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Tank birthday and I'm a Geezer
- Thread starter Paul B
- Start date
Do I hear upgrade.....hahaYeah a little small Diana. But I would love for you to have it.
Paul B
NJRC Member
So far I have about 80 gallons of ASW mixed and I found and bought more large vats to hold water, fish, corals and rocks.
When I mix up about 50 more gallons of water and heat it up, I will remove about 20 gallons of water from my tank to put the fish in and remove another 20 gallons of water to rinse off my gravel. When there is about 8" of water left in the tank, I will stir it up vigorously turning the tank into essentially mud and siphon it out. Then I will use that 20 gallons I removed and dump it in there 5 gallons at a time and siphon that out.
I don't want to clean it to good because I have a pair of mandarins, 3 ruby red dragonettes, 2 bluestripe pipefish and 2 dragon faced pipes that all depend on pods..
I also won't clean all the algae off the back glass because thats where they hunt and I am not going to lift the UG filter plates. I am sure they will be hungry but I hope there is enough pods left for them. I am not cleaning the rocks with no sponge so they should be fine.
Then I will put most of the rock back in and the fish. Talk about stress.
When I mix up about 50 more gallons of water and heat it up, I will remove about 20 gallons of water from my tank to put the fish in and remove another 20 gallons of water to rinse off my gravel. When there is about 8" of water left in the tank, I will stir it up vigorously turning the tank into essentially mud and siphon it out. Then I will use that 20 gallons I removed and dump it in there 5 gallons at a time and siphon that out.
I don't want to clean it to good because I have a pair of mandarins, 3 ruby red dragonettes, 2 bluestripe pipefish and 2 dragon faced pipes that all depend on pods..
I also won't clean all the algae off the back glass because thats where they hunt and I am not going to lift the UG filter plates. I am sure they will be hungry but I hope there is enough pods left for them. I am not cleaning the rocks with no sponge so they should be fine.
Then I will put most of the rock back in and the fish. Talk about stress.
I love dragon face pipefish but can't find them any where.So far I have about 80 gallons of ASW mixed and I found and bought more large vats to hold water, fish, corals and rocks.
When I mix up about 50 more gallons of water and heat it up, I will remove about 20 gallons of water from my tank to put the fish in and remove another 20 gallons of water to rinse off my gravel. When there is about 8" of water left in the tank, I will stir it up vigorously turning the tank into essentially mud and siphon it out. Then I will use that 20 gallons I removed and dump it in there 5 gallons at a time and siphon that out.
I don't want to clean it to good because I have a pair of mandarins, 3 ruby red dragonettes, 2 bluestripe pipefish and 2 dragon faced pipes that all depend on pods..
I also won't clean all the algae off the back glass because thats where they hunt and I am not going to lift the UG filter plates. I am sure they will be hungry but I hope there is enough pods left for them. I am not cleaning the rocks with no sponge so they should be fine.
Then I will put most of the rock back in and the fish. Talk about stress.
Paul B
NJRC Member
So far I collected from my RO/DI almost 100 gallons of ASW. I got to say, collecting real water is so much easier.
To do that I get in my Jeep and back up to an ocean, In my case, the Atlantic.
I sit in my car and enjoy the sounds of the seagulls as I watch the fish jump.
I stroll to the back of my car and open the hatch, remove a bilge pump on the end of a 50' hose and throw it into the water.
I take the plug and insert it into my car's power outlet and gaze at the water going into one of the 10 gallon buckets I have.
After about 2 minutes, the water stops and I pull back the pump to clear the bowling ball size of ulva seaweed that is clogging the thing.
Throw it back into a different spot and look up and down the beach as I wait.
Off in the distance I see three beautiful Ladies walking in my direction. I live near the end of Long Island where a few Supermodels live so I figure one, or all of them are some of those wanting to come up to me to learn about reef tank husbandry, how I go about changing water, asking about quarantining, medicating or what is my favorite dance move.
As they get closer I notice they are elderly (but classy looking) Ladies who just want to know what kind of toxic waste I am dumping into the sea.
I explain my water change method and how natural sea water, IMO is better than ASW. How I go about cleaning it, heating it, and transferring it to my tank all the while as one of the Ladies, the least classy looking one is calling 911 to report a "Deviant" dumping used oil into the Atlantic.
To do that I get in my Jeep and back up to an ocean, In my case, the Atlantic.
I sit in my car and enjoy the sounds of the seagulls as I watch the fish jump.
I stroll to the back of my car and open the hatch, remove a bilge pump on the end of a 50' hose and throw it into the water.
I take the plug and insert it into my car's power outlet and gaze at the water going into one of the 10 gallon buckets I have.
After about 2 minutes, the water stops and I pull back the pump to clear the bowling ball size of ulva seaweed that is clogging the thing.
Throw it back into a different spot and look up and down the beach as I wait.
Off in the distance I see three beautiful Ladies walking in my direction. I live near the end of Long Island where a few Supermodels live so I figure one, or all of them are some of those wanting to come up to me to learn about reef tank husbandry, how I go about changing water, asking about quarantining, medicating or what is my favorite dance move.
As they get closer I notice they are elderly (but classy looking) Ladies who just want to know what kind of toxic waste I am dumping into the sea.
I explain my water change method and how natural sea water, IMO is better than ASW. How I go about cleaning it, heating it, and transferring it to my tank all the while as one of the Ladies, the least classy looking one is calling 911 to report a "Deviant" dumping used oil into the Atlantic.
Paul B
NJRC Member
No one is crazy about paying taxes and I will also have to pay this year. I have no mortgage, no kids in school and no guardian angel that works for the IRS.
What I did in my last house to lessen my taxes was how I built my home. They charge you real estate taxes for anything "permanent" you add or put on your house. I installed a huge driveway using paver bricks but I put them on "tamped down" sand. If they are not cemented, they don't charge you because theoretically, if I move, I can take them with me as they are not a permanent part of the property.
I finished my basement and added another kitchen for parties and things. They charge you for extra kitchens and you also also not allowed to have a kitchen in the basement. Not in New York anyway so to get around that, I installed all the cabinets with sheets of velcro.
I also put on the countertop with that so none of it was permanent.
I had to get an inspection because I converted my furnace from oil to gas and the inspector noticed my kitchen. He said that is illegal.
I grabbed the counter top and pulled it off, then pulled a cabinet away from the wall.
He was amazed and said it was a great idea so I had no problem. Of course I disconnected the stove. But as long as it was disconnected while he was there, it was legal.
I also build a shed in my back yard adjacent to the house. If it is connected to the house or on a concrete slab they tax it. I built it on pavers and had it an inch from my brick house so it was not connected to the house. I never got taxed for it.
What I did in my last house to lessen my taxes was how I built my home. They charge you real estate taxes for anything "permanent" you add or put on your house. I installed a huge driveway using paver bricks but I put them on "tamped down" sand. If they are not cemented, they don't charge you because theoretically, if I move, I can take them with me as they are not a permanent part of the property.
I finished my basement and added another kitchen for parties and things. They charge you for extra kitchens and you also also not allowed to have a kitchen in the basement. Not in New York anyway so to get around that, I installed all the cabinets with sheets of velcro.
I also put on the countertop with that so none of it was permanent.
I had to get an inspection because I converted my furnace from oil to gas and the inspector noticed my kitchen. He said that is illegal.
I grabbed the counter top and pulled it off, then pulled a cabinet away from the wall.
He was amazed and said it was a great idea so I had no problem. Of course I disconnected the stove. But as long as it was disconnected while he was there, it was legal.
I also build a shed in my back yard adjacent to the house. If it is connected to the house or on a concrete slab they tax it. I built it on pavers and had it an inch from my brick house so it was not connected to the house. I never got taxed for it.
In NJ if the shed is x number of feet or larger they tax you. I don't even think it matters if on a slab or not. I had a 6x6 shed and a small 4 foot garden box to put stuff in to avoid taxes.
Now that I live in a retirement community none of that matters.
Now that I live in a retirement community none of that matters.
Paul B
NJRC Member
I have almost all the rocks out of my tank with just a few left to make the fish at home...Kind of although they are getting the horrors..
I also mixed about 110 gallons of ASW. Most of my live rock is still live in vats of NSW so I won't lose the life on those. The biggest piece I couldn't save 100%. It has a lot of sponge on it so I have it outside in the air. I am hoping the 30 degree weather as well as the air freezes the sponge. That shouldn't kill all the bacteria but even if it does, there is plenty left and I am not removing the gravel.
In a couple of days I will heat all the water I just made and all in one fell swoop (that will take all day, I will remove all the corals, fish and remaining rock. Stir up the gravel and siphon it out. Then add everything back and glue all the corals back.
That will be tough because I had to cut all the very old gorgonians off the rocks and now they are not branching any more so I have a lot of single pieces to glue which may take more than a full day.
Now I can catch that big Koran Angelfish that no one wants and bring it to a LFS for their show tank.
I got my neighbor to help me lift the biggest rock as I was afraid of dropping it.
I also mixed about 110 gallons of ASW. Most of my live rock is still live in vats of NSW so I won't lose the life on those. The biggest piece I couldn't save 100%. It has a lot of sponge on it so I have it outside in the air. I am hoping the 30 degree weather as well as the air freezes the sponge. That shouldn't kill all the bacteria but even if it does, there is plenty left and I am not removing the gravel.
In a couple of days I will heat all the water I just made and all in one fell swoop (that will take all day, I will remove all the corals, fish and remaining rock. Stir up the gravel and siphon it out. Then add everything back and glue all the corals back.
That will be tough because I had to cut all the very old gorgonians off the rocks and now they are not branching any more so I have a lot of single pieces to glue which may take more than a full day.
Now I can catch that big Koran Angelfish that no one wants and bring it to a LFS for their show tank.
I got my neighbor to help me lift the biggest rock as I was afraid of dropping it.
Paul B
NJRC Member
I didn't realize I had so many fish and I even found this guy who I haven't seen since the day I put him in. I thought he croaked or jumped out someplace but he is fine and even colored up more. After I put the rocks back in, I am sure I will never see him again.
I couldn't save 2 of the anemones because they went into a hole in large rocks and I couldn't get them out. I found one of my fish in a bucket of rock that jumped out when I removed the rock, but he is fine.
Grand Kids are coming over today so I can't do anything but I plan on Tuesday or wednesday to do the big switch and put everything back.
I am not sure if the stress will affect the fish so maybe I will throw some Prozac in the water just to make sure.
I couldn't save 2 of the anemones because they went into a hole in large rocks and I couldn't get them out. I found one of my fish in a bucket of rock that jumped out when I removed the rock, but he is fine.
Grand Kids are coming over today so I can't do anything but I plan on Tuesday or wednesday to do the big switch and put everything back.
I am not sure if the stress will affect the fish so maybe I will throw some Prozac in the water just to make sure.
Paul B
NJRC Member
I just found this "hunting" story on another site from 2 years ago.
Once on an LZ a deer walked out of a clearing about 100 yards away. We normally ate C Rations and since we had a lot of Red Necks with us some of them decided to shoot the thing and one of then would cook it.
About a dozen of them started firing at the poor creature who just stood there in Awe. M-16s fully automatic, grenade launchers and I think one of them fired at it with a 60 caliper machine gun.
The deer eventually walked away. I said, "Please, if we get attacked here, you guys stand behind me so I can actually shoot something" .
Once on an LZ a deer walked out of a clearing about 100 yards away. We normally ate C Rations and since we had a lot of Red Necks with us some of them decided to shoot the thing and one of then would cook it.
About a dozen of them started firing at the poor creature who just stood there in Awe. M-16s fully automatic, grenade launchers and I think one of them fired at it with a 60 caliper machine gun.
The deer eventually walked away. I said, "Please, if we get attacked here, you guys stand behind me so I can actually shoot something" .