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Tank birthday and I'm a Geezer
- Thread starter Paul B
- Start date
Paul B
NJRC Member
I figured out how to move my tank. We bought a new Condo about 60 miles from where I live now that is still being built and I was concerned that I may have to move out of my house before I close on the new place because it may not be built exactly by the day I have to move. If that happens we can move in with one of our friends but I can't take my fish and they frown on staying in the car in January.
I just made a deal with my friend who owns a LFS to rent a 55 gallon tank in his store where I can house my fish. (Not connected to his other tanks and no medications)I can put my corals in one of his coral tanks as there is enough light there.
I will also be able to fit probably half my rocks and gravel. The rest of my rock and gravel I will just try to keep wet until I move. I will go there every day to feed them because my fish are not used to normal LFS food and need gourmet worms and new born brine shrimp. If all goes well I won't lose anything. I am not worried about the corals as I can always buy new ones but it took me years to amass the types of fish I keep because I don't keep the more common types. This is one concern off my mind.
I just made a deal with my friend who owns a LFS to rent a 55 gallon tank in his store where I can house my fish. (Not connected to his other tanks and no medications)I can put my corals in one of his coral tanks as there is enough light there.
I will also be able to fit probably half my rocks and gravel. The rest of my rock and gravel I will just try to keep wet until I move. I will go there every day to feed them because my fish are not used to normal LFS food and need gourmet worms and new born brine shrimp. If all goes well I won't lose anything. I am not worried about the corals as I can always buy new ones but it took me years to amass the types of fish I keep because I don't keep the more common types. This is one concern off my mind.
Paul B
NJRC Member
Yesterday I was invited with my Daughter to tour this project they are trying to build under New York City right where the Williamsburg Bridge reaches Manhattan. I have been driving over that bridge all my life and never realized the ground under there is hollow. The space was built in 1903 as a turning around spot for the trolleys that went over the bridge. Now a subway line runs right past it but the trolley tracks are still there and the space which is about as large as a football field has not been used since 1948 so it is a little dusty. They are trying to put in a park sort of thing where trees and produce will be grown. Sunlight will be "piped" in from above using some type of new technology from Japan. There will be large sunlight collectors on the sidewalks above. A smaller prototype was built a few years ago and is growing produce. This will be a much larger experiment and if all goes well, it will serve as a model for many more places as New York City has many un-used subway tunnels as do other cities. Those areas are normally filthy, asbestos and steel dust ridden very dark rat infested locations so it will be a challenge.
The train tracks and trains that run right next to it will be partitioned off with glass so you can see (and hear) the trains go by.
The area may also be available to rent for parties. It will be very New Yorkish.
The train tracks and trains that run right next to it will be partitioned off with glass so you can see (and hear) the trains go by.
The area may also be available to rent for parties. It will be very New Yorkish.
Paul B
NJRC Member
The photographer came to my house today to take pictures for the real estate sale. She took more pictures of my tank than the rest of the house even though the tank is not for sale.
Actually, I am leaving the tank and just taking everything in it to my new home. Very soon I should start building my new stand and hopefully I will build a rock structure that will hold my existing rocks off of my gravel. That is still in the designing stages.
I may build the new stand out of cedar because it doesn't rot or warp but it is less than half as strong as most woods so I will have to double it up to give me the strength I need.
I am sure I will lose a bunch of corals during the move, especially the montipora's because I will have to break all of them off the rocks to move them. If they make it, I will glue them to the newly positioned structure.
I still have to buy the new 125 gallon tank and under gravel filter.
Actually, I am leaving the tank and just taking everything in it to my new home. Very soon I should start building my new stand and hopefully I will build a rock structure that will hold my existing rocks off of my gravel. That is still in the designing stages.
I may build the new stand out of cedar because it doesn't rot or warp but it is less than half as strong as most woods so I will have to double it up to give me the strength I need.
I am sure I will lose a bunch of corals during the move, especially the montipora's because I will have to break all of them off the rocks to move them. If they make it, I will glue them to the newly positioned structure.
I still have to buy the new 125 gallon tank and under gravel filter.
Paul B
NJRC Member
My tank is really ignored now that I am selling my house. I have been throwing things out like crazy and drawing prints for my new condo to change things around as they are building it. It's about 60 miles away so it takes a little time to get out there. I can't possibly fit all my existing stuff there so much of it goes in the garbage. I have so many sets of tools because I was a mechanic and still do all the work on my cars and boat and I was a plumber and electrician so I have tools for everything. Carpentry is one of my hobbies and carpentry tools are big and heavy and I am taking all of that. But I don't need 4 ratchet sets or 40 screwdrivers so I am donating most of it to my neighbors and friends. I already gave away all of my SCUBA stuff and a lot of my fish stuff including an Eheim filter. My garbage cans weigh a ton so I gave the sanitation guys a big tip because I feel sorry for them.
It's open house this Saturday so I may sell my home then. That would be nice but I can't move out until the other place is built. My fish are mad at me because they get fed at all different times if they get fed at all.
I try not to look them in the eye. I am sure I will lose some fish and maybe all my corals during this move but I hope not.
It's open house this Saturday so I may sell my home then. That would be nice but I can't move out until the other place is built. My fish are mad at me because they get fed at all different times if they get fed at all.
I try not to look them in the eye. I am sure I will lose some fish and maybe all my corals during this move but I hope not.
Paul B
NJRC Member
Yes, I am moving to Baiting Hollow near Riverhead.
I am throwing out pounds of books including all my antique fish books and all my fish and coral textbooks. Many I have not opened in decades. I just don't have the room or will to re-locate them.
I have tools specific to some cars, specifically Oldsmobiles which I was a mechanic for in the late 60s. I have no use for those tools any more. I also have timing lights, dwell meters, compression gauges and other out dated stuff that will have to go, most of it in the garbage as I don't have time to sell it or find out if anyone wants it.
I am throwing out pounds of books including all my antique fish books and all my fish and coral textbooks. Many I have not opened in decades. I just don't have the room or will to re-locate them.
I have tools specific to some cars, specifically Oldsmobiles which I was a mechanic for in the late 60s. I have no use for those tools any more. I also have timing lights, dwell meters, compression gauges and other out dated stuff that will have to go, most of it in the garbage as I don't have time to sell it or find out if anyone wants it.
Paul B
NJRC Member
I have not seen this guy for months and figured he shed and got eaten by the hoards of bristleworms I have in my tank. Thats what usually happens to any crustaceans in my tank when they shed. But this little fella showed up yesterday no worse for the wear. I think I still have four more of them in the back someplace.
Paul B
NJRC Member
In spite of my practically ignoring my tank lately, everything looks great. My Bangai is still living although he has not eaten anything in about a month and his age is severely slowing him down. He still gets around but slower and has no interest in the things he used to like, He is also near sighted or practically blind but he is way past his lifespan so I wish him a peaceful demise whenever it comes.
My four pipefish are still enjoying the tank and all eating a little too much. The copperband is still my largest eater by far and it is hard to keep enough clams for him. The bluestripes, mandarins, clownfish and striped cardinals are still spawning and the two purple Queen Anthias are constantly catching tiny particles from the water column.
I really enjoy the Janss and dragon face pipefish and after I move, (if I am lucky enough to move the tank) I would like to get a few more.
My wife is in a lot of pain which is almost unbearable and I am trying to help her as much as I can but there is nothing I can do. She may have to go again for Gamma Knife surgery to treat Trigeminal Neuralgia due to the MS.
This is making me very sad as I can't help her.
My four pipefish are still enjoying the tank and all eating a little too much. The copperband is still my largest eater by far and it is hard to keep enough clams for him. The bluestripes, mandarins, clownfish and striped cardinals are still spawning and the two purple Queen Anthias are constantly catching tiny particles from the water column.
I really enjoy the Janss and dragon face pipefish and after I move, (if I am lucky enough to move the tank) I would like to get a few more.
My wife is in a lot of pain which is almost unbearable and I am trying to help her as much as I can but there is nothing I can do. She may have to go again for Gamma Knife surgery to treat Trigeminal Neuralgia due to the MS.
This is making me very sad as I can't help her.
Paul B
NJRC Member
After we came back from DR (MRI, Blood etc.) I put her in bed and noticed my skimmer was just making large bubbles. I actually noticed this 2 weeks ago but I have been busy so I couldn't mess with it. I just took apart the venturi valve and it was filled with tube worm shells so I cleaned it out. I don't know if they grew there or got sucked up in the intake but it was completely clogged. I run ozone which it seems bristle worms enjoy because there is a tiny one doing the Macarana in my skimmer.
Paul B
NJRC Member
Yesterday I fed my tank as usual. Clams, mysis, new born brine shrimp and live worms. Of course all the fish, especially the copperband rushed out and try to eat everything before the next fish gets it. My Janss pipefish also but he has a tiny mouth and can't eat much food unless it is very tiny, but the competition was fierce and I guess he was hungry so he darted through the hoard of fish like a javelin almost spearing the copperband to grab a mysis shrimp. I watched in horror because I knew that mysis was to large for him. I was right, he started to choke. If he had hands he would have put them on his throat, the international symbol for choking. He was in trouble and I could see the tail of the mysis sticking out his gill. He was trying to gag, but fish don't gag well and they don't have a tongue to push the food out. I rolled up my sleeves, ready to go in to give him the Heimlich maneuver, or worse, a tracheotomy. But I was to slow, he made his way behind the rocks. I crawled around the back of the tank with a flashlight only to see him twisting and gagging. The eyes on the bristle worms were wide open in anticipation of a long skinny meal. I couldn't watch any longer so I had a glass of Grand Marnier and watched a re run of Star Trek.
This morning I fully expected to see him in pieces sticking out from under a hermit crab shell.
The lights came on and there he was. Smiling and looking for more mysis.
You could see the Janss in this Video.
This morning I fully expected to see him in pieces sticking out from under a hermit crab shell.
The lights came on and there he was. Smiling and looking for more mysis.
You could see the Janss in this Video.
I'm hoping it was TOS (the original series), as we all know it had the best sci-fi writers of the time and is currently consider a classic to be enjoyed with a fine snifter.
Hope everything smooths out and stabilizes with your wife. MS is a crap draw of the deck. Hoping she has a good pain management doc, if not, drop me a PM. I work with a few well respected physiatrists and could gather a few names for you.
Paul B
NJRC Member
Thanks Mark. Actually she is a little worse today. That trigeminal neuralga is a killer pain. We went to her pain management doc yesterday but there isn't much you can do for that particular pain. The meds she is on now can reduce the pain after a few months but it makes the MS worse making it harder to walk. She has had MS for about 20 years and we know every MS doc and pain Mgt doc with in 1,000 miles. There is only so much you can do. She had Gamma Knife surgery the last time and that fries the nerve slightly and worked then. They won't pay for that too often as it is expensive. Like $125,000.00
I also took her for stem cells in California 6 months ago. The outcome on that is still questionable so far.
I also took her for stem cells in California 6 months ago. The outcome on that is still questionable so far.
Paul B
NJRC Member
I am in the process of designing the new room in my new house where my tank will go. Right now it is a cement room with no windows about 18' X 20'. I need to build my workshop and some closets for myself and my wife. The most important thing is my tank and my workbench. I will put the tank in a closet with the front showing so I will just have to heat that closet while I am not home. I will also heat the rest of the space. Of course I will have multiple heaters in the tank. I am designing my RO/DI in the fish closet as well as my auto top off bucket like I have now. Also the effluent from the RO will feed the blackworm tank as it does now. I will also put in a bathroom and slop sink.
I will use metal studs for most of the construction and wood in the fish closet (for the rust). My galvanized stand now is very rusty and metal studs will rust right away. I will also sheetrock the fish closet with green (moisture proof) sheetrock. I was in construction all my life and have build many such places. The work is easy. The design I want to be perfect before I build. There is also a Home Depot and Lowes with in a mile which will be convenient.
I also need to put in an elevator for my wife who doesn't do stairs well due to MS. The place is all on one floor but that floor is over the garage and workshop.
I am cleaning out to move and I just threw out almost all my SCUBA pictures from all over the world. I also found a bunch of old tank pictures from the 80s. I can't take everything and being I have not look at them for years, I don't need them.
I will use metal studs for most of the construction and wood in the fish closet (for the rust). My galvanized stand now is very rusty and metal studs will rust right away. I will also sheetrock the fish closet with green (moisture proof) sheetrock. I was in construction all my life and have build many such places. The work is easy. The design I want to be perfect before I build. There is also a Home Depot and Lowes with in a mile which will be convenient.
I also need to put in an elevator for my wife who doesn't do stairs well due to MS. The place is all on one floor but that floor is over the garage and workshop.
I am cleaning out to move and I just threw out almost all my SCUBA pictures from all over the world. I also found a bunch of old tank pictures from the 80s. I can't take everything and being I have not look at them for years, I don't need them.