Tank turned 49 this year
- Thread starter Paul B
- Start date
Paul B
Well-Known Member
I just remembered a story as I am waiting for my wife to get up. I had to do some work on my propeller and I didn't want to get into my scurvy marina water and I had my street clothes on. The boat had a sloping back and it was an I/O (inboard/outboard). I tied a rope around my feet and the other end around the steering wheel so I could reach the prop without sliding into the water. My spot in the marina was right in front of the marina bar where there were probably 100 people drinking, dancing and many of them were most likely looking at me thinking I was trying to hang myself.
I get my wrench and inch myself over the back of the boat, Inch by inch I can finally reach the prop. I pull on the wrench,,,, and the rope slips off the steering wheel and I go head first into the water, clothes and all. I stayed under the water as long as I could figuring the people on the dock are all hysterical laughing and I wanted to give them time to stop. I couldn't really swim under the dock and come up someplace else because my feet were tied together and I can't swim real good like that as I am not a manatee.
I imagined I started to turn blue so I had to pull myself up. The water wasn't too deep so I could put my feet down into the ooze at the bottom where they sunk in up to my knees.
I climbed up, not looking at the marina bar and I casually walked over to the hose so I could wash off the black mud because I am sure I looked like the Monster from the Black Lagoon.
Then I looked at the bar like I had that planned and I really wanted to go for a swim with my clothes on.
I get my wrench and inch myself over the back of the boat, Inch by inch I can finally reach the prop. I pull on the wrench,,,, and the rope slips off the steering wheel and I go head first into the water, clothes and all. I stayed under the water as long as I could figuring the people on the dock are all hysterical laughing and I wanted to give them time to stop. I couldn't really swim under the dock and come up someplace else because my feet were tied together and I can't swim real good like that as I am not a manatee.
I imagined I started to turn blue so I had to pull myself up. The water wasn't too deep so I could put my feet down into the ooze at the bottom where they sunk in up to my knees.
I climbed up, not looking at the marina bar and I casually walked over to the hose so I could wash off the black mud because I am sure I looked like the Monster from the Black Lagoon.
Then I looked at the bar like I had that planned and I really wanted to go for a swim with my clothes on.
Blue Space
Well-Known Member
I would have just yelled over to them, "Why go for a drink when you can go IN the drink?!!". 
Pat24601
Well-Known Member
Paul B
Well-Known Member
I swim to or three times a week but 7 or 8 months ago I couldn't swim because of this pain in my chest. I figured with all the asbestos and Agent Orange I have in me I better go (real fast) to a lung Dr. or pulmonologist.
The Dr took X Rays, blood tests, MRIs, yada, yada, etc., and so on and there is nothing wrong with my lungs which is a good thing.
But I still have this pain that wraps around my ribs. There is no such thing as a rib Doctor, Or Ribologist, which surprises me, so I went to the next best thing, a bone guy or osteopath or whatever they are called.
The bone guy took X Rays, blood tests, MRIs, CAT scans Doh Ray Me's etc, and so on and told me, "well, yeah you have these stress fractures, edema, and other things from working construction all your life and you should have been an accountant or shoe salesman.
Go to a Neurologist.
I go to the Neurologist. He takes X Rays, blood tests, MRI's CAT scans, hair scans, bone scans and shows me a picture of Scandinavia where he vacations.
He sends me to a Pain Management guy. The Pain Management guy takes X Rays, MRIs, and checks me for GAC and shoots my back six times with, I think, Prizapro or Rowaphas. But it could have been something else, i am not sure. He sits you in front of an X Ray machine which he uses to guide the needles into your back near your spine, which you kind of need. He said, “See that?” I said Yeah. He said, that is your lung. If I hit that, you are in trouble. I said, No. If you hit that, “You are in trouble.” Not a real pleasant experience.
A few days went by and I still had these pains so he shot me six more times. I said, I think I need more X Rays and CAT scans.
Ho told me to go to a surgeon. I figured if I go to a surgeon, what am I going to tell him? Just make some holes in my back, dig around and see if you find anything wrong!
So I go back to my neurologist (who is a good friend of mine) He tells me, maybe I have arthritis. Go to a rhomitoligist.
So today I went to a Rhomotologist and this was my best appointment so far because the Rhomotologist is a Supermodel.
She doesn’t have much of a clue as to what is wrong with me, but who cares!
Oh, except that I have arthritis. I am quite sure everyone has arthritis but not everyone has a Supermodel arthritis Doctor.
Now I got these cool pills that make me feel like I am an electric eel with a short circuit.
The Dr took X Rays, blood tests, MRIs, yada, yada, etc., and so on and there is nothing wrong with my lungs which is a good thing.
But I still have this pain that wraps around my ribs. There is no such thing as a rib Doctor, Or Ribologist, which surprises me, so I went to the next best thing, a bone guy or osteopath or whatever they are called.
The bone guy took X Rays, blood tests, MRIs, CAT scans Doh Ray Me's etc, and so on and told me, "well, yeah you have these stress fractures, edema, and other things from working construction all your life and you should have been an accountant or shoe salesman.
Go to a Neurologist.
I go to the Neurologist. He takes X Rays, blood tests, MRI's CAT scans, hair scans, bone scans and shows me a picture of Scandinavia where he vacations.
He sends me to a Pain Management guy. The Pain Management guy takes X Rays, MRIs, and checks me for GAC and shoots my back six times with, I think, Prizapro or Rowaphas. But it could have been something else, i am not sure. He sits you in front of an X Ray machine which he uses to guide the needles into your back near your spine, which you kind of need. He said, “See that?” I said Yeah. He said, that is your lung. If I hit that, you are in trouble. I said, No. If you hit that, “You are in trouble.” Not a real pleasant experience.
A few days went by and I still had these pains so he shot me six more times. I said, I think I need more X Rays and CAT scans.
Ho told me to go to a surgeon. I figured if I go to a surgeon, what am I going to tell him? Just make some holes in my back, dig around and see if you find anything wrong!
So I go back to my neurologist (who is a good friend of mine) He tells me, maybe I have arthritis. Go to a rhomitoligist.
So today I went to a Rhomotologist and this was my best appointment so far because the Rhomotologist is a Supermodel.
She doesn’t have much of a clue as to what is wrong with me, but who cares!
Oh, except that I have arthritis. I am quite sure everyone has arthritis but not everyone has a Supermodel arthritis Doctor.
Now I got these cool pills that make me feel like I am an electric eel with a short circuit.
Pat24601
Well-Known Member
It really sucks when they can’t diagnose something, but all too frequent.
Too bad I don’t live near you. I could use a supermodel to give me cool electric eel pills. I have some old injuries in my hands that are giving me terrible pain that I’m calling arthritis. I’m going to try to schedule a hand dr appt. I bet he’s not a supermodel. I haven’t met him, but his name is William. So, I’m guessing.
Pat, I had 5 knee and 4 shoulder operations along with 3 or 4 on my fingers. I laugh at arthritis, I am laughing now, Ha Ha Ha. The pain lets you know you are alive (and maybe about to croak)
Paul,
My youngest brother said it best to me. I am thankful to wake up and not see tree roots coming into my coffin. Coming from someone with 10 years of fighting cancer at M D Anderson, I stay amazed at his grit.
I decided that this gut cavity bacteria immunity thing you speak about has much merit. I now go to the HEB seafood counter and get clams for me and mussels for the oysters. With my physic at 69 years old, perhaps I should be buying the mussels.
I really enjoyed one of your many post about pod aquaculture at Montogue Point. Before that real estate became so valuable, an aqua farmer grew out striped bass with raceways of algae in between tanks. These algae raceways were home to dense population of pods. Your comment to the striped bass farmer was that he could make more money selling pods, then striped bass.
I am now that pod farmer. I have three 150G Rubbermade tanks buried in the ground. It was my intention to grow winter hardy macro and pods.
Paul B
Well-Known Member
Thats great. I have not been to that place in Montauk in a few years so I am not sure if that operation is still there but his tanks were about 30' across and loaded with large amphipods. Millions of them. He thought they were bugs. I am moving not to far from that place so I will have the opportunity to go there and collect some pods if he is still there.
Paul B
Well-Known Member
I figured out how to move my tank. We bought a new Condo about 60 miles from where I live now that is still being built and I was concerned that I may have to move out of my house before I close on the new place because it may not be built exactly by the day I have to move. If that happens we can move in with one of our friends but I can't take my fish and they frown on staying in the car in January.
I just made a deal with my friend who owns a LFS to rent a 55 gallon tank in his store where I can house my fish. (Not connected to his other tanks and no medications)I can put my corals in one of his coral tanks as there is enough light there.
I will also be able to fit probably half my rocks and gravel. The rest of my rock and gravel I will just try to keep wet until I move. I will go there every day to feed them because my fish are not used to normal LFS food and need gourmet worms and new born brine shrimp. If all goes well I won't lose anything. I am not worried about the corals as I can always buy new ones but it took me years to amass the types of fish I keep because I don't keep the more common types. This is one concern off my mind.
I just made a deal with my friend who owns a LFS to rent a 55 gallon tank in his store where I can house my fish. (Not connected to his other tanks and no medications)I can put my corals in one of his coral tanks as there is enough light there.
I will also be able to fit probably half my rocks and gravel. The rest of my rock and gravel I will just try to keep wet until I move. I will go there every day to feed them because my fish are not used to normal LFS food and need gourmet worms and new born brine shrimp. If all goes well I won't lose anything. I am not worried about the corals as I can always buy new ones but it took me years to amass the types of fish I keep because I don't keep the more common types. This is one concern off my mind.
I thought about you out collecting pods and “funky old mud”. I have thee 150G Rubbermade tanks buried in the ground . In the past, when I tried to maintain reef temperatures, it became cost prohibitive. I am now trying utilitarian macro and pods. I have seeded this system with 100 lbs of uncured live rock from Tampa Bay. This uncured rock will go into a new 120G set up by Thanksgiving. To add to diversity, I will go to Gulf Coast and collect green mollies and pods with my grandkids.
I have changed the inhabitants of outside grow out to be able to thrive with changing temperature.
I have changed the inhabitants of outside grow out to be able to thrive with changing temperature.
your fish & all of us that enjoy following along !!! 
Paul B
Well-Known Member
Yesterday I was invited with my Daughter to tour this project they are trying to build under New York City right where the Williamsburg Bridge reaches Manhattan. I have been driving over that bridge all my life and never realized the ground under there is hollow. The space was built in 1903 as a turning around spot for the trolleys that went over the bridge. Now a subway line runs right past it but the trolley tracks are still there and the space which is about as large as a football field has not been used since 1948 so it is a little dusty. They are trying to put in a park sort of thing where trees and produce will be grown. Sunlight will be "piped" in from above using some type of new technology from Japan. There will be large sunlight collectors on the sidewalks above. A smaller prototype was built a few years ago and is growing produce. This will be a much larger experiment and if all goes well, it will serve as a model for many more places as New York City has many un-used subway tunnels as do other cities. Those areas are normally filthy, asbestos and steel dust ridden very dark rat infested locations so it will be a challenge.
The train tracks and trains that run right next to it will be partitioned off with glass so you can see (and hear) the trains go by.
The area may also be available to rent for parties. It will be very New Yorkish.
The train tracks and trains that run right next to it will be partitioned off with glass so you can see (and hear) the trains go by.
The area may also be available to rent for parties. It will be very New Yorkish.
Paul B
Well-Known Member
The photographer came to my house today to take pictures for the real estate sale. She took more pictures of my tank than the rest of the house even though the tank is not for sale.
Actually, I am leaving the tank and just taking everything in it to my new home. Very soon I should start building my new stand and hopefully I will build a rock structure that will hold my existing rocks off of my gravel. That is still in the designing stages.
I may build the new stand out of cedar because it doesn't rot or warp but it is less than half as strong as most woods so I will have to double it up to give me the strength I need.
I am sure I will lose a bunch of corals during the move, especially the montipora's because I will have to break all of them off the rocks to move them. If they make it, I will glue them to the newly positioned structure.
I still have to buy the new 125 gallon tank and under gravel filter.
Actually, I am leaving the tank and just taking everything in it to my new home. Very soon I should start building my new stand and hopefully I will build a rock structure that will hold my existing rocks off of my gravel. That is still in the designing stages.
I may build the new stand out of cedar because it doesn't rot or warp but it is less than half as strong as most woods so I will have to double it up to give me the strength I need.
I am sure I will lose a bunch of corals during the move, especially the montipora's because I will have to break all of them off the rocks to move them. If they make it, I will glue them to the newly positioned structure.
I still have to buy the new 125 gallon tank and under gravel filter.
You might actually like the green mollies. I like the fish a lot and it's a shame that it has just about disappeared from the normal aquarium trade.