Tank birthday, 47+ years

Paul B · Mar 11, 2021

I just saw on the News that the Veterans Administration just started giving Covid shots to Veterans which is fantastic.

But I think they should have given shots to Veterans right after nursing homes and first responders. If it weren't for Veterans we wouldn't have shots, or anything else.

The very large VA hospital here is filed with "WW 2" Hero's.

PanchoG · Mar 11, 2021

Paul B said:
I just saw on the News that the Veterans Administration just started giving Covid shots to Veterans which is fantastic.

But I think they should have given shots to Veterans right after nursing homes and first responders. If it weren't for Veterans we wouldn't have shots, or anything else.

The very large VA hospital here is filed with "WW 2" Hero's.

You are completely right.

Paul B · Mar 12, 2021

I am going to put this on my thread because I know very few people read it and I see quarantine and no quarantine threads all over this forum this week.

I think people are getting this totally wrong. It is not if you quarantine or don't quarantine. It is what you do with the fish after you do whatever you do.

If you put the fish, any fish into a tank that has no input of fresh living bacteria, the fish will eventually lose much of their immunity. In time, they will lose all of it. I didn't make that up.

I won't link the studies again as I did that to many times already and I am old and tired and on my way to the dentist. ;Bucktooth
Also if no parasites are living in your tank your fish will have no immunity to parasites. This seems very simple to me and my Grand Daughter Greta who is now 8 understands it so maybe she should start a reef tank.

The non quarantined fish I add bring in much needed pathogens that keep my fish immune. Most people can't grasp this concept. I got my Covid shots which was dead viruses which will keep me immune and I will probably get a booster every year. I wonder why?

If you medicate the fish for whatever reason it will also probably have lost it's gut bacteria and if living bacteria are not fed, it to will have no immunity and you will be on the disease forum.

There is a reason there are no old medicated tanks.

GeoSquid · Mar 12, 2021

Do you have any pictures of your diy ATS and skimmer that you wouldn't mind sharing? I've been using diy ATS's since about 2000. I've made horizontal, upflow and waterfall types. I couldn't get the upflow to work and now just using horizontal types just because they are easy and don't clog. I have one running right now from your fence post design!

Paul B · Mar 12, 2021

This is my algae scrubber. It is fed from a powerhead and there are no sides to it. The water just flows down the grid into my tank. I have no sump and this is behind a movable wall

5' Venturi Skimmer

Paul B · Mar 12, 2021

Look at this fantastic bread I baked yesterday. I put the spices on it that come on an"Everything" bagel.

For St Patrick's day my wife is making corn beef and cabbage and I will bake Irish soda Bread (even though I am Sicilian)

Paul B · Mar 12, 2021

I was able to donate another $500.00 to The MS Society in my wife's name which is 100% of the profits from my book.

Thank you.

GeoSquid · Mar 12, 2021

Paul B said:
This is my algae scrubber. It is fed from a powerhead and there are no sides to it. The water just flows down the grid into my tank. I have no sump and this is behind a movable wall

5' Venturi Skimmer

I've made that kind of waterfall scrubber before. Do you get spray from where the screen inserts into the slotted pipe once the algae thick? I had to cover the first inch or so down from the pipe.

Paul B · Mar 12, 2021

No, I don't get any spray what so ever.

Paul B · Mar 14, 2021

I am sure my fish are confused today because we have to change the clocks. I wonder what fish in the sea do when they don't really know what time it is?

Normally at this time (whatever time it really is) I would be out for a walk. My knee won't let me do that today and I can't just leave it home. I really need to get this thing replaced but my other one didn't come out to well so I have been pushing it off.

You can only push these things off so long , then one day while you are on your back on a snowy street with cars and school buses full of Sumo wrestlers that keep driving by splashing you with slush mixed with the sand and salt they throw on the streets here in the north to melt the ice.

At that point, in those few times that you can just about open your eyes, in between the school buses and garbage trucks, for a split second you realize, you really need to have both knees working to stand up.

My main concern is my wife. She needs my help constantly, even to put her shoes on and wax my car so I can't just be off my feet for a few months. It is my right leg so I won't be able to drive or play polo. Bungee jumping I would imagine is also off the table.

I know from my last knee replacement that is will also be hard for her to sleep with all my screaming. But if you get to my age, and you don't need new knees, you didn't work hard enough or didn't have enough fun.

My neighbors all offered to help (I have great neighbors) but I told them I am not sure if they actually want to live in my house for the better part of a year while I hobble around in my Speedo.

Part of their duties will be to feed the fish but I told them not to worry because they won't have to quarantine anything or measure out medication to them. To me, quite a lot, but not to the fish who can tend to themselves.

Paul B · Mar 14, 2021

I made another video. It's not exactly Steven Speilberg. The butterflies are best friends and that 6 line is spawning.

Paul B · Mar 14, 2021

I have a patch of these "worms" about 6" round. I am not sure what they are and I have seen them in my tank before.

At least I think they are worms. I put them under a microscope and they do mov

e, "slightly" but they look like tiny "worms" encased in very fine bits of sand. I really don't know what they are, but they are very cool.

GBRsouth · Mar 14, 2021

Paul B said:
I have a patch of these "worms" about 6" round. I am not sure what they are and I have seen them in my tank before.

At least I think they are worms. I put them under a microscope and they do mov

e, "slightly" but they look like tiny "worms" encased in very fine bits of sand. I really don't know what they are, but they are very cool.

@KJ do you know what these are?

Paul B · Mar 15, 2021

I would love to know what they are. I have more in the back of the tank. Free livestock.

Paul B · Mar 17, 2021

I just tested my nitrates for the first time in many years. I can't even remember but they are about 5..

I have not changed any water in a while and it's time but it is very cold now and my knee won't allow me to collect just now.

GBRsouth · Mar 17, 2021

Paul B said:
I just tested my nitrates for the first time in many years. I can't even remember but they are about 5..

I have not changed any water in a while and it's time but it is very cold now and my knee won't allow me to collect just now.

When they say the failing of something is it's Achilles heel, they should change that to say it is it's knee! They give so much trouble! I hope yours feels better soon Paul.

GeoSquid · Mar 18, 2021

Question about white worms - I just started my first culture and put wheat bread with yogurt on top of the soil. After a coupe days, the bread had hairy white fungus all over it. I pulled it out to add new pieces but I noticed a lot of white worms burrowed into the bread and some tiny white wiggly dots in the bread also. I tried to remove some of the worms from the bread but I'm sure quite a few went into the garbage. Do others throw some worms away with bread? Is the fungus bad and how often do you change the food out? What are the tiny white wiggly dots - mites for baby white worms?

Paul B · Mar 18, 2021

Playing with the camera

Paul B · Mar 18, 2021

GeoSquid said:
Question about white worms - I just started my first culture and put wheat bread with yogurt on top of the soil. After a coupe days, the bread had hairy white fungus all over it. I pulled it out to add new pieces but I noticed a lot of white worms burrowed into the bread and some tiny white wiggly dots in the bread also. I tried to remove some of the worms from the bread but I'm sure quite a few went into the garbage. Do others throw some worms away with bread? Is the fungus bad and how often do you change the food out? What are the tiny white wiggly dots - mites for baby white worms?

GeoSquid. You need to completely bury that bread or as you found out, it will grow hair. I tried to put bread and yogurt on my head when I sleep but my wife threw me out and it didn't grow hair on me.

But if you completely bury it, it won't grow fungus, just worms.