Tank birthday, 47+ years

[Paul B]

Next week we are having one of our friends come over to help my wife for a couple of days after I have my surgery. I installed a lift on my tank front so I can open it without using 2 arms and I made up a bunch of frozen food containers so she just has to throw one in the tank every day.

I won't be able to clean the glass I don't think so in a few days it will look like sheet metal, green sheet metal.
I will clean the skimmer and algae scrubber the day before the surgery but the fish will go without water changes for probably 7 months because I have not changed it in a while but they don't need a change and I thin they like old water better.

 

[fishybizzness]

I pray that the surgery goes well Paul! You will be healed up in no time. The fish will be fine and at least the dirty glass will give them a break from watching you every day!! Lol! Im sure with your fish living so long that they get tired of looking at you all the time.

 

[Rybren]

Good luck with the surgery Paul. Maybe you should tell them that you just DIY the surgery.

 

[Paul B]

Rybren my friend. I am sure I can do it myself as I have had so many of them. And being I had so many I know these surgeons have no idea what they are doing or they would have done it right the first time.

I think these guys went to too much college and it destroyed their creativity. The screws they are putting in are not working so I am assuming they are getting them from Home Depot.

They should go to a good hardware store and get an American toggle bolt. Maybe spend a little more for stainless steel, then put the thing in. The toggle part can stick out of my back and maybe I can hang a sign or picture on it.

 

[NoahLikesFish]

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Rybren my friend. I am sure I can do it myself as I have had so many of them. And being I had so many I know these surgeons have no idea what they are doing or they would have done it right the first time.

I think these guys went to too much college and it destroyed their creativity. The screws they are putting in are not working so I am assuming they are getting them from Home Depot.

They should go to a good hardware store and get an American toggle bolt. Maybe spend a little more for stainless steel, then put the thing in. The toggle part can stick out of my back and maybe I can hang a sign or picture on it.

that can be the attachment point for your exoskeleton

 

[Paul B]

Linear activator to lift the front of my tank to make it easier to feed fish after shoulder surgery. My arm will be in a brace for about 6 weeks so I won't be able to use it, not even to wave at a pretty girl or scratch my nose.

 

[NoahLikesFish]

Linear activator to lift the front of my tank to make it easier to feed fish after shoulder surgery. My arm will be in a brace for about 6 weeks so I won't be able to use it, not even to wave at a pretty girl or scratch my nose.

make the exoskeleton able to controll the actuator through some kind of proprietary port like they do in star wars where you have a screwdriver thingy to control it

 

[Miami Reef]

Linear activator to lift the front of my tank to make it easier to feed fish after shoulder surgery. My arm will be in a brace for about 6 weeks so I won't be able to use it, not even to wave at a pretty girl or scratch my nose.

What a colorful tank! It’s even better in video! I can’t imagine how good it looks in person!

 

[Paul B]

Thank you. I don't use any UV or colored lights and don't photoshop. (I don't even know how)

You see so many tanks on these forums and the corals and fish have these bright, garish colors which although looks cool, is not natural as corals at almost any depth are muted.

Corals in the sea look like this.






Some are more colorful due to your camera light.

 

[Paul B]

I went to the surgeon today and he gave me a "brace"/sling thing that looks like something out of the torture chamber in the tower of London. I have to wear it for 6 weeks so I won't be able to wave at Ladies my age cousins or put brakes on my car. Forget changing any water.

Unless someone wants to come here and help me collect.

After the surgeon I went to the hospital for the silly pre surgery stuff. They asked me things like "Who will take care of my fish, who will cook for any fish Geeks who come to wish me well" and things like that. Of course they took my blood, pressure and Covid test.

I then gave the surgeon a true or false test to make sure he want to high school and did at least 3 or 4 of these surgeries.
This is my 4th or 5th on that shoulder so I told him to make sure he goes to a different Home Depot for the toggle bolts he wants to install. The last guy put in those plastic sheet rock anchors which fell out.

 

[markwayts]

In a couple of weeks my reef will will have reached 40 years old.
Unfortunately I don't remember when I was 40 but I remember when I set it up. I was a skinny 22 year old just back from Viet Nam.
It is still running very well, still using the same reverse UG filter, same dolomite substrait but none of the fish are original. The oldest one, a fireclown is just over 16, all of the older fish died in an accident that was due to my carelessness.
The tank is mostly LPS, gorgonians, giant mushrooms and a few leathers.
There are only three SPS corals, two of which have been with me for a few years and are growing nicely.
I am not sure is any of the original NSW from the Long Island Sound is still in there or any of the original amphipods but maybe much later generations.
I still can't take a decent picture and the tank is not as blue as these pictures but it is what it is.

Man that must be a record. I thought i was doing good with 12 years. Thanks for raising the bar. I'll be sure to post in 2050 if i'm still alive and creeping up on your record.

 

[markwayts]

I went to the surgeon today and he gave me a "brace"/sling thing that looks like something out of the torture chamber in the tower of London. I have to wear it for 6 weeks so I won't be able to wave at Ladies my age cousins or put brakes on my car. Forget changing any water.

Unless someone wants to come here and help me collect.

After the surgeon I went to the hospital for the silly pre surgery stuff. They asked me things like "Who will take care of my fish, who will cook for any fish Geeks who come to wish me well" and things like that. Of course they took my blood, pressure and Covid test.

I then gave the surgeon a true or false test to make sure he want to high school and did at least 3 or 4 of these surgeries.
This is my 4th or 5th on that shoulder so I told him to make sure he goes to a different Home Depot for the toggle bolts he wants to install. The last guy put in those plastic sheet rock anchors which fell out.

If you're in Ohio I'll stop over and help till you get better.

 

[Paul B]

Markwayts, Thanks for the offer. LOL. The tank will be 51 this March.

Ohio is a little far for me to carry my tank, especially with a bad shoulder and all. If you were in New Jersey I could probably manage it. But thanks anyway.

I also don't know where you collect water in Ohio.

 

[Paul B]

I went walking this morning like always. It's foggy here.

Then the sun came up and it got to about 50 degrees which is very rare for this time of the year in New York

So nice I decided to get my boots and collect a little water. Not enough to do a water change but enough in case I need some for something while I have my arm brace on for 6 weeks.



I am diatom filtering it now because it is kind of green with all sorts of gunk in it. The temperature is 40 degrees but the salinity is perfect.

These buckets are 10 gallons each

This is the top of this much newer diatom filter that I got maybe 15 years ago. I doubt you can get them any longer.

I also cleaned my algae scrubber because I won't be able to do that.

You can see the difference in the raw seawater on the top and after about 10 minutes with the diatom filter.

These buckets are 10 gallons each

 

[Paul B]

My surgery is set for 2:30 tomorrow and I will be in there for 5 hours all together unless of course I opt for hair plugs, tummy tuck or just a general tune up. I can't eat or drink all day but that won't be a problem. I will also do my 2 mile walk in the snow tomorrow but I doubt I will do any posting just after the surgery because it's hard to type and scream at the same time. ;Bucktooth

For about 10 hours after surgery you don't feel anything and may want to go pole vaulting but they tell you to abstain from activities like that. It's like after you get novocaine, you can bite your cheek off but most dentists frown on that.

Not many years ago you woke up screaming from surgery because like, it's painful. Now they give you a nerve block that allows you to be pain free until you get home so you don't strangle your surgeon. But of course it wears off all at once and then OMG, you know what pain is. :mad:

Being this will be my 30 th surgery I know what it feels like now and 50 years ago. I am not a Snowflake, Sissy, Girly man and know that pain is a good thing and it will gradually get better. It just means you didn't sit around all your life and text scary emojis to people you don't like. ;Nailbiting

It's like when someone hits you with a cro bar. That hurts.
Happy Valentines day

 

[Eagle_Steve]

My surgery is set for 2:30 tomorrow and I will be in there for 5 hours all together unless of course I opt for hair plugs, tummy tuck or just a general tune up. I can't eat or drink all day but that won't be a problem. I will also do my 2 mile walk in the snow tomorrow but I doubt I will do any posting just after the surgery because it's hard to type and scream at the same time. ;Bucktooth

For about 10 hours after surgery you don't feel anything and may want to go pole vaulting but they tell you to abstain from activities like that. It's like after you get novocaine, you can bite your cheek off but most dentists frown on that.

Not many years ago you woke up screaming from surgery because like, it's painful. Now they give you a nerve block that allows you to be pain free until you get home so you don't strangle your surgeon. But of course it wears off all at once and then OMG, you know what pain is. :mad:

Being this will be my 30 th surgery I know what it feels like now and 50 years ago. I am not a Snowflake, Sissy, Girly man and know that pain is a good thing and it will gradually get better. It just means you didn't sit around all your life and text scary emojis to people you don't like. ;Nailbiting

It's like when someone hits you with a cro bar. That hurts.
Happy Valentines day

Hope all goes well and will keep ya in our prayers.

Also, Happy Valentines Day to you.

 

[dennis romano]

My surgery is set for 2:30 tomorrow and I will be in there for 5 hours all together unless of course I opt for hair plugs, tummy tuck or just a general tune up. I can't eat or drink all day but that won't be a problem. I will also do my 2 mile walk in the snow tomorrow but I doubt I will do any posting just after the surgery because it's hard to type and scream at the same time. ;Bucktooth

For about 10 hours after surgery you don't feel anything and may want to go pole vaulting but they tell you to abstain from activities like that. It's like after you get novocaine, you can bite your cheek off but most dentists frown on that.

Not many years ago you woke up screaming from surgery because like, it's painful. Now they give you a nerve block that allows you to be pain free until you get home so you don't strangle your surgeon. But of course it wears off all at once and then OMG, you know what pain is. :mad:

Being this will be my 30 th surgery I know what it feels like now and 50 years ago. I am not a Snowflake, Sissy, Girly man and know that pain is a good thing and it will gradually get better. It just means you didn't sit around all your life and text scary emojis to people you don't like. ;Nailbiting

It's like when someone hits you with a cro bar. That hurts.
Happy Valentines day

Quick question for you. You and I are about the same age and both from the NYC area. Do you remember Ed's Aquariums? Best of luck.

 

[Reefer Reboot]

From one multiple shoulder surgery victim to another, I feel your pain! Hopefully they will at least have some supermodel nursing assistants with some linguine and clams with wine for you. Good luck!

 

[ReeferSamster]

Paul, you look like you're only 50 years old! I hope I can age as nicely as you.
Take care.

 

[Paul B]

Do you remember Ed's Aquariums? Best of luck.

Of course. The front window was in the shape of a copperband or some other butterfly. I got my last 100 gallon tank from them in about 1980 or so. They have been out of business for decades.

ReeferSamster, Thanks, that picture was probably 10 years ago so I was a young man then.

I look more like this now. Only skinnier because I lost 27lbs. I am waiting for a call from Marie Osmond to see if she wants me as a spokesmodel for Jenny Craig even though I didn't go on that or any other diet.

Not bad for 73. (This was Veterans Day when I wear that)