Urgh seriously.

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I have a portable electric fence camping which protects against bears. It's portable and sets up in 5 minutes. I can loan it to you. No tank modifications required just fence it off. Would surely stop the kids from going behind the tank. At least once. It also serves as a great babysitter child compound.

Good super early morning,

lol omg that’s funny, except I see the children being smart enough to know it’s electified. However, my older brother, I’m starting to really really wonder if he would just go hmmm “I wonder what will happen if I......... zzzzzzzap! Then as has bad as it was having him live with me and torment me, I would have to give him cpr. I really hope I have my personal mouth guard on hand.
 

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Good super early morning,

lol omg that’s funny, except I see the children being smart enough to know it’s electified. However, my older brother, I’m starting to really really wonder if he would just go hmmm “I wonder what will happen if I......... zzzzzzzap! Then as has bad as it was having him live with me and torment me, I would have to give him cpr. I really hope I have my personal mouth guard on hand.

On a serious note. They might be too young but you could try including the kids in tank maintenance and teach them about tank and fish. Might make them appreciate and think twice.

As far as brother goes. Kids stay and brother goes. Don't know situation but sounds like he is taking advantage of your good will and needs a wake up call or kick in the nuts.
 
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Lol does it include hog tying him behind a boat, and having jaws chase after him, but jaws is always like 2.5 inches away?

Oh and yes the movie still terrifies me greatly, so hopefully the real one will scare some sense into him. :) yes I love him still, he is just on my urgh list and that is super hard to get onto.
 
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Skynyrd Fish

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Your posts make me crack up. Except the one about your brother in your bed. As a father I am appalled by this. I am sorry you have to deal with this. Looks like those kids need you more than ever. A hard working positive rollmodel. Young kids are amazing. Let them help with the tank, And house work. You will be surprised how they will want to do a good job. Enjoy those kids. Your a good aunt.
 

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Man has this thread taken a turn!!! Just wow [emoji50]
 

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Glad to see your spirits are up. Your bro needs to pound potatoes! and the kids are lucky to have you! One last thing with little boys, keep boxes of Kleenex around or you'll find little smears behind everything :eek:
 
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Your posts make me crack up. Except the one about your brother in your bed. As a father I am appalled by this. I am sorry you have to deal with this. Looks like those kids need you more than ever. A hard working positive rollmodel. Young kids are amazing. Let them help with the tank, And house work. You will be surprised how they will want to do a good job. Enjoy those kids. Your a good aunt.

Good morning and wow it’s so early,

Lol I try not to be boring, in my posts. I guess I learned extremely well from the 100s of professors that could put anything to sleep. I only fell asleep like three times in class, but to my defense I had pulled an all nighter studying for an exam, and when I had to write a 300 page report.

I found that nestle crunch bars lol provide great source of caffeine. I’m sure soda pop is a better source but hated feeling like a helium balloon. People wonder why I don’t drink coffee. Well lol oops! I was choose to make a pot of coffee for my organic chemistry class 430 (I think ). Anyway one never have drank coffee before, or making it well I messed it up. The professor was not a nice person but, choose me anyway after I said I didn’t know how. (His response time to learn). So he had this huge Mr. Coffee, machine and I stuck the little paper thingy in. I was told to fill that up and make a full pot, which was huge. (Commercial size). Anyway well I filled that thing to the very top with coffee grounds, I mean I put like half a whole can of Folgers coffee in this thing. Then to level it off I used a handy dandy ruler. I pushed it in and hit start. It made coffee, so I thought.

If anyone has seen the movie space balls, when dark helmet drinks his coffee and launches all over the place, well that was my instructor doing it in front of 50 students. When he asked me how many cups of coffee I used, I said lots, you told me to fill it up (saying this sheepishly). He then said I meant to the line, not too the top. So to not be waste full your going to drink the whole thing of coffee in front of the class. Lol let’s just say, I avoid coffee like it’s the Black Plague.

lol sorry morning story flashbacks, but I learned what not to do. Yes I try to be an amazing aunt, to all of them. They seem to act much better when they are just with me. I’m still getting use to my niece crawling into bed with me, super early and asking to watch cartoons. I have become an expert in legos, barbies, play doh, face painting, having tea time with fake biscuits and empty plastic cups. But I adore it all, and wouldn’t change anything. The best part is all the hugs and kisses. The worst part, I don’t get much sleep between work and finishing school, (omg a month left) but it’s worth seeing them happy. I’m a softie so when they give me huge alligator tears, it’s breaks my heart. I’m doing crash courses in how to be a instant mom. It’s really hard.

lol sorry the thread has gone in 20 directions, but he kinda caused it.
However, update the tank is fine and doing really good. If anyone is a tech genius I finally had to get a smart phone yesterday, (yet I am still using my laptop for this), trying to figure out an iPhone 8, (phone is huge. I need a u haul truck to move it around) and if anyone can figure out how to hook the new current Bluetooth control up, I’m forever greatful. (It’s not as easy as it seems)
But this thread turned from my tank emergency into my vent thread also. In short I don’t have many friends (meaning that I hang out with because of work school etc). Plus I don’t want to mix personal with work. So I’m sorry about that.
 
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The kidney transform ammonia to nitrate) (most of it)

Oh, also check your SG as most urine is not as concentrated as out tanks. (1.020ish)

No no no no no no. Nitrogen in pee is in the form of Urea - it converts fast to pure ammonia/ammoniac NH4/NH3 when it come outside the body. The biological transforming to NO2 and NO3 need nitrification bacteria - fresh urin is normally total free of bacteria

A skimmer cannot remove ammonia, nitrite or nitrate directly. A protein skimmer works by removing animal feces, uneaten food particles, coral mucus and other organic things. In a way, protein skimmers reduce ammonia, nitrite and nitrate because these organic things will eventually break down and become ammonia, nitrite and nitrate. But, once the ammonia, nitrite and nitrate are in the water column, the skimmer can't remove them.
The skimmer can take away NH3 (a gas) from the water as it work as a gas exchanger. The ratio NH3/NH4 depend on pH. When NH3 i taken out from the water - the remaining NH4/NH3 complex will be in a new realisationship - forming more NH3 - take out more NH3 and so on. The skimmer - or every aeration its very good in situations like this

I´m sorry i did not seen this before because I maybe could done you more calm already from the beginning. The only thing of concern with pee (from healthy people without medication - especially birth control pills) and a reef is the risk for free ammonia gas (ammoniac). a well working skimmer will help taken that away and your nitrification bacteria the rest. It is also this way that the nitrogen content in pee from children is much lower than it is among grown ups. This because the convert most of they nutrient (in this case nitrogen) into biomass.

I have farmed both fresh water and salt water phytoplankton with help of human pee with great success and as an example - in Sweden there is an old tradition (today dying) to use stored pee as a fertilizer for tomatoes and other vegetables and plants.

Sincerely Lasse
 

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Oh my gosh! What a thread this is! Funny, sad and disturbing all rolled up into one. I think you took all of the appropriate steps - in every situation you have encountered here. I think your tank will be fine. People seem to like to pee in water and that is why I don't do public pools. :)

Your brother's behavior is abhorrent. I mean how low can you go to borrow $200 from your kindhearted little sister - on a lie - to pay for a "sex worker" and then have sex in said sister's own bed, while his three young children are in the same apartment? This was mind blowing to me. Maybe I shouldn't ask, but where is the mother of these children? Is she still living, or is she even less responsible? Anyway, I believe you did what you had to do - as hard as it was - it is what is best for the kids too. Tough love for your brother is in order here.

Good luck with the tank and the kids. I vote for you as Aunt of the Year!
 

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Hello,

Well yesterday my brother broke the camels back with me and, I had no choice but to make him leave. I did say that his children could stay, however if I’m not home, then a babysitter needs to be hired. (Which he needs to pay). The children can sleep here every night and can stay all day when I’m home.

Kicking my brother out was very emotional and hard for me, I lost a lot of tears. Even though my parents and the rest of my family agreed with me, it still broke my heart. (My brother decided (as broke as he is) asked me to borrow 200 dollars. Me as nice and naive, said okay but what is it for? He told me it was to buy his kiddos some needed clothes. As I finished my final exam early (yay that lets me graduate lol thank goodness I’m done) I came home early. When I came home his children were all downstairs alone. Which made me wonder where is there daddy. Well he was upstairs in my bed room, in my bed might I add (yes I threw up twice) with some girl that he paid to come over.

I was beyond upset, in which I told some random girl to leave or I was calling the police. In which my brother tried to explain his stupidity to me. I simply said I’m taking the children shopping for clothes. Please throw away my bed sheets, comforter, and mattress cover. Please throw all of my pillows away. Then please pack your belongings and leave, before I am home. He tried to plead he had no place to go, and no money. I simply and politely said you had 200, and wasted it on some random ugly girl. He asked me if I was taking his kids, and I said yes. They deserve new shoes and clothes. I then said I will drop them off either at our parents house or they can stay with me.

The worst part is, now I’m discussing with my family harsher options to protect his kids. Never have I lost so many tears as I have today. The good thing is, his children and I had icecream, they each picked out a few toys, and they each have new shoes. I also pretty much bought them all new clothes. Which we kinda had fun throwing away the old ones. It’s not that I’m mad (well I was when I found two people in my bed). But, I’m over that, but never been so disappointed in my older brother as I am now. He has had a rough harsh life, but today was no excuse. Sorry to vent I don’t have many friends, most are work friends and don’t like getting into personal matters. But sorry for the vent, it was killing me inside and still is.
I hate decisions that could hinder my character, and or everything I have accomplished. Having to report my brother is and has been the worst experience ever. Urgh
Been there and have done the same thing with 2 brothers, and I’ve cut them out of my life.....for my health. And I’m much better without them. And so will you! Respect, family or not, respect is everything with everybody!
 
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Hello,

First thanks all for kind comment and great advice. I had no intention of my thread going from tank emergency, to family emergency. Lol funny I always hope to be, I strive to make someone smile, even if it’s just one person, if that happens then I can look in the mirror and say I’m a good person.
Sadly their mom is well urgh kinda urgh, sorry hard for me to be mean. But she is in jail for another 60 days or longer. I have thought about posting her bond so the children have at least one parent, but not sure she is any better. I haven’t heard from my brother since, so I’m now a full time parent instantly it’s a little overwhelming. I’m sure my brother will be back etc he is just mad at me. (Oh well honestly at the moment). But my other brother is out of town, and my parents get back from Europe in a week. So I’ll get help lol shortly. But it’s been frustrating to say the least. But as a loving aunt, and I’m a professional in the medical field Its my duty to do what’s right.
 

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Hello,

First thanks all for kind comment and great advice. I had no intention of my thread going from tank emergency, to family emergency. Lol funny I always hope to be, I strive to make someone smile, even if it’s just one person, if that happens then I can look in the mirror and say I’m a good person.
Sadly their mom is well urgh kinda urgh, sorry hard for me to be mean. But she is in jail for another 60 days or longer. I have thought about posting her bond so the children have at least one parent, but not sure she is any better. I haven’t heard from my brother since, so I’m now a full time parent instantly it’s a little overwhelming. I’m sure my brother will be back etc he is just mad at me. (Oh well honestly at the moment). But my other brother is out of town, and my parents get back from Europe in a week. So I’ll get help lol shortly. But it’s been frustrating to say the least. But as a loving aunt, and I’m a professional in the medical field Its my duty to do what’s right.
Domt post her bail thats a whole other can of worms! But if i were you i would def tell eork you got the flu and concentrate on the end of your school and the kids untill you get some help. Thats super selfish of him to do all this to you when your at the fisinh line of med school. You will get through it tho!!
 

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I’m a professional in the medical field Its my duty to do what’s right.
It sounds like you are doing a great job doing the right thing. Not sure what being a medical professional has to do with that. Seems to me that most of your problems are related to other people not doing the right thing. Wouldn't the world be a much better place if we all did a better job doing the right thing?

I have thought about posting her bond so the children have at least one parent
The right thing is to not post her bail. Just like kicking your brother out was the right thing. There is a difference between right and easy. Tough love is still love. If you are always fixing their problems they will have little motivation to improve. As a parent, I can say that watching a child fail is one of the toughest things to do. It is also important. We learn more from failing than we do from succeeding.

I suspect that your brother will eventually come back. As a loving sister, I think you should prepare for his return and what is hopefully limited interactions with his kids. I would prepare for this eventuality by making Halloween costumes for him and his kids. You can dress the kids up like fish and make an aquarium sump costume for him. ;)
 

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It sounds like you are doing a great job doing the right thing. Not sure what being a medical professional has to do with that. Seems to me that most of your problems are related to other people not doing the right thing. Wouldn't the world be a much better place if we all did a better job doing the right thing?


The right thing is to not post her bail. Just like kicking your brother out was the right thing. There is a difference between right and easy. Tough love is still love. If you are always fixing their problems they will have little motivation to improve. As a parent, I can say that watching a child fail is one of the toughest things to do. It is also important. We learn more from failing than we do from succeeding.

I suspect that your brother will eventually come back. As a loving sister, I think you should prepare for his return and what is hopefully limited interactions with his kids. I would prepare for this eventuality by making Halloween costumes for him and his kids. You can dress the kids up like fish and make an aquarium sump costume for him. ;)
Ohh my goddddd that would be the bestttt hahahaha thats was a good one props given!
 

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Don't post bail. Don't ever give their mother or your brother cash. If you nephews need something, they can send you a link, make a list, etc. Then you buy and remove UPC and give to kids.

I've also had family that can't be trusted, you have to do what you can for the kids, without enabling the parents irresponsiblity.
 

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No no no no no no. Nitrogen in pee is in the form of Urea - it converts fast to pure ammonia/ammoniac NH4/NH3 when it come outside the body.

I stand corrected, Lasse!

Ammonia derived from protein and nucleic acid metabolism in humans is detoxified by the liver into much less toxic urea. It is then excreted by the kidneys. In the presence of certain bacterial urinary tract infections, it can be converted into nitrite, which we can test and potentially diagnose and infection.

Dietary and medication nitrates are mostly excreted in the urine, but also are detoxified by the liver.

Very astute Lasse. I always enjoy your posts.
 
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Hello,

So this is totally off topic so forgive me, but the other day I took my niece and nephews shopping. Keyera my niece badly wanted this Lego elves. The age requirement is 8-12 and she is five. She built the whole thing on her own, I’m so proud of her. We had a girls day, her brothers went to a friends birthday party.

9281AD3E-54A1-40C5-915E-E4A72B3C1121.jpeg
 

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Hello,

So this is totally off topic so forgive me, but the other day I took my niece and nephews shopping. Keyera my niece badly wanted this Lego elves. The age requirement is 8-12 and she is five. She built the whole thing on her own, I’m so proud of her. We had a girls day, her brothers went to a friends birthday party.

9281AD3E-54A1-40C5-915E-E4A72B3C1121.jpeg
Awwee she must take after her aunt!!
 
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