Tank birthday, 47+ years

[Slyler]

Happy birthday Paul! Love the thread and all the stories! Hopefully the pain goes away soon for you!

 

[Giddyup]

Happy Birthday Mr. B. ... Refreshing post ... Will have to start at beginning of thread as sure to be a good read. [emoji106]

 

[Paul B]

Thanks guys. I feel so old.
I still got a lot of pain but I like to hit it with a hammer to know I am still alive.

 

[Paul B]

I am all excited, soon I will go to my Doctor to get my "glue" removed. You can't get stitches removed any more because they don't use them. Only glue which they stick you together with and put a piece of tape over. The glue and tape is all scurvy and filthy looking from the last 2 weeks. I assume they will need nail polish remover to get this stuff off of me but it is itchy and ruins the beautiful shape of my leg.

I asked Greta my Grand Daughter if she wants to see it. I said it is all yucky and oozing. She ran away and yelled DISCUESTING, NO.

Today I will also buy some fish food because my Dr, is right near a large LFS and I am almost out of food. Another day and my fish will have to eat linguini can clams like the rest of us.

The tank is doing great but needs a water change. When I can walk better I will collect some water and hopefully some mud.
Everything is doing what it is supposed to do and nothing jumped out in quite a while. I do need a new white worm culture as mine is just to old and stinky. It is many years old. Luckily I have some fresh clams to feed the fish.

 

[Chasmodes]

Happy Birthday Paul!

 

[Todvod]

Happy birthday Paul!

 

[Paul B]

Thanks Guys.

 

[Victoria M]

Happy Birthday Paul!

 

[Paul B]

Thanks Victoria

 

[fishybizzness]

I would come help you collect some water but it's a long swim from here to there! I hope you're back on your feet fully in the near future!!

 

[Fin]

Happy Birthday, Mr. B!

 

[Todvod]

I looked close at my tank last night and I still have a load of those flatworms but they are darker. That usually means they are on their way out (or they got a tan) They did not hurt anything and are welcome back. I don't know what is in Flatworm Exit but I doubt it exists in the sea. Almost all "pests" will leave on their own and I have never in my life dipped a coral in anything. Maybe I am very lucky or just stupid.

I also don't fresh water dip my fish or ever had to de-worm anything. I am not sure why. I never remember losing a fish to worms or flukes. Maybe the naturalness of my tank somehow alleviates those concerns. I find that a natural tank with natural methods and foods, with no Alien chemicals equals success in this hobby.

I consider quarantine an Alien method that short circuits my entire method and, to me anyway, almost guarantees disaster "eventually". A tank can not be self maintaining for an extended amount of time using that method unless you continue to use un-natural methods because by short circuiting the natural life style of the fish you are dooming them to a much shorter lifespan.
All of our fish should only die from jumping out or old age. Anything else is a total failure. If a clownfish dies of something at 15 years old, that is a failure as that fish can live 30 years.

But for a fish, any fish to complete it's presumed lifespan, it needs to be a complete fish, eating it's normal complete food which means parasites and bacteria. A complete fish has a complete, working immune system that is used constantly for what it was designed for. Quarantined fish lack that ability and IMO, not a complete fish but a fish artificially being kept alive by extra ordinary means in an un natural, quizi sterilized system.


Of course there is bacteria in every system, but disease bacteria is needed along with good bacteria, viruses and parasites as they all work together to keep each of them in check.
I know I am beating a dead horse with this and that horse is beginning to stink, but just look at the disease threads on any forum. Look at all the medications used. See how many fish are dying un needlessly.

It is all due to un natural conditions that people invented through out the history of this hobby to try to fix a situation that we ourselves created.

Quarantine "causes" disease, not the other way around. Of course if you get a fish in the process of getting last rites, you need to do something, but you should not have gotten that fish in the first place.

Most threads start out with . I bought such and such a fish, it was eating well then in 4 days it developed spots. I dipped him, treated with Prizapro and watched him deteriorate for a week until it died so I blame the store.


Isn't it odd that that never happens to me. Am I that good an aquarist? No, I am not. I do have experience and common sense that came from killing many many fish.
Unfortunately these methods have been rumored into us for decades and we will never be successful in this hobby until we turn to a more natural approach which is also much cheaper and easier.
Just my pain induced, drug related opinion of course.
I am also a year older today so that makes me more senile. I am old, senile, in pain and crotchety so if you don't agree with any of this. Forget about it and plant some tomatoes.

Hi Paul,
I’m new at this salt water game(6 months in), actually keeping fish/coral period. I believe you stated in a prior post that your method is not really for beginners, correct? How then should one start out? And then transition to your method? Does your book discuss how to start out? I feel kind of stuck out here - not wanting to go down the QT/med route(the predominant advise out here) but needing to deal with sick fish.
Thanks! Tod

 

[Paul B]

Todvod, I just wrote this on another thread here. My book does mention it but my book was also not geared toward beginners.

a Noob will have problems no matter what they do or what system they use. It is not their fault, it is the fault of the finicky bacteria and viruses that keep each other in check. In the sea those things have been doing their own thing and keeping each of their numbers in check. But in a tank, they can't do a good job because we use dry rock or medicate. Medication always kills something and a lot of the stuff it kills is good stuff. Noob tanks are tough and I hesitate to give advice to Noobs because as I said, they will have problems no matter what.

But the systems can't really be mixed. We can feed what we consider good food but even that I will have a problem with because you can't feed quarantined fish live or even fresh foods. That is a paradox.

I think a Noob should start a tank whatever way he wants, quarantine a short time, maybe a week to observe the fish. Then add it with fresh, live or frozen foods that have living bacteria in it. Your fish will probably get sick. It is the nature of the beast. Fish, and us need to catch something to become immune from it. Just don't panic if you see some spots. Continue to feed those foods, especially live worms if you can get them and above all, don't medicate or dip. If the fish gets really sick, remove him to treat. He may live or die but eventually, if he lives he will become immune.

All your fish have parasites on them when you buy them no matter what the LFS says. All healthy, freshly collected fish have parasites and they help the fish stay immune.
Food and no stress is the biggest thing we can do to get our tank off to a healthy start. Medication, quarantine, flakes and pellets are very stressful to fish. They have amazing powers of recovery as long as we don't mess with them.
It's like in Washington's Day. We used to bleed sick people to try to cure them. Their problem was probably low blood pressure and bleeding just killed them so we figured we didn't remove enough blood. It's the same with fish. Dipping, prozapro, copper is all stressful as those things are poisons. Poisons are going to stress or kill a fish.
Yes, they will all not become immune and live forever, but as our tank matures and the bacteria, viruses and parasites become accustomed to each other and the fishes immune system learns how to react to them, the tank will be fine and stay immune.

Remember most fish in a dealers tanks will be in copper or some other anti parasite medication. When you remove that medication, the parasites will show. It's not the dealers fault, he is in business to sell fish and not hold your hand if a fish dies.
Eventually a tank will settle down ans if kept natural,should survive forever.

 

[Todvod]

Todvod, I just wrote this on another thread here. My book does mention it but my book was also not geared toward beginners.

a Noob will have problems no matter what they do or what system they use. It is not their fault, it is the fault of the finicky bacteria and viruses that keep each other in check. In the sea those things have been doing their own thing and keeping each of their numbers in check. But in a tank, they can't do a good job because we use dry rock or medicate. Medication always kills something and a lot of the stuff it kills is good stuff. Noob tanks are tough and I hesitate to give advice to Noobs because as I said, they will have problems no matter what.

But the systems can't really be mixed. We can feed what we consider good food but even that I will have a problem with because you can't feed quarantined fish live or even fresh foods. That is a paradox.

I think a Noob should start a tank whatever way he wants, quarantine a short time, maybe a week to observe the fish. Then add it with fresh, live or frozen foods that have living bacteria in it. Your fish will probably get sick. It is the nature of the beast. Fish, and us need to catch something to become immune from it. Just don't panic if you see some spots. Continue to feed those foods, especially live worms if you can get them and above all, don't medicate or dip. If the fish gets really sick, remove him to treat. He may live or die but eventually, if he lives he will become immune.

All your fish have parasites on them when you buy them no matter what the LFS says. All healthy, freshly collected fish have parasites and they help the fish stay immune.
Food and no stress is the biggest thing we can do to get our tank off to a healthy start. Medication, quarantine, flakes and pellets are very stressful to fish. They have amazing powers of recovery as long as we don't mess with them.
It's like in Washington's Day. We used to bleed sick people to try to cure them. Their problem was probably low blood pressure and bleeding just killed them so we figured we didn't remove enough blood. It's the same with fish. Dipping, prozapro, copper is all stressful as those things are poisons. Poisons are going to stress or kill a fish.
Yes, they will all not become immune and live forever, but as our tank matures and the bacteria, viruses and parasites become accustomed to each other and the fishes immune system learns how to react to them, the tank will be fine and stay immune.

Remember most fish in a dealers tanks will be in copper or some other anti parasite medication. When you remove that medication, the parasites will show. It's not the dealers fault, he is in business to sell fish and not hold your hand if a fish dies.
Eventually a tank will settle down ans if kept natural,should survive forever.

Thanks Paul. No sick fish yet. Have QT’d mostly to observe, but did treat second batch with prazi. I feed LRS and live black worms everyday. So far so good. Now if I only could get rid of this cyano.

 

[Paul B]

Now if I only could get rid of this cyano.

I have that too.

 

[Paul B]

Even though my tank uses minimal maintenance I realize It does require "some" maintenance. My powerheads were covered in growth, my algae scrubber looks like the produce section of a supermarket and the glass looks like sheet metal. My skimmer is filthy and overflowing a little. I have been trying to do these things but the knee pain with associated sick feeling from the meds is hampering my attempts.
I cleaned the powerheads but not the scrubber. I think I went over my standing up time today and I can't do it sitting down. I can't get the fish to do anything on their own as they are slobs.
My magnet/razor glass cleaner broke and I have to build a new one.
Now I am going to lay down and put my leg up like a Sissy Girly man. But I will have some Cognac for the Manly aspect.

 

[Sandbox]

I love your sense of humor! I bust up laughing every time I read your posts =) Thank you for sharing your experiences and knowledge. Speedy recovery!

 

[Paul B]

Today I had a little not to painful morning so I did some maintenance. I re-built the skimmer venturi to make finer bubbles and I cleaned the thing. I cleaned the algae scrubber and re-built my magnet/razor glass cleaner. I made it to a store and bought some food and clams and all is well.
All seems well and I will try to collect some water in between the ice bergs soon.

My wife did something embarrassing. She got a text from one of her friends and she responded, "OK Sweetie, see you soon". With a big kiss emoji.
But instead of sending it to her friend, she sent it to a priest.

 

[Fudsey]

My wife did something embarrassing. She got a text from one of her friends and she responded, "OK Sweetie, see you soon". With a big kiss emoji.
But instead of sending it to her friend, she sent it to a priest.

Now that's FUNNY ! ! !

;Hilarious ;Hilarious ;Hilarious

 

[atoll]

That misplaced text could have been even more embarrassing Paul..... She could have sent it to you [emoji6]