Tank birthday, 47+ years

[Paul B]

Did I mention this snapping turtle? If I did, just ignore this post. I was in my Man cave and I heard people calling my name. At first I thought Christie Brinkley was outside asking for anyone who knew anything about fish tanks, but that wasn't it.
I went outside and people were yelling OMG look at that big turtle. I looked and thought to myself, Wow, that is the biggest box turtle I have ever seen. I ran up to the thing and noticed it was a snapping turtle about 2' long.

I always had those when I was a kid and know how to pick them up. The only way to pick one up is by it's tail, anyplace else and you will lose your fingers as they have no sense of humor what so ever. I grabbed it and he was not happy at all. He was snapping and trying to take my leg off. He weighed about 10lbs and I had to hold it far away from my leg while I figured out what to do with it.

At first I figured I would put it in my wife's underwear drawer as a Goof, but I figured that wouldn't be prudent so I walked it over to a near by "pond".

The "pond" is really sort of a big mud puddle but he was getting heavy and I didn't want to carry him to a bigger pond which was a few hundred yards away. I gently put him in the mud and he quickly swam away while giving me a very dirty look.

A couple of days later, that pond dried up but I haven't seen him so I hope he went in the right direction to the next pond.
I am still very cautious when I open my underwear drawer because my wife may have gotten the same Idea. :confused:

 

[Paul B]

I have to change the exhaust manifolds on my boat and it is breaking my heart that I will not be able to do it myself. I really have never hired anyone for anything especially something like my car or boat but there comes a time when this stuff is just to heavy. I have changed them on my last two boats but I was a lot younger then. The manifolds are the 4 big iron things, one on each side of the engine with the worm gear clamps on the far end.
This boat has two engines and there is very little room to work. They weigh maybe 25lbs each and you have to be able to twist yourself in there to lift them out, then align them up to get them back in. It is not a complicated job but it is a heavy one. You are supposed to change them (in salt water) maybe every 5 or 6 years and I have this boat 12 years and never changed them. They could be 15 or even 20 years old. :eek:

If they allow seawater to leak into the cylinders you could break a connecting rod or crack the block, two reasons to junk the boat. I don't trust anyone's work and I just like doing this type of work.

But age and strength just won't allow me to do it again. Getting old stinks but it is better than the alternative (I think)
It's the end of an era when I can't repair my own boat. :(
They are also not real cheap. To do it myself would cost about $1,500.00 and to have them to do it is almost tipple that. And I wanted to buy a clown gobi. :rolleyes:

 

[norfolkgarden]

I have to change the exhaust manifolds on my boat and it is breaking my heart that I will not be able to do it myself. I really have never hired anyone for anything especially something like my car or boat but there comes a time when this stuff is just to heavy. I have changed them on my last two boats but I was a lot younger then. The manifolds are the 4 big iron things, one on each side of the engine with the worm gear clamps on the far end.
This boat has two engines and there is very little room to work. They weigh maybe 25lbs each and you have to be able to twist yourself in there to lift them out, then align them up to get them back in. It is not a complicated job but it is a heavy one. You are supposed to change them (in salt water) maybe every 5 or 6 years and I have this boat 12 years and never changed them. They could be 15 or even 20 years old. :eek:

If they allow seawater to leak into the cylinders you could break a connecting rod or crack the block, two reasons to junk the boat. I don't trust anyone's work and I just like doing this type of work.

But age and strength just won't allow me to do it again. Getting old stinks but it is better than the alternative (I think)
It's the end of an era when I can't repair my own boat. :(
They are also not real cheap. To do it myself would cost about $1,500.00 and to have them to do it is almost tipple that. And I wanted to buy a clown gobi. :rolleyes:

Sorry to hear about the boat.

Getting older isn't for sissies.

As long as you can still take care of your beautiful supermodel you are still doing good.
:- )

 

[norfolkgarden]

I have to change the exhaust manifolds on my boat and it is breaking my heart that I will not be able to do it myself. I really have never hired anyone for anything especially something like my car or boat but there comes a time when this stuff is just to heavy. I have changed them on my last two boats but I was a lot younger then. The manifolds are the 4 big iron things, one on each side of the engine with the worm gear clamps on the far end.
This boat has two engines and there is very little room to work. They weigh maybe 25lbs each and you have to be able to twist yourself in there to lift them out, then align them up to get them back in. It is not a complicated job but it is a heavy one. You are supposed to change them (in salt water) maybe every 5 or 6 years and I have this boat 12 years and never changed them. They could be 15 or even 20 years old. :eek:

If they allow seawater to leak into the cylinders you could break a connecting rod or crack the block, two reasons to junk the boat. I don't trust anyone's work and I just like doing this type of work.

But age and strength just won't allow me to do it again. Getting old stinks but it is better than the alternative (I think)
It's the end of an era when I can't repair my own boat. :(
They are also not real cheap. To do it myself would cost about $1,500.00 and to have them to do it is almost tipple that. And I wanted to buy a clown gobi. :rolleyes:

Sorry to hear about the boat.

Getting older isn't for sissies.

As long as you can still take care of your beautiful supermodel you are still doing good.
:- )

 

[85173]

Don't worry Paul. With your record for manly activity, you can rest on your laurels sometimes and let someone else get the hernia for you! You've already earned it. Hope Mrs B is doing better.

 

[Sailfinguy21]

Im 32 and i work on my cars myself and fix anything... I often read these stpries on the Jeep forums about older guys not being able to work on their cars like they used too... I kinds dread when that day will happen to me.. but hopefully i can reach 60 and 70 and still be able to wrench haha

 

[Paul B]

I am 70 and can still wrench. I installed my brakes a few weeks ago and I have changed pistons, ball joints, transmissions and complete engines quite often. The technology of the repairs is easy, overcoming gravity and trying to cram rusty bones into places they are not supposed to go is the hard part.
If I got myself into my bilge, I think I would need the jaws of life to pry my new knee out of there. :eek:

Old bones bend, but they don't like to straighten out again.
I could easily do this manifold repair, but I make break or damage one of my body parts that I may need for something in the future.
As we age we think we can still pick things up like we used to, and sometimes we can, but it is the ligaments and tendons that we can easily tear, especially if you already tore most of them over your Manly life. :cool:
My left bicep is already torn off the bone and is just there to impress Supermodels, which it is also not very good at any more. :(

Just before I retired I was on the roof of the Plaza Hotel in Manhattan, on top of a very old water tank enclosed in a small room. I was probably 50 at the time and I used to have no trouble climbing ropes, beams etc.
I needed to get down the 12' or so and the room was small so I figured (stupidly) that I would just grab the rope hanging there and slide down that.

That was a mistake. Either my arms were not as strong as I thought or my body was a lot heavier or a combination of both, but I came down about as fast as if Godzilla was driving a Smart Car and went off a cliff :confused:

My hands didn't even slow me down and that was when it came to me. "Retire." There comes a point in your life when we can't do this Manly work any more and maybe should do some Snowflake things like tickle a key board or push papers around, maybe text someone. :eek:

I can't hurt anything doing this. I am resting on my Laurels here.

 

[Hot2na]

is that the long island sound behind you ?

 

[Brew12]

I think I would need the jaws of life to pry my new knee out of there. :eek:

I don't know why you went with a new knee. Nothing is well made anymore. I would have asked them to search some junk yards for a nice older model from 30 or 40 years ago. Back when people with skill made things that weren't meant to be disposable.

 

[Peach02]

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.

Only just saw this thread but holy **** the tank must be nearly 50 now do you know what page the most recent photos are on? Thank you for your service

 

[Paul B]

is that the long island sound behind you ?

Actually that is the Atlantic Ocean from one of the most eastern parts of the US. It's Montauk Long Island.

Brew, I think the knee is OK, it's the body around it. :rolleyes:

Peach, it's only 48 now, This was this week. If there is an X, click on that, I have to tweek my camera because the files are too big.

 

[Sailfinguy21]

Hey man at least your still kicking and you look great.. my dad was in Veitnam. He was in the 82nd airborne division he was also in the first gulf war. He joined in i believe 69 and retired 93 after the war ended. Was an E7 then after he broke his ankles parachooting in korea in the 80s he went to intel instead and skipped W1 went right to CW2 and retired CW3 they offerd him CW4 to stay in which was thr highest at the time.. but he told me he was sick of the army. It was changing from what he was used too to the more modern army we have today.

He was also tired if the butter bars lol 2nd LTs.


He died in 98 from liver cancer though. Found out he had hepatitus c. He didnt even know. He got it from the blood transfusion they gave him in korea.. Sucks you serve in the army for over 20 years only for thise jerks to kill you after you retire. One thing that really bugs me about his gravestone in arlington is it says persian gulf.. but has no mention of Veitnam.. he was in 69 and veitnam didnt end till 75. His DD214 award and records reflect him being there.. but its not marked on his gravestone.

I really hate that

 

[Paul B]

Sailfinguy21. Your dad was a Hero and a true American. I went in in 69 and got out in 71. That was enough. :rolleyes:
Sorry to hear about your Father's passing away. We are almost all at that stage now as we are all Geezers. :confused:

The Army then was composed of tough Men. (we didn't have Ladies in Nam that I have ever seen but I know there were females in the service )
We trained hard and lived in the mud. No roof, walls, water, electricity, air conditioning, hot meals or clean water. There were no Snowflakes either. We did what we were supposed to do with no complaining. Well, maybe just a little. :D

I was in the First Air Cavalry Division, the same as Custer (who was a Jerk). I also skipped ranks. I got out of basic training as a corporal and made E5 after 16 weeks in the Army. I went to Nam as a Sgt E5.

We got attacked my second week there and I lost all of my 7 men. We lost 54 that night out of about 150. Not a good night.
But your dad was more of a Patriot than I was because he enlisted, then re upped. I didn't do that. I got out as soon as I could. :rolleyes:

 

[Paul B]

So last night we took our Grand Daughter Greta to the beach behind out house to launch these hot air balloons. They are these 3' paper bags with a wax fire in them. We got on the beach with the Jeep as the sand is very deep and soft. The thing went fine going in.
After we lit and flew the fire things (and they go for miles and so high you can barely see them) we got in the Jeep to go home.

The thing wouldn't let me put it in 4 wheel drive. It didn't light up or anything but the Jeep kept going. Then the "Check Engine" light came on. Then something was flashing that said
"Torque Steering something" needs service" Then the "Air Bag, not working" light came on. I felt like I was driving a Christmas tree.

It didn't seem to effect the drivability or 4 wheel drive capabilities but when I got home I checked into it. I found out I have this "Trail Hawk Trail Rated" model which is the Super, Duper Jeep with the drivetrain that allows you to drive under the Pacific Ocean or on craters on the Moon. I think that may impress some CPA. I also found out it was built in Italy, which didn't make me happy at all. :eek:
I have a Test module you plug in to tell you what is wrong, but there is something wrong with my test module that tells you whats wrong. It didn't give me any codes to tell me whats wrong. It's either a module or a software problem because when they invented computers and put them in cars, they invented all these silly problems.

My old Willy's Jeep didn't have any of these issues because it was a 1960 Willy's and the thing was built to just work. No issues, no breaking, no modules, just steel parts.
When you wanted to put it in 4 wheel drive you pushed this big steel lever, it made a big noise and then you could drive through a house and not even dent the thing.

Now they have these silly, plastic, electronic modules that allow the vehicle to do all sorts of things that used to be done with iron and steel. The new electronic assisted vehicles do not run any better, there 4 wheel drive is no better, they are certainly not cheaper or more reliable. What they are is disposable because you need to be Houdini and Einstein to fix them. I could fix anything on my Willy's with a hammer and maybe a torch.

I went to the Jeep dealer and they said they have to check it out to see if it is under warranty even though Jeep Corporate headquarters told me it is.
If it is not, I will just have to fix it myself or take it to some Jiboni with a drawer full of modules and software programs. :rolleyes:

 

[Paul B]

Yes I know my little Jeep Renegade is not as tough and manly looking as some of the souped up Jeeps you guys have. But I am long past showing how Manly I am by my car. I can buy any car, but I want this one. :D ( But I do like those Jeeps)

I have had Jeeps since that 1960s job. :rolleyes:

That silver patch under the door I cut out of the radiator covers in the Chrysler Building.
I also installed a 1/4" thick diamond plate floor to replace the rotted out one. The gas tank was from a boat and held 18 gallons. The standard gas tank held about 8 gallons as it was a military model.
After this picture was taken I installed huge tires mostly to increase the gear ratio. With those old tires the thing would only go about 43 MPH. The large tires allowed me to go 50 so I could get on the highway and make money plowing. I used to make about $1,400.00 whenever it snowed. That was in 1974 when that was a months salary :D

 

[johnalicia]

Very cool. Not many can claim to have a tank going that long

not many can claim to be in this hobby that long much less a tank going for that long. My hats off to you sir.

 

[Paul B]

Thank you but put your hat back on. All you have to do is live long enough. :D

 

[atoll]

My latest fish a 2.1/2" red Hawkfish I spotted in my nearest LFS. It was in a small tank on it's own looking quite frightened and nowhere near as colourful as it is now. Not that often seen here and people tend to pass them.
by thinking they aren't very colourful but those who know know most people go for the scarlet or long nosed Hawkfish. The red are far cheaper than the scarlet and spends more time swimming than other Hawks.

 

[Paul B]

I think I have one of those. Or a clone of it. :D Wonderful fish.

 

[atoll]

I think I have one of those. Or a clone of it. :D Wonderful fish.

Yep that's the one but I want another one. [emoji12]