Tank birthday, 47+ years

[Minifoot77]

Wanna come help me build an igloo out of this 15’ wide 6’ tall mound of snow?

That's a snowman jigsaw puzzle

 

[Paul B]

Wanna come help me build an igloo out of this 15’ wide 6’ tall mound of snow?

I already have one........My car.

 

[jsmkmavity]

I already have one........My car.

If only the entrance wasnt frozen shut

 

[Paul B]

This morning I went for a stress test and a carotid artery test. It was just a maintenance thing that I do every 10 years or so. She said not to speak while she was giving me the test, but she was a talker and didn't take a breath, so I couldn't answer. That was hard because usually I can't shut up. But she was cute and probably my granddaughter's age, so I didn't complain as I didn't want to look wimpy.

My arteries are fine, Must be the Prizapro so they gave me the stress test where you get on a treadmill, and it goes faster and faster until it blows a fuse or you have a heart attack. None of those things happened. I went into the room with the treadmill and the nurse or technician, but she could have been the person who sweeps the floor.

I looked at the treadmill and told her that I walk up and down 167 steps to the beach, then walk two miles every morning before the sun comes up.
She didn't believe me. I got on the thing, and she started it. I told her this is for little girly men or old Ladies. So she made it go faster. The number on the screen read 86. That was my heart rate. She said, after this much time, that's fabulous. I kept going, faster and faster. Then the thing raised up so I was running uphill. All the time she was reading my blood pressure but I thought she just wanted to hold my hand.

She told me, "I can tell you exercise a lot". All I do is walk up and down steps.

I kept going. She said I had to reach a heart rate of 138 for my age. After almost 15 minutes I reached that. She asked me if I wanted to keep going. I said, yes because I didn't get a chance to do my beach walk this morning because I had to be there at 7:30.

I kept going until she got tired of looking at me and I had to quickly sit down so she could take my blood pressure.

I asked her if I did OK. She said, No, which kind of scared me. She then said, You didn't do OK, "you did amazing." I thought she was talking about my physique, but she wasn't. She said hardly anyone recovers that fast, especially at my age. I was very happy, and so was Dale, when I got home.

I hope I don't croak tonight.

 

[atoll]

If you croak tonight I will call you froggy Paul
That machine will need a major service after you have been on it.

 

[Paul B]

Stupid Wimpy treadmills are for Wimps.

 

[Freenow54]

So all the talking was the actual stress test . The treadmill was just an excuse to hold your arm which brought your heart rate up. I am telling Dale

 

[jsmkmavity]

What treadmills are really for

 

[Freenow54]

What treadmills are really for

I have to sign in to prove I am not a Bot. Not Happening . Like I read recently someone said " I never thought I would see the day when a computer ie a non entity ask me to prove that I am not a robot "

 

[Paul B]

I have to sign in to prove I am not a Bot.

I can't do that because it never believes me.

 

[Freenow54]

Where is everyone . The day is half over !!!!!!

 

[Freenow54]

So I think I have the You Tube thing figured out as to watching them . If you sign in first which by the way is your goggle account your good to go .I don't know if you are ok for the next day or not. I thought they wanted money nope just some security thing Like protecting people who put silly treadmill videos up very close to a national Security Concern. That is how it goes . I asked someone to instruct me as to how to post videos here, Apparently that is restricted knowledge as well since they did not reply.

 

[Paul B]

Where is everyone . The day is half over !!!!!!

Not many people on here because this is my thread, and very few fish people think my methods, lifestyle, or hairstyle is worthy of watching.

I am now cleaning my tank by using my DIY external filter. I am stirring up the gravel over my very cool, reverse undergravel filter and blowing detritus out of the rock. Besides, I just like doing this because I find things that I forgot I had, like a red fish that I have no recollection of buying. I often find something hiding that I thought I lost years ago, but it has been hiding since I threw it in.

This is my old diatom filter, which I don't use anymore. I only use my new DIY filters now and I don't have to use diatom powder with them.

I have to do this occasionally because my 55-year-old gravel clogs if I don't do it, and an undergravel filter needs flow.
Also, I have a ton of macro growing on one end of the tank, and I don't want it to take over the tank, so I pulled a couple of pints out, and it made a mess with small pieces of it flying all over the place. I don't know how people stay in this hobby without one of these filters.



This is an old video of me doing this. I can't upload a video because this is a fairly new computer and for some reason, I can't figure out how to put things on YouTube from it.

 

[tbrown]

Not many people on here because this is my thread, and very few fish people think my methods, lifestyle, or hairstyle is worthy of watching.

I am now cleaning my tank by using my DIY external filter. I am stirring up the gravel over my very cool, reverse undergravel filter and blowing detritus out of the rock. Besides, I just like doing this because I find things that I forgot I had, like a red fish that I have no recollection of buying. I often find something hiding that I thought I lost years ago, but it has been hiding since I threw it in.

This is my old diatom filter, which I don't use anymore. I only use my new DIY filters now and I don't have to use diatom powder with them.

I have to do this occasionally because my 55-year-old gravel clogs if I don't do it, and an undergravel filter needs flow.
Also, I have a ton of macro growing on one end of the tank, and I don't want it to take over the tank, so I pulled a couple of pints out, and it made a mess with small pieces of it flying all over the place. I don't know how people stay in this hobby without one of these filters.



This is an old video of me doing this. I can't upload a video because this is a fairly new computer and for some reason, I can't figure out how to put things on YouTube from it.

What's wrong with your hairstyle??

 

[atoll]

Your feeding corals by stirring the bed up....the sand bed not your bed Dale might not like you doing that.

What's wrong with your hairstyle??

He dosen't have one

 

[Paul B]

All my hair is probably in a garbage dump in Staten Island and has been there since the 80s.

 

[tbrown]

All my hair is probably in a garbage dump in Staten Island and has been there since the 80s.

There's plenty of people that should have that hairstyle...

 

[Freenow54]

Odd as you may remember . I made one and I don't need to use it yet. By the way your stress test story inspired me . We have a long staircase that goes down to the Lake and I am going to start working out that way but I am not a polar bear and have another month yet. I am looking forward to it because I have discovered using my treadmill and using the handles on it aggravate my ruptured disk in the middle of my back which creates huge pain in the muscle along my shoulder blades which radiates int my shoulder . This wakes me up around 12am and that's it for any real sleep. I now know what a cat feels like. I have to use the handles because the stroke I had a few years back effected my Balance. I have more stories but wont bore you . Anyway interesting that I find a very good solution for it on a fish forum. Keep the stories Coming

 

[MikeyZo]

Well here’s an update on my little 12g build that I insta-cycled with rock from my LfS and a sacrificial chromis.

I have since added a purple firefish and a yellow watchman goby in. I also added a clown. I did not want a designer clown, but I had my 4 year old with me and his favorite color is orange. And as soon as he saw this… I dunno… domino percula maybe… he wanted it. So I folded. Also got a cleaner shrimp and a coral banded shrimp.

It’s gotten a little cloudy due to a bacterial bloom, probably from me adding too much stock too quick. But everyone in the tank doesn’t seem bothered so I’m just gonna let it ride. I had a spare nano UV light I was going to add inline with the return but it was too big.

I added a fleece roller because I’ve always wanted to try one out. They are hard to dial in. But as you can see it definitely helps clean the water. I also added an AutoAqua smart nano ATO. I rigged it to a 4 gallon jug I had from premixed water. Works really well.

So so far we are doing well.

 

[Paul B]

My Aquabiomics results

AquaBiomics tankDNA Test Report​

---

About this report​

Generated on: Thu Feb 26 20:17:37 2026​

This report summarizes an analysis of eDNA (environmental DNA) in an aquarium water sample. Universal genetic markers were amplified from Eukaryotic DNA in the sample, and thousands of individual DNA molecules from this mixture were sequenced. Each sequence was then compared with public DNA databases to identify its origin.


This report summarizes the kinds of organisms detected in this sample, with a special focus on pathogens and parasites of concern in the saltwater aquarium industry and hobby. If you have any questions about this report, please check the FAQ.

Information about the sample​

Sample ID	1002454
Sample Name	From 55 year old reef
Tank Name	Pauls Tank
Sample Date	12/30/2025

Parasites​

None of the DNA sequences from this sample matched known parasites.​

View the full table

Group	Description	Parasite	Level
Amoebic_gill_disease	Parasitic amoebae that infect fish gills	Paramoeba_perurans	0
Brooklynella	Ciliate parasites known to cause the fish disease Brooklynella	Brooklynella_hostilis	0
Gill_flukes	Flatworms (flukes) that parasitize fish gills	Ancyrocephalidae Capsalidae Gyrodactylidae	0 0 0
Marine_ich	Ciliate parasites known to cause the fish disease Marine Ich	Cryptocaryon_irritans	0
Marine_velvet	Dinoflagellate parasite responsible for the fish disease Marine Velvet.	Amyloodinium_ocellatum	0
Myxozoans	Microscopic parasitic Cnidarians that infect fish, worms, and other invertebrates	Myxozoa	0
Parasitic_copepods	Copepods that parasitize or feed on corals.	Acontiophorus Alteuthellopsis Amarda Anchimolgus Andrianellus Asterocheres Cerioxynus Corallonoxia Corallovexia Diallagomolgus Dumbeana Ecphysarion Gelastomolgus Haplomolgus Hemicyclops Humesiella Kombia Lipochaetes Lipochrus Monomolgus Numboa Odontomolgus Orstomella Panjakus Parategastes Prionomolgus Rakotoa Ravahina Schedomolgus Scyphuliger Spaniomolgus Stockmyzon Tegastes Unicispina Wedanus Xarifia Xenomolgus Zazaranus	0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Perkinsus	Parasitic alveolates associated with Pinched Mantle Syndrome in giant clams.	Perkinsus_olseni	0
Phestilla	Coral-eating nudibranchs that feed on Montipora and other corals	Phestilla	0
Prosthiostomum	Coral-eating flatworms that feed on corals in the genus Acropora	Prosthiostomum	0
Trichodina	Parasitic ciliates responsible for the fish disease Trichodinosis	Trichodina	0
Turbonilla	Parasitic snails that infect giant clams.	Turbonilla	0
Uronema	Ciliate parasites known to cause Uronema (Scuticociliatosis) in fish	Miamiensis_avidus Philasterides_dicentrarchi Pseudocohnilembus_hargisi Pseudocohnilembus_longisetus Pseudocohnilembus_persalinus Uronema_marinum Uronema_nigricans	0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Dinoflagellates​

This sample contained low levels of DNA from dinoflagellates (2.2%) - this is normal and does not suggest a problem.​

View all Dinoflagellates

Name	Total level (% of eDNA)	Group	Type(s)
Moestrupia_sp.	0.634	Moestrupia	13349, 554387
Testudodinium_maedaense	0.634	Karlodinium	1528
Amphidinium_carterae	0.278	Amphidinium	1030, 554380, 554389
Pyramidodinium_atrofuscum	0.152	Pyramidodinium	179156
Amphidinium_sp.	0.127	Amphidinium	234
Dinophyta_sp.	0.101	Peridiniales	2450
uncultured_marine	0.101	Syndiniales_Group_II	549941
Alexandrium_insuetum	0.051	Alexandrium	1166
Ostreopsis_cf.	0.025	Ostreopsis	554310

Most saltwater aquaria contain some Dinoflagellates, so the presence of this group should not be interpreted as a problem at low levels. High levels (>5% of the DNA, as a rule of thumb), may suggest a potential problem. Please note that the symbiotic dinos in the genus Symbiodinium have been excluded from this table, since these do not pose any risk to the aquarium.

Diatoms​

This sample contained low levels of DNA from diatoms (1.3%) - this is normal and does not suggest a problem.​

View all Diatoms

Name	Total level (% of eDNA)	Group	Type(s)
uncultured_marine	0.634	Bacillariophyceae	58
Licmophora_sp.	0.330	Fragilariales	608
uncultured_eukaryote	0.329	Cylindrotheca_	56, 308578
Craticula_pseudocitrus	0.025	Bacillariophyceae	550884

Most saltwater aquaria contain some Diatoms, so the presence of this group should not be interpreted as a problem at low levels. High levels (>5% of the DNA, as a rule of thumb), may suggest a potential problem.

Eukaryotic Biodiversity​

Diversity (Number of different types)	296
Number of Phyla	26
Number of Classes	42

This graph shows the diversity of each Eukaryotic group in the DNA sample. Each slice represents a different Class, and the size of the slice is proportional to the number of different types in that class. Unidentified sequences lacking any match in public databases are not shown.

Sample Composition​

This graph shows the relative abundance of each Eukaryotic group in the DNA sample. Each slice represents a different Class, and the size of the slice is proportional to the fraction of DNA in the sample from that class. Unidentified sequences lacking any match in public databases are not shown.

Complete list of Eukaryotes identified​

These tables show all DNA sequences from your sample that we were able to identify based on comparison with public DNA sequence databases. Unknown DNA sequences without any matches in the databases are not shown. “Type” is an arbitrary ID number assigned to each unique sequence found in our database of aquarium samples.
Complete TableAcoela (Acoel flatworms)

Name	Total level (% of eDNA)	Family	Type(s)
Heterochaerus blumi	0.279	Acoela	2108
Paedomecynostomum bruneum	0.051	Acoela	32756

Actinopterygii (Fish)

Name	Total level (% of eDNA)	Family	Type(s)
Fish	0.33	Actinopterygii	61917, 1
Note:
The marker used here does not distinguish between fish species, so we interpret any DNA in this category simply as fish DNA.

Anopla

Name	Total level (% of eDNA)	Family	Type(s)
Cephalothrix hongkongiensis	0.076	Palaeonemertea	61107

Anthozoa (Corals, Anemones)

Name	Total level (% of eDNA)	Family	Type(s)
Soft Corals	16.255	Alcyonacea	1227, 290791, 549348 554328, 554330, 554365 554371, 554375
Other Anthozoans	0.405	Anthozoa	1933, 550469, 551829 548776, 554317, 554322 554323
Anemones	0.152	Actiniaria	128045, 550472
Note:
The marker used here does not provide species-level resolution for corals and their close relatives, but can distinguish between higher-level classifications e.g. soft corals versus stony corals.

Ascidiacea (Tunicates, Sea Squirts)

Name	Total level (% of eDNA)	Family	Type(s)
Styela gibbsii	1.470	Stolidobranchia	3030, 551720, 554313 554326
Microcosmus squamiger	0.076	Stolidobranchia	550471, 554315
Botryllus schlosseri	0.051	Stolidobranchia	551832
Metandrocarpa taylori	0.025	Stolidobranchia	554377
Polycarpa mytiligera	0.025	Stolidobranchia	554384

Bacillariophyceae (Diatoms)

Name	Total level (% of eDNA)	Family	Type(s)
uncultured marine	0.634	Bacillariophyceae	58
uncultured eukaryote	0.329	Bacillariophyceae	56, 308578
Craticula pseudocitrus	0.025	Bacillariophyceae	550884

Calcarea (Sponges)

Name	Total level (% of eDNA)	Family	Type(s)
Clathrina sp.	0.380	Clathrinida	330, 548795
Leucascandra caveolata	0.355	Leucosolenida	89, 554364

Chlorarachniophyta (Microalgae)

Name	Total level (% of eDNA)	Family	Type(s)
uncultured Cercozoa	0.101	Chlorarachniophyta	1040

Chlorodendrophyceae (Microalgae)

Name	Total level (% of eDNA)	Family	Type(s)
Tetraselmis marina	0.076	Chlorodendrales	730

Chytridiomycetes (Fungi)

Name	Total level (% of eDNA)	Family	Type(s)
Uebelmesseromyces harderi	0.025	uncultured	548804

Coccolithales

Name	Total level (% of eDNA)	Family	Type(s)
Reticulosphaera socialis	0.025	Coccolithales	1243

Colpodellida

Name	Total level (% of eDNA)	Family	Type(s)
Voromonas pontica	0.025	Colpodellida	554381

Diatomea (Diatoms)

Name	Total level (% of eDNA)	Family	Type(s)
Licmophora sp.	0.33	Fragilariales	608

Dinophyceae (Dinoflagellates)

Name	Total level (% of eDNA)	Family	Type(s)
Symbiodinium sp.	2.533	Suessiaceae	25, 1159, 6177 549156, 157, 25298 71386, 295471, 206 260, 167012, 6163 16253, 30307, 130143 145613, 482754, 554321 554336, 554341
Moestrupia sp.	0.634	Gymnodiniphycidae	13349, 554387
Testudodinium maedaense	0.634	Kareniaceae	1528
Amphidinium carterae	0.278	Gymnodiniphycidae	1030, 554380, 554389
Symbiodinium microadriaticum	0.228	Suessiaceae	313877, 4833, 554340 554386
Pyramidodinium atrofuscum	0.152	Peridiniales	179156
Amphidinium sp.	0.127	Gymnodiniphycidae	234
Dinophyta sp.	0.101	Peridiniales	2450
Alexandrium insuetum	0.051	Gonyaulacales	1166
Ostreopsis cf.	0.025	Gonyaulacales	554310
Symbiodinium minutum	0.025	Suessiaceae	554379

Diplonemea (Protists)

Name	Total level (% of eDNA)	Family	Type(s)
Diplonema sp.	0.304	Diplonemea	34432, 199265, 551826 554306

Discosea (Amoebae)

Name	Total level (% of eDNA)	Family	Type(s)
Paramoeba pemaquidensis	0.051	Dactylopodida	548593
Paramoeba branchiphila	0.025	Dactylopodida	2576

Dothideomycetes

Name	Total level (% of eDNA)	Family	Type(s)
Cladosporium sp.	0.025	Cladosporiaceae	554351

Embryophyta (Land Plants)

Name	Total level (% of eDNA)	Family	Type(s)
Hordeum vulgare	0.101	Embryophyta	1173
Mida salicifolia	0.025	Embryophyta	554376

Euglenida

Name	Total level (% of eDNA)	Family	Type(s)
Notosolenus urceolatus	0.127	Heteronematina	24646

Eukaryota

Name	Total level (% of eDNA)	Family	Type(s)
Jakobida sp.	0.025	Eukaryota	554369

Eurotiomycetes (Fungi)

Name	Total level (% of eDNA)	Family	Type(s)
Aspergillus penicillioides	0.279	Aspergillaceae	1002
Capronia pilosella	0.025	Herpotrichiellaceae	548660

Gastropoda (Snails)

Name	Total level (% of eDNA)	Family	Type(s)
Thylacodes adamsii	0.051	Caenogastropoda	2006

Hyphochytriomycetes

Name	Total level (% of eDNA)	Family	Type(s)
Hyphochytrium catenoides	0.025	Hyphochytriales	554374

Ichthyosporea (Parasitic Protists)

Name	Total level (% of eDNA)	Family	Type(s)
Sphaeroforma tapetis	0.051	Pseudoperkinsidae	2445

Incertae_Sedis ( Uncertain taxonomic placement)

Name	Total level (% of eDNA)	Family	Type(s)
uncultured eukaryote	0.076	Incertae_Sedis	550470

Intramacronucleata (Ciliates)

Name	Total level (% of eDNA)	Family	Type(s)
Moneuplotes minuta	4.439	Euplotia	1785, 548772
Holosticha heterofoissneri	2.130	Hypotrichia	2965
Fusiforma themisticola	0.659	Oligohymenophorea	548713
Euplotes sp.	0.431	Euplotia	604
Gymnodinioides sp.	0.304	Oligohymenophorea	1017, 5068
uncultured eukaryote	0.177	Spirotrichea	1404, 554331
Protocruzia adherens	0.127	Spirotrichea	2172
Aristerostoma sp.	0.101	Colpodea	1582, 554316
Loxophyllum utriculariae	0.101	Haptoria	1939
Metanophrys sinensis	0.101	Oligohymenophorea	1918
Euplotes charon	0.025	Euplotia	554338
Pseudokeronopsis carnea	0.025	Hypotrichia	549214

Kinetoplastea (Protists)

Name	Total level (% of eDNA)	Family	Type(s)
Bodonidae sp.	0.229	Neobodonida	549334, 203403, 222029

Labyrinthulomycetes (Fungus-like Protists)

Name	Total level (% of eDNA)	Family	Type(s)
Thraustochytrium multirudimentale	0.355	Thraustochytriaceae	56105, 550473, 551837 554373
uncultured eukaryote	0.304	Thraustochytriaceae	2623, 295903
Thraustochytriidae sp.	0.304	Thraustochytriaceae	2733, 6366, 551421
Oblongichytrium sp.	0.152	Thraustochytriaceae	6126
Labyrinthuloides minuta	0.101	Thraustochytriaceae	15331

MAST-6

Name	Total level (% of eDNA)	Family	Type(s)
Pseudophyllomitus vesiculosus	0.355	MAST-6	460633

Mediophyceae (Algae)

Name	Total level (% of eDNA)	Family	Type(s)
Biddulphia tridens	0.025	Mediophyceae	310433

Microbotryomycetes (Fungi)

Name	Total level (% of eDNA)	Family	Type(s)
Rhodotorula graminis	0.025	Sporidiobolaceae	30467

Novel_Clade_Gran-4

Name	Total level (% of eDNA)	Family	Type(s)
uncultured marine	0.025	Novel_Clade_Gran-4	35191

Orthonectida

Name	Total level (% of eDNA)	Family	Type(s)
Rhopalura ophiocomae	0.152	Rhopaluridae	350767

Phaeophyceae (Brown Algae)

Name	Total level (% of eDNA)	Family	Type(s)
Halothrix ambigua	0.761	Ectocarpales	1195
Scytosiphon lomentaria	0.457	Ectocarpales	5912
Sphacelaria sp.	0.330	Ectocarpales	548954
uncultured eukaryote	0.025	Ectocarpales	554319

Placozoa (Placozoans)

Name	Total level (% of eDNA)	Family	Type(s)
Trichoplax sp.	0.152	Placozoa	1402

Polychaeta (Worms)

Name	Total level (% of eDNA)	Family	Type(s)
Vermiliopsis infundibulum	0.304	Sabellida	1586
Rubifabriciola markginsbergi	0.076	Sabellida	194, 1753
Trochonerilla mobilis	0.025	Palpata_Incertae_Sedis	554357

Saccharomycetes ( Yeasts)

Name	Total level (% of eDNA)	Family	Type(s)
Debaryomyces udenii	0.025	Debaryomycetaceae	137390

Scyphozoa ( Jellyfish)

Name	Total level (% of eDNA)	Family	Type(s)
Atolla vanhoeffeni	0.101	Coronatae	549939

Syndiniales (Dinoflagellates)

Name	Total level (% of eDNA)	Family	Type(s)
uncultured marine	0.101	Syndiniales_Group_II	549941

Trebouxiophyceae (Green algae)

Name	Total level (% of eDNA)	Family	Type(s)
Coccomyxa onubensis	0.025	Trebouxiophyceae	554367
Picochlorum maculatum	0.025	Trebouxiophyceae	61

Ulvophyceae (Green Algae)

Name	Total level (% of eDNA)	Family	Type(s)
Ulvella viridis	0.380	Ulvophyceae	1175, 2120, 186798
Ulva rigida	0.254	Ulvophyceae	1100
Lithotrichon pulchrum	0.127	Ulvophyceae	94, 2637
Pseudulvella consociata	0.101	Ulvophyceae	41555
Phaeophila dendroides	0.076	Ulvophyceae	514
Hazenia basiliensis	0.025	Ulvophyceae	43
Lychaete pellucidoidea	0.025	Ulvophyceae	55898

uncultured

Name	Total level (% of eDNA)	Family	Type(s)
uncultured eukaryote	0.634	uncultured	2132, 221122
uncultured alveolate	0.025	uncultured	554334
uncultured marine	0.025	uncultured	536946