comma_value(n) -- credit http://richard.warburton.it
 end
 
 dofile(modpath.."/buffer.lua")
+dofile(modpath.."/nodeio.lua")
diff --git a/fluid_lib/mod.conf b/fluid_lib/mod.conf
index a8af194..bdcdba0 100644
--- a/fluid_lib/mod.conf
+++ b/fluid_lib/mod.conf
@@ -1 +1,2 @@
 name = fluid_lib
+optional_depends = node_io
diff --git a/fluid_lib/nodeio.lua b/fluid_lib/nodeio.lua
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..712f10d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/fluid_lib/nodeio.lua
@@ -0,0 +1,98 @@
+
+-- Node IO System
+local nodeiodef = {
+	node_io_can_put_liquid = function (pos, node, side)
+		return ele.helpers.get_item_group(node.name, 'fluid_container')
+	end,
+	node_io_can_take_liquid = function (pos, node, side)
+		return ele.helpers.get_item_group(node.name, 'fluid_container')
+	end,
+		-- if false, transfer node should only put and take in 1000 increments
+		-- inventory nodes that don't accept milibuckets should:
+			-- return zero in node_io_room_for_liquid() if non-1000 increment
+			-- return millibuckets parameter in node_io_put_liquid() if non-1000 increment
+			-- only return upto a 1000 increment in node_io_take_liquid()
+		-- transfer nodes that can put non-1000 increments should always check this or the inventory node might pretend to be full
+	node_io_accepts_millibuckets = function(pos, node, side) return true end,
+	node_io_put_liquid = function(pos, node, side, putter, liquid, millibuckets)
+		local buffers = fluid_lib.get_node_buffers(pos)
+		local leftovers = 0
+		for buffer,data in pairs(buffers) do
+			if millibuckets == 0 then break end
+			local didnt_fit = fluid_lib.insert_into_buffer(pos, buffer, liquid, millibuckets)
+			millibuckets = millibuckets - (millibuckets - didnt_fit)
+			leftovers = leftovers + didnt_fit
+		end
+		return leftovers
+	end,
+		-- returns millibuckets if inventory can hold entire amount, else returns amount the inventory can hold
+		-- use millibuckets=1 to check if not full, then call put_liquid() with actual amount to transfer
+		-- use millibuckets=1000 with room_for_liquid() and put_liquid() to only insert full buckets
+	node_io_room_for_liquid = function(pos, node, side, liquid, millibuckets)
+		local buffers = fluid_lib.get_node_buffers(pos)
+		local insertable = 0
+		for buffer,data in pairs(buffers) do
+			local insert = fluid_lib.can_insert_into_buffer(pos, buffer, liquid, millibuckets)
+			if insert > 0 then
+				insertable = insert
+				break
+			end
+		end
+		return insertable
+	end,
+	
+		-- returns {name:string, millibuckets:int} with <= want_millibuckets or nil if inventory is empty or doesn't have want_liquid
+		-- want_liquid should be the name of a source liquid (in bucket.liquids of bucket mod)
+	node_io_take_liquid = function(pos, node, side, taker, want_liquid, want_millibuckets)
+		local buffers = fluid_lib.get_node_buffers(pos)
+		local took = 0
+		local name = ""
+		for buffer,data in pairs(buffers) do
+			local bfdata = fluid_lib.get_buffer_data(pos, buffer)
+			local storage = bfdata.amount
+			local fluid = bfdata.fluid
+			if (fluid == want_liquid or want_liquid == "") and storage >= want_millibuckets then
+				name,took = fluid_lib.take_from_buffer(pos, buffer, want_millibuckets)
+				if took > 0 then break end
+			end
+		end
+		return {name = name, millibuckets = took}
+	end,
+	
+	node_io_get_liquid_size = function (pos, node, side)
+		-- this is always 1 unless inventory can hold multiple liquid types
+		local cnt = 0
+		local bfs = fluid_lib.get_node_buffers(pos)
+		for _ in pairs(bfs) do
+			cnt = cnt + 1
+		end
+		return cnt
+	end,
+
+	node_io_get_liquid_name = function(pos, node, side, index)
+		local cnt = {}
+		local bfs = fluid_lib.get_node_buffers(pos)
+		for buf in pairs(bfs) do
+			cnt[#cnt + 1] = buf
+		end
+		local meta = minetest.get_meta(pos)
+
+		return meta:get_string(cnt[index] .. "_fluid")
+	end,
+
+	node_io_get_liquid_stack = function(pos, node, side, index)
+		local cnt = {}
+		local bfs = fluid_lib.get_node_buffers(pos)
+		for buf in pairs(bfs) do
+			cnt[#cnt + 1] = buf
+		end
+		local meta = minetest.get_meta(pos)
+
+		return ItemStack(meta:get_string(cnt[index] .. "_fluid") .. " " ..
+			meta:get_int(cnt[index] .. "_fluid_storage"))
+	end,
+}
+
+function fluid_lib.register_node(nodename)
+	minetest.override_item(nodename, nodeiodef)
+end
diff --git a/fluid_tanks/init.lua b/fluid_tanks/init.lua
index 3294190..eca4571 100644
--- a/fluid_tanks/init.lua
+++ b/fluid_tanks/init.lua
@@ -144,6 +144,12 @@ local function create_tank_node(tankname, def, fluid_name)
 		preserve_metadata = preserve_metadata,
 		after_place_node = after_place_node,
 	})
+
+	if tankname:match("^:") then
+		tankname = tankname:sub(2)
+	end
+
+	fluid_lib.register_node(tankname)
 end
 
 function fluid_tanks.register_tank(tankname, def)