Urgh seriously.

[Sarah24!]

Hello,

Lol well the way my wires look, is similar to me getting out of the shower and instead of brushing my long hair, I use electric egg beater. Now I admit I slack on cleaning my pumps and always think I need more flow. So with that said does any one kinda have a light bulb moment and then wonder why it took so long for the light to turn on? That’s me today.

I was pretty close to having my dual returns full power and same with wave makers. Well I cleaned and put both of them back in. Holy cow the clean return pumps just moves water like it was brand new. I turned it back down to 50% and it was still just blasting water compared to the other one. Before I cleaned they were about equal, guess I really need to clean a lot more. Hopefully it won’t take a 24 hour soak to make them look new. They look brand brand new again and I cleaned all the cords also. But another moment of does my brain work is at times my tank has loud water movement.

When I dropped to just one return the tank was literally dead silent (other then the one return missing and one wave maker and they are all silent clean or dirty). Anyway when I added the second return back, my sump level was normal. Then in about 20 seconds it literally drained five gallons out and it was a mad dash to top the water off (whole five gallons). But found where the noise is, it’s running both returns (each is plumbed to its own overflow), but the one I had out has the long long pipes going to the sump. May get some foam and wrap it around them so make dead silent again. It took me 18 months to figure this out and math and physics science was my fav subject? Hmmmm something lol isn’t right.

 

[tdlawdo]

Weekly ?! I’d quit the hobby if I was scrubbing gyres weekly ! Lol
When I do it though I do a thorough job. I use almost an entire roll of paper towels from scrubbing all the nooks and crannies after an acid soak.

Mine are easy to clean I remove disassemble completely and don’t need to use the citric acid bc nothing is crusted. I have a container of different size brushes and get all the books and crannies rinse off then soak in rodi while I clean the rest. Takes no time at all and I like spending time with the tank. That may wear off but for now I still have this brown diatom stuff for some reason so the screens get covered quickly. It is a center point of my living room so I keep the tank pretty spotless.

 

[Sarah24!]

Mine are easy to clean I remove disassemble completely and don’t need to use the citric acid bc nothing is crusted. I have a container of different size brushes and get all the books and crannies rinse off then soak in rodi while I clean the rest. Takes no time at all and I like spending time with the tank. That may wear off but for now I still have this brown diatom stuff for some reason so the screens get covered quickly. It is a center point of my living room so I keep the tank pretty spotless.

Hello,

If I did mine weekly then I could do like you and more
Then likely min monthly for me now. I have some assorted tooth brushes (new or only been used on my tank) then I bought a bunch of random strange brushes that are small to do just that. Love when my tank is clean, and the front glass is always clean. It’s the side ones and the back one gets hard for me. The back I try but it’s covered in coraline, the sides would be easier if I didn’t have corals growing crazy (need to trim them). But I’m also curious if I was spreading nuance alage etc cyano because they were all so dirty (very possible). So now I will behave and actually clean them,’plus it gives me way more flow. But with that said lol the returns haven’t been cleaned in almost 19 months. The wave makers are usually 3 months or when I see any algae on them. Those have never slowed flow down, I only noticed on my return pumps

 

[tdlawdo]

Hello,

If I did mine weekly then I could do like you and more
Then likely min monthly for me now. I have some assorted tooth brushes (new or only been used on my tank) then I bought a bunch of random strange brushes that are small to do just that. Love when my tank is clean, and the front glass is always clean. It’s the side ones and the back one gets hard for me. The back I try but it’s covered in coraline, the sides would be easier if I didn’t have corals growing crazy (need to trim them). But I’m also curious if I was spreading nuance alage etc cyano because they were all so dirty (very possible). So now I will behave and actually clean them,’plus it gives me way more flow. But with that said lol the returns haven’t been cleaned in almost 19 months. The wave makers are usually 3 months or when I see any algae on them. Those have never slowed flow down, I only noticed on my return pumps

I envy you and your coralline. I am getting my first specks of it finally! I can see on some of the rocks.
How is the residency going? One year down? Must be time for boards again? Already done or still to come?

 

[Fin]

Holy Huckleberry Hound! Look at all I missed! I have been working "Sarah style hours" lately and haven't been on the computer much. Sorry you had to deal with the ich outbreak out of nowhere. Hopefully you are managing that well. Not sure I made it through all of the posts that I missed about how that came out. And you - sick again! In your own words (and thread name) ... "URGH SERIOUSLY?" Maybe being in a hospital environment, surrounded by sick people all the time is not for you. Do you think it may have had something to do with your immune system not being up to snuff yet from the mono? I hope you get to feeling better; although, being sick may be preferable to getting hit in the face twice with an airbag. You better take better care of yourself, missy!

 

[Brew12]

Maybe being in a hospital environment, surrounded by sick people all the time is not for you. Do you think it may have had something to do with your immune system not being up to snuff yet from the mono?

Maybe she doesn't eat enough clams.
https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/clams-the-best-food-for-a-reef.499468/

 

[crusso1993]

Whoa! Did I just see @Fin poke up out the water? Good to see a resurfacing from you!

 

[Fin]

Whoa! Did I just see @Fin poke up out the water? Good to see a resurfacing from you!

I have to surface every once in a while.

 

[Bpb]

I clean the skimmer every 90 days, the gyre every 60 days and the dual returns at the same time every 30 days. I was doing the returns every 60 days, but since I run no filter socks or pads, I have found 30 days works better. I would do the returns at the same time.

Gyres I clean every 60 days or so. Bimonthly roughly.

Return pump I’ve cleaned once in 5 years, skimmer I’ve not yet cleaned in 2 years aside from the cup. Calcium reactor I clean when the media runs out

 

[Sarah24!]

I envy you and your coralline. I am getting my first specs if it finally I cans see on some rocks.
How is the residency going? One year down? Must be time for boards again? Already done or still to come?

Hello,

I would be thrilled if you took have of the coraline or more off the back window and side windows. Having it cover the over flows isn’t terrible but hate it on the glass.

First year so far of my residency has been really good actually. I’m studying to take the usmle step 3. Since there isn’t a testing site in Boise the closest one to me is in los angles. Really not thrilled about it being two days and 8-9 hours per day. Not to mention I have oral assessments and written exams for the hospital I’m at. These are not the same thing as usmle step 3 (but) if you don’t do well on them they can always cut you from the residency program that your in. I was trained pretty good as in to study all year for everything but to also make notes and case notes on every patient and why I did or we did what we did. It’s easier to remember if you keep on top of it early on. When I had to take step one which people say it’s the most important but I think they are all about equally important, I studied about 2 hours a day for it while in school.
With that said I’m much more nervous about the hospital ones than usmle 3. I at least have practice exams for this etc but nothing for the others. From what I have been told is they take everything you have done and comb through it (oral section). Then ask questions why I did this and not that etc plus there is a written exam and the best answer I get is they change it every year. Then they assesse me on or if I’ll continue on being a good candidate. With that said, every year I will have this until I’m done with my residency. Then comes specialty exams and certifications but most of those are not till later most require two years min to even take the exam to be board certified in your field etc.

@Fin lol wow there you are (do we need to get a bigger boat?) yes I have been sick and I’m so sick of it lol. But my family physician just thinks it’s do to work load and life load etc. so been changing a few things and it has been better. I’m back to work again lol so we shall see if it works but so far soo good.

The fish are fine I think it was just stress ick and not marine ick. Since it went away and didn’t appear on any other fish in my tank, makes me think this. I’m still trying to catch my tank back up from when I neglected it. How have you been doing and how’s the family? Are you any closer to your tank being ready yet?

@Brew12 lol ahhhh errrr no way lol. If one wants to make extremely nauseous and highly likely to throw up feed me clams lol. There is something about the texture (as well as many others ) I just can’t handle. Even think about it lol makes me nauseous lol. I can handle most smells if not all, but taste and strange foods I can’t identify not so much. Texture is also bad for me lol, I have no idea why, but even certain seafood there is no way I could even try.

 

[Fin]

@FinHow have you been doing and how’s the family? Are you any closer to your tank being ready yet?

I am ok. Work has been very busy. We had a hail storm here with golf ball and baseball sized hail. Me being in the insurance claims business, I have been running day and night - almost as bad as you! Difference being you are 25 and I am gaining on 65. Not as easy as it was when I was your age. We have the workload under control now, but still very busy. I have time off coming the first of July, so I can rest then.

Sadly, looking back in my stagnant build thread, it has been almost a year since I even touched my tank. Still buying stuff for it though. I won $500 credit at Bulk Reef Supply, so I HAD to spend that. . If nothing else, retirement is looking like more of a probability at the end of the year. So, I will have numerous projects tokeepme busy.

 

[Brew12]

@Brew12 lol ahhhh errrr no way lol. If one wants to make extremely nauseous and highly likely to throw up feed me clams lol. There is something about the texture (as well as many others ) I just can’t handle. Even think about it lol makes me nauseous lol. I can handle most smells if not all, but taste and strange foods I can’t identify not so much. Texture is also bad for me lol, I have no idea why, but even certain seafood there is no way I could even try.

Well, live sick then!

My wife is actually very similar. She can't stand clams or scallops because of the texture. She is so bad she doesn't like to see other people eat them.

 

[Fin]

I am not a clam or oyster person either. Especially raw on the half shell. The oyster beds are often so polluted down here (with raw sewage) that they shut them down until the conditions improve. Yet, people insist on eating them raw. I have a couple of friends that got extremely ill from raw oysters, but still eat them that way. URGH, SERIOUSLY? Just the thought (or smell) of clam chowder makes me want to hurl. I am more of a shrimp and catfish, crawfish and crab kind of seafood lover.

 

[Sarah24!]

Hello,

You guys just make me laugh lol all of those would make literally not make me compliment the chef. I would definitely lose my stomach if I ate clams scallops,’oysters,’caviar, the slimie (snot mucus looking stuff). I do love Maine lobster, snow crab queen crab and king crab. I don’t mind salmon or halibut. I had trigger fish in Florida once and it was really good also.’

 

[Sarah24!]

Hello,

I started the second set of wave makers sitting over night in vinegar bath last night. Even in the tank the other two didn’t look terrible until they were in the sink. I still have one more wave maker and return pump to do, but on the home stretch lol. I am going to see if I can get a filter sock that will tie around the intakes or my return pumps. Maybe do a 200 or 300 sock which will be the final filter to get crap out of my water. Will have to clean them more often but I love when my tank sparkles.

 

[norfolkgarden]

Hello,

You guys just make me laugh lol all of those would make literally not make me compliment the chef. I would definitely lose my stomach if I ate clams scallops,’oysters,’caviar, the slimie (snot mucus looking stuff). I do love Maine lobster, snow crab queen crab and king crab. I don’t mind salmon or halibut. I had trigger fish in Florida once and it was really good also.’

Lol, you and my Better Half both.

More for the rest of us i guess.

Seriously, can you feed your fish cut up frozen clams or does that gross you out too? :- )
The difference in our copperband is amazing.

 

[tdlawdo]

Hello,

I would be thrilled if you took have of the coraline or more off the back window and side windows. Having it cover the over flows isn’t terrible but hate it on the glass.

First year so far of my residency has been really good actually. I’m studying to take the usmle step 3. Since there isn’t a testing site in Boise the closest one to me is in los angles. Really not thrilled about it being two days and 8-9 hours per day. Not to mention I have oral assessments and written exams for the hospital I’m at. These are not the same thing as usmle step 3 (but) if you don’t do well on them they can always cut you from the residency program that your in. I was trained pretty good as in to study all year for everything but to also make notes and case notes on every patient and why I did or we did what we did. It’s easier to remember if you keep on top of it early on. When I had to take step one which people say it’s the most important but I think they are all about equally important, I studied about 2 hours a day for it while in school.
With that said I’m much more nervous about the hospital ones than usmle 3. I at least have practice exams for this etc but nothing for the others. From what I have been told is they take everything you have done and comb through it (oral section). Then ask questions why I did this and not that etc plus there is a written exam and the best answer I get is they change it every year. Then they assesse me on or if I’ll continue on being a good candidate. With that said, every year I will have this until I’m done with my residency. Then comes specialty exams and certifications but most of those are not till later most require two years min to even take the exam to be board certified in your field.

Yes I know the feeling and them don’t forget the recerts! Mine are every 8 yrs ine day written the next day oral. Mine son is finishing his first year if residency also. He took step 3 already so he is glad that is out of the way. He also had his ITE’s (intraining exams) and did great so he sounds like you in his prep work he studies all year round for them. Well remember the saying for crunch time..6 months for step 1, 6 weeks for step 2 and 6 days for step 3! I have never actually studied for my boards I always figured it was Testing what I know and I read and keep up to date. My last revert was last May ( a year ago) and I did try one of these new online practice tests which didn’t exist last time I took my board recertification exams. So that was good enough for me. I still think all of these exams are just money makers for the national organization it doesn’t weed out bad docs and doesn’t protect patients interest.

Stay well!!

 

[Sarah24!]

Hello,

I am never going to be thrilled about recerts and all the continued education, in service days Urgh. If the people teaching them were not so bone dry and deaf tone I may learn something new. I have a terrible habit of making my laptop record and dictate the lecture. Then I read it and get what I can. I too have done this many times but was only caught once watching the Disney movie tangled during a lecture. I wasn’t missing anything the little sub window was showing the dictated words just fine and coping to my solid state drive. My intraining exams just drive me batty. There are two orals with the board from the hospital, and two exams twice a year. You never know what they will ask or do and they literally make it to where you just don’t know the answer. The orals get harder and harder for each question and they use case files that you have alresdy done. It’s a horrible way to learn tou did something wrong. Not only does it make you feel stupid, but I feel terrible about it I could have helped the person more. So it’s a learning curve and the first one literally brained fried me. Now I have an idea what they will do but was told they change them every time to weed out lazy ones.
Hospitals etc just upset me half the time. Love the people I help hate how much we charge them. So unfair and it’s all about money. I can not say how many times I have had things edited (like I had to give a person blood, well they had a pick line in alresdy. So I just linked it to that and controlled the flow. So I only billed the blood, but they changed it and added a whole procedure iv etc. they already had one and they charged an extreme amount for tubing Supplies the hospital gets next to nothing. Frustrating even when one is honest I have to argue my reasoning why it’s not on their bill. Most say accounting and patient billing and I are not on excellent terms. Was his step 3 two days also a 7 block hour and then a 9 block hour day? Did he have to travel to take his exams also?

Oh and huge pet peeve of mine is when I want a patient on a med and insurance argues w me. They are not doctors I will ask for brand and they say no and generic and I give them my reasons. Yet they always get their way how do I override them? Even when they send a pre authorization over they say it’s too much money. I don’t care about their profits I care if my patient is happy and doing well.

 

[Sarah24!]

Hello,

Okay time for tank update since my issue w stress ick and some small patches of algae that I now have an amazing pediatric super soft tooth brush for. I have run filter socks off my drain lines and then micro fiber before the returns. Now I have installed 300 microfiber socks over the intakes of both return pumps. They will clog faster but I want my tank looking better and lol I’m not satisfied yet. With that said all pumps now clean but two which will be tomorrow and I cleaned every inch of glass with my razor scraper and cleaned every led lens with a clean soft cloth to get salt off of them. With out further adeiu here are some pics yay

 

[Bronc]

Wow Sarah! It’s really looking incredible!