Tank birthday, 47+ years

MasterAlgaeGrower

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Just wanted to say your thread has been a blast to read and a lot of good information. I'm in process of setting up my first reef tank and have spent the better part of a few weeks working my way through this thread. Thanks for the information and all the laughs.
 

saltyfilmfolks

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I'm reading Paul, and am absolutely fascinated. I've been reading this whole thread for the last 1 1/2 hours.
when your done, check out the OTHER forum when it was only 40. thats another 3 or 4 hours.
 
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Paul B

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Lets talk about detritus. If you feel detritus is bad, don't read this. You can still see re runs of The Brady Bunch which will be much more interesting, I think Mrs, Brady has bunions this week.
I like detritus. My tank runs on detritus (and worms) Of course I use a reverse undergravel filter. State of the art in my head. If you don't use a reverse undergravel filter your fish probably hate you, but they will get over it.
My UG filter stores a lot of detritus and that's what I want It to do. Yes, I realize much of the stuff I post is exactly opposite what everyone reads about but if you don't want to watch, or never heard of the Brady Bunch, you can still catch Kathy Lee with whomever she is hosting with today.
Detritus is organic left overs. It is composed of pod shells, bacteria, dust, and the shells of the Mysis you feed your fish. Of course it has other stuff in it like the end products of poop and whatever the Pilgrims tossed overboard.
If you feed mainly flakes and pellets your fish are most likely sick, or will be sick so you need not worry about this stuff.
I use detritus for a few things. It helps my UG filter reduce wastes by restricting the water flow through my gravel thus limiting oxygen flow and increasing anerobic bacteria. (I think anyway as I can't see the bacteria and they are not talking) but what else I use it for is to feed corals. I have a bunch of wrasses that quickly dig into my gravel. I also have mating fireclowns that constantly dig deep holes with their tails. These things create huge detritus storms that the pumps swirl around the tank. The corals were designed, probably by Briant Gumbal, to eat this stuff. It's organic and can be further broken down into it's basic chemicals by corals.
Almost every day (when I am not entertaining a Supermodel, in my head anyway) I take one of my many baster things and blow around the gravel especially in the corners producing huge "dust" clouds. I suck this up and distribute it over the corals and especially the gorgonians, some of which are very old.
Now that you have nothing else to do you can read all the threads about how bad detritus is and reverse undegravel filters. If you read about a tank that has no detritus and undergravel filter, and is older than mine, send me a self addressed stamped envelope and I will steam off the stamp so I can re use it and throw away the letter. :rolleyes:
 

Brew12

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Lets talk about detritus. If you feel detritus is bad, don't read this. You can still see re runs of The Brady Bunch which will be much more interesting, I think Mrs, Brady has bunions this week.
I like detritus. My tank runs on detritus (and worms) Of course I use a reverse undergravel filter. State of the art in my head. If you don't use a reverse undergravel filter your fish probably hate you, but they will get over it.
My UG filter stores a lot of detritus and that's what I want It to do. Yes, I realize much of the stuff I post is exactly opposite what everyone reads about but if you don't want to watch, or never heard of the Brady Bunch, you can still catch Kathy Lee with whomever she is hosting with today.
Detritus is organic left overs. It is composed of pod shells, bacteria, dust, and the shells of the Mysis you feed your fish. Of course it has other stuff in it like the end products of poop and whatever the Pilgrims tossed overboard.
If you feed mainly flakes and pellets your fish are most likely sick, or will be sick so you need not worry about this stuff.
I use detritus for a few things. It helps my UG filter reduce wastes by restricting the water flow through my gravel thus limiting oxygen flow and increasing anerobic bacteria. (I think anyway as I can't see the bacteria and they are not talking) but what else I use it for is to feed corals. I have a bunch of wrasses that quickly dig into my gravel. I also have mating fireclowns that constantly dig deep holes with their tails. These things create huge detritus storms that the pumps swirl around the tank. The corals were designed, probably by Briant Gumbal, to eat this stuff. It's organic and can be further broken down into it's basic chemicals by corals.
Almost every day (when I am not entertaining a Supermodel, in my head anyway) I take one of my many baster things and blow around the gravel especially in the corners producing huge "dust" clouds. I suck this up and distribute it over the corals and especially the gorgonians, some of which are very old.
Now that you have nothing else to do you can read all the threads about how bad detritus is and reverse undegravel filters. If you read about a tank that has no detritus and undergravel filter, and is older than mine, send me a self addressed stamped envelope and I will steam off the stamp so I can re use it and throw away the letter. :rolleyes:
Everything is food for something.
 
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Paul B

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These guys eat suspended detritus and will be difficult to feed in a sterile tank. They were the same size last week but the one on the right just shed.
I usually have some of these porcelain crabs and want maybe ten more.

 
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Paul B

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They are porcelain crabs or anemone crabs. As for their Latin name one is Claudious and the other one is Harold. That's all I got unless I look them up.
They are filter feeders and won't live in a sterile or new tank. You can see this one filter feeding with his "mustache" feeding apparatus.
They are very common and pretty cheap and readily available,

 

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I want a pair of them too, I keep meaning to pop down to my lfs but it's cold out :)
 

saltyfilmfolks

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Now that you have nothing else to do you can read all the threads about how bad detritus is and reverse undegravel filters. If you read about a tank that has no detritus and undergravel filter, and is older than mine, send me a self addressed stamped envelope and I will steam off the stamp so I can re use it and throw away the letter. :rolleyes:
What is a stamp Mr Paul?
:D
 
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Paul B

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A stamp is a tiny portrait of a dead guy that you can hang in a really small hallway. No need for a nail as they come with glue. You used to have to lick the glue but people liked it too much and started to buy them for snacks.
 
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Paul B

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Today I tried to move stuff around in my tank to fit the gorgonians in better and of course I broke some stuff and had to re glue it. I am working with one arm (due to shoulder operation) and I have to put on two gloves to prevent the male fireclown from biting my hand off. The two gloves is the secret and he doesn't hurt much through those gloves. If I put my bare hand in there near his stomping grounds I would have to tie a tourniquet around my elbow so I don't bleed to death.

He thinks he is a barracuda.



I moved some stuff from the right side to the left side and vise versa, but I am having trouble with some SPS that I can't get where I want so I will have to wait until I can put both arms in the tank.



I am totally embarrassed this year because I am a big Christmas guy (my birthday is on Christmas day and I have been playing Santa for over 40 years)

We bought a small "fake" Christmas tree. I "hate" artificial trees, I mean, I really hate them. But this year I can't carry a real tree or put it up so we got this thing really cheap so we can throw it out next year.

I also noticed it was made in China so I am having a hard time looking at it and I can't wait until the Holiday is over so I can throw it out.

This is the first time in my life I put something like this up and I would never buy something from China.

Our Grand Kids are coming over and I really needed a tree. I just hope they forget this is a fake tree and next year I will go overboard with decorating.



Even outside my house I couldn't put out my home made, really cool, very big train, plane and Jack in the Box that I always display.

This is very embarrassing and I have to go and hide my head in mud.



 
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Paul B

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I just looked under my tank and see that I have to add two more leg supports as two legs are badly rusted. It will have to wait a while because of the shoulder surgery.
(another thread on here make me look at the thing)



This material I used to construct this stand about 40 years ago is called "Kindorf". It is a structural support we use for virtually everything in construction indoors and out. It can also be used to support street signs so it is very corrosion resistant and galvanized. For anyone using regular iron or painted steel, get ready for the rust as steel has no sense of humor around salt water. It started rusting after about 15 years.



 

Making aqua concoctions: Have you ever tried the Reef Moonshiner Method?

  • I currently use the moonshiner method.

    Votes: 24 22.4%
  • I don’t currently use the moonshiner method, but I have in the past.

    Votes: 2 1.9%
  • I have not used the moonshiner method.

    Votes: 77 72.0%
  • Other.

    Votes: 4 3.7%
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