Tank birthday, 47+ years

[Paul B]

Every morning I peruse these threads on multiple forums and am in awe at all the diseases, maladies, symptoms and surprise deaths that so many people experience. It's disheartening to think of all the creatures we are senselessly killing mostly by to much love.

I am old and have seen most everything, (TV was invented the year before I was born and transistors not much later.) :rolleyes:

I still feel almost all of these diseases, most of which I never heard of and neither have the fish are the result of how we keep fish.
I have never had to de-worm a fish and flukes maybe once or twice in 50 years. I think healthy fish housed in a proper tank given the proper food and aquascape will not have these maladies in the first place so we don't have to intervene with poisons.

If I had to deal with all these issues, I would not be in this hobby. Instead maybe I would be a shoe salesman. :anguished-face:

But that is just my opinion and I know it doesn't go over very big on these forums so don't read what I post. But what do I know? ;)

 

[michealprater]

It would be interesting to hear what failures you have had over the last 47 years. No disrespect, but no one here actually believes you have just chucked a bunch of stuff in a tank and it’s just worked for a 1/2 century. I greatly enjoy your wit and humor and admire your tenacity to keep it going so long, however humility is a great virtue as well that would be so nice to see. So… what lessons have you learned the hard way? What trials have you experienced?

 

[michealprater]

Btw I should put in a disclaimer… I absolutely agree there is too much snake oil on the market, but I refuse to believe all new technology is bad. Some great positive advances have been made.

 

[Nano_Man]

I’ve gone natural last 8 months and had nothing but good things . It’s early days but brilliant tank’s thriving native and a BTA tank . This all started from Paul b information which has shown me the natural way is the way to go . Natural sea water changes natural live sand live foods from the sea Algae from the sea . This is only my experience so far so thank you PaulB I will never go back every thing working really well and no fancy equipment or diseases in my tanks

 

[michealprater]

By no means did I mean any disrespect, I want that to be clear. I have a tremendous amount of respect for Paul, right along with the entire community.... and dang is he funny! Just wondering what didnt work.

 

[Subsea]

It would be interesting to hear what failures you have had over the last 47 years. No disrespect, but no one here actually believes you have just chucked a bunch of stuff in a tank and it’s just worked for a 1/2 century. I greatly enjoy your wit and humor and admire your tenacity to keep it going so long, however humility is a great virtue as well that would be so nice to see. So… what lessons have you learned the hard way? What trials have you experienced?

@michealprater
When you say “no disrespect” then you say “no one believes you”, I assure you, that is disrespectful. Just worked out implies, “ignorance is bliss”.

First off, who are you to represent everyone when you say, “no one believes”? Be specific, what don’t YOU believe.

 

[michealprater]

@michealprater
When you say “no disrespect” then you say “no one believes you”, I assure you, that is disrespectful. Just worked out implies, “ignorance is bliss”.

First off, who are you to represent everyone when you say, “no one believes”? Be specific, what don’t YOU believe.

Point taken. Good points. Thanks for the feedback. Its not "no one", but rather me. Im not above constructive criticism and agree with you here.

 

[snorklr]

if you've followed Paul or read his book there have been pages displayed out of his early journals showing sick fish, treatment attempts and less than stellar results...which lead him to where he stands today

 

[Subsea]

if you've followed Paul or read his book there have been pages displayed out of his early journals showing sick fish, treatment attempts and less than stellar results...which lead him to where he stands today

Yes, I have folliwed Paul for quite some time and was fortunate to have spent time at his home on North Fork of Long Island.

Paul does like to shock with his post. I also have his ebook,

 

[Nano_Man]

Your fish have to build up a resistance against certain diseases. He builds up there amune systems so when they get a disease they have a good chance of getting through it. The more they are exposed to the more they can fight a disease off. Yes I would say there might be losses at the beginning but the ones that servive are even stronger against the disease if it turns up again in the future. This is a tiny bit of going natural and this is only my option if you think I may not be totally correct please feel free to correct me Paul and subsea are the men on this subject

 

[Subsea]

Your fish have to build up a

resistance against certain diseases. He builds up there amune systems so when they get a disease they have a good chance of getting through it. The more they are exposed to the more they can fight a disease off. Yes I would say there might be losses at the beginning but the ones that servive are even stronger against the disease if it turns up again in the future. This is a tiny bit of going natural and this is only my option if you think I may not be totally correct please feel free to correct me Paul and subsea are the men on this subject

It’s called herd immunity. Works for humans also.

PS: A molecular biologist might say
“gene expression“

 

[Paul B]

It would be interesting to hear what failures you have had over the last 47 years.

I have probably killed more fish than Starkist Tuna. I learned from that but in the last few decades I haven't lost any fish to any communicable disease and I try very hard to convey that information to anyone who will listen. Thats actually the only reason I wrote a book because 100% of the profits go to MS research.

I don't have any fish failures but of course I do occasionally have hardware malfunctions. Now as we speak, I am building a new algae scrubber.

This is the old one.

Thisis the new one.

 

[mijan]

1986 was a good year

 

[Paul B]

No disrespect, but no one here actually believes you have just chucked a bunch of stuff in a tank and it’s just worked for a 1/2 century.

Thats certainly true but remember I have been posting on forums since they invented computers and writing articles in paper magazines much longer. Everything I ever did since forums came around you can go back and find. I have never posted on a disease forum for a communicable disease. Other things, yes. My fish don't live forever.....I wish.

A few years ago I posted about a copperband I had for many years that got a neurological afliction and eventually couldn't eat and died.
He could see food, but couldn't see straight to get it into his mouth.



I lost a few mandarins that became egg bound.



And Ruby Red Dragonettes.


I post my failures and my successes. This Fireclown is about 32 and his mate is a couple of years younger



People on these forums have come to my house to see my methods. SubSea was here last year as was Humblefish.

I have no secrets and can post pictures of myself in a Speedo....But I won't. :confounded-face:

I am not that good in keeping corals. My tank is kind of dirty and with so much things growing something always grows over corals be it sponge, cyano or algae. :anguished-face:

I wish I was better at that, and ball room dancing. :beaming-face-with-smiling-eyes:

Here it is with sponge growing all over everything.

Here is after I removed everything in the tank and cleaned the sponge off the rocks. I kept the fish in a large vat for a day until I cleaned off the rock. Much of it I put outside in the cold to kill the rest of it.

Algae grew on everything, then diatoms. That died and I got algae again. It is all straightening itself now and soon will be pristine because I didn't add any chemicals to fix or speed up the process which most people would do then start a thread titled "Getting out of Hobby, selling everything" then go on to working in McDonalds as the manager of the French Frier. :oops:

 

[Nano_Man]

Thats certainly true but remember I have been posting on forums since they invented computers and writing articles in paper magazines much longer. Everything I ever did since forums came around you can go back and find. I have never posted on a disease forum for a communicable disease. Other things, yes. My fish don't live forever.....I wish.

A few years ago I posted about a copperband I had for many years that got a neurological afliction and eventually couldn't eat and died.
He could see food, but couldn't see straight to get it into his mouth.



I lost a few mandarins that became egg bound.



And Ruby Red Dragonettes.


I post my failures and my successes. This Fireclown is about 32 and his mate is a couple of years younger



People on these forums have come to my house to see my methods. SubSea was here last year as was Humblefish.

I have no secrets and can post pictures of myself in a Speedo....But I won't. :confounded-face:

Paul you could and stood next to 86

 

[Paul B]

My friend gave me that poster in 1986 and it has always hung in my workshop. I like it..Shoot me. :beaming-face-with-smiling-eyes:

That girl is probably a Grand Mother now. :)

 

[Debramb]

This Friday is our 50th wedding anniversary. A few months ago we took the family to Bermuda on a cruise and I thought on the actual day we would have a peaceful day. Nope. We have to go to a Sweet 16 party on Jones Beach here on Long Island which is probably one of the biggest beaches in the world but of course the party is inside a place on the beach. It ends at midnight.

At 16 I don't think I even knew what midnight was. The place is an hour and a half from here and my Kids and Grand Kids are coming over after the party to spend the night.

I have to throw them out the next day because I have plans and am taking my wife out along with 3 other couples but she doesn't know about all that. :beaming-face-with-smiling-eyes:



This is her when I married her when she was 18

She’s beautiful, congratulations on you’re wedding anniversary And your aquarium
Debra

 

[Kmst80]

My skimmer for some reason can't contain itself. I am not sure why but this has been happening for 2 weeks.

Could be the AFW you have been using temporarily. I just did a waterchange yesterday and my skimmer started doing the same, only difference was I had to use Afw coz I run out of Nsw. Luckily the gods of the high tide are with me this morning and I can get more of this heavenly gift. May Poseidon guide my way.

 

[Debramb]

Thats certainly true but remember I have been posting on forums since they invented computers and writing articles in paper magazines much longer. Everything I ever did since forums came around you can go back and find. I have never posted on a disease forum for a communicable disease. Other things, yes. My fish don't live forever.....I wish.

A few years ago I posted about a copperband I had for many years that got a neurological afliction and eventually couldn't eat and died.
He could see food, but couldn't see straight to get it into his mouth.



I lost a few mandarins that became egg bound.



And Ruby Red Dragonettes.


I post my failures and my successes. This Fireclown is about 32 and his mate is a couple of years younger



People on these forums have come to my house to see my methods. SubSea was here last year as was Humblefish.

I have no secrets and can post pictures of myself in a Speedo....But I won't. :confounded-face:

I am not that good in keeping corals. My tank is kind of dirty and with so much things growing something always grows over corals be it sponge, cyano or algae. :anguished-face:

I wish I was better at that, and ball room dancing. :beaming-face-with-smiling-eyes:

Here it is with sponge growing all over everything.

Here is after I removed everything in the tank and cleaned the sponge off the rocks. I kept the fish in a large vat for a day until I cleaned off the rock. Much of it I put outside in the cold to kill the rest of it.

Algae grew on everything, then diatoms. That died and I got algae again. It is all straightening itself now and soon will be pristine because I didn't add any chemicals to fix or speed up the process which most people would do then start a thread titled "Getting out of Hobby, selling everything" then go on to working in McDonalds as the manager of the French Frier. :oops:

Oh no, not a Speedo, fish are awesome!

 

[michealprater]

Thats certainly true but remember I have been posting on forums since they invented computers and writing articles in paper magazines much longer. Everything I ever did since forums came around you can go back and find. I have never posted on a disease forum for a communicable disease. Other things, yes. My fish don't live forever.....I wish.

A few years ago I posted about a copperband I had for many years that got a neurological afliction and eventually couldn't eat and died.
He could see food, but couldn't see straight to get it into his mouth.



I lost a few mandarins that became egg bound.



And Ruby Red Dragonettes.


I post my failures and my successes. This Fireclown is about 32 and his mate is a couple of years younger



People on these forums have come to my house to see my methods. SubSea was here last year as was Humblefish.

I have no secrets and can post pictures of myself in a Speedo....But I won't. :confounded-face:

I am not that good in keeping corals. My tank is kind of dirty and with so much things growing something always grows over corals be it sponge, cyano or algae. :anguished-face:

I wish I was better at that, and ball room dancing. :beaming-face-with-smiling-eyes:

Here it is with sponge growing all over everything.

Here is after I removed everything in the tank and cleaned the sponge off the rocks. I kept the fish in a large vat for a day until I cleaned off the rock. Much of it I put outside in the cold to kill the rest of it.

Algae grew on everything, then diatoms. That died and I got algae again. It is all straightening itself now and soon will be pristine because I didn't add any chemicals to fix or speed up the process which most people would do then start a thread titled "Getting out of Hobby, selling everything" then go on to working in McDonalds as the manager of the French Frier. :oops:

Thank you Paul. I appreciate the insight. That’s exactly what I was looking for, not to upset you or any of the fans of yours (fans-rightfully so). You are a class act and a gentlemen.