Tank turned 49 this year
- Thread starter Paul B
- Start date
Paul B
Well-Known Member
I recently acquired this beauty, the coral, not the fish. It's a blue "something" I don't normally remember names and was married to my wife for about 6 years before I stopped calling her "Hey".
I know by the color that it is not photosynthetic so it needs to be fed. Most tanks are far to clean to keep something like this (mine probably is also) so a couple of times a day I take one of these squeeze things and stir up a nice place in the gravel that I have not touched for a while and make a storm. The coral seems to enjoy this and I am hoping it is getting some nutrition out of this along with the clams with their juice I feed daily.
I use one of these to do the stirring.
I know by the color that it is not photosynthetic so it needs to be fed. Most tanks are far to clean to keep something like this (mine probably is also) so a couple of times a day I take one of these squeeze things and stir up a nice place in the gravel that I have not touched for a while and make a storm. The coral seems to enjoy this and I am hoping it is getting some nutrition out of this along with the clams with their juice I feed daily.
I use one of these to do the stirring.
Paul B
Well-Known Member
Today I had to replace my brakes because of a horrible grinding noise. I was very surprised because I just replaced them last year. The problem was on disc brakes the calipers which hold the brake pads "float" back and forth on the rotor. When you step on the brake, the pads squeeze the rotor stopping the car. One of the pistons that is supposed to slide freely in the caliper rusted tight so only one of the pads would contact the disc causing the other one to do most of the stopping. Also, maybe because of that, but maybe not, the disc cracked. But it was an easy repair and even with replacing both rotors and installing new pads it was less than $100.00. I had to have my Son n Law help me because my Dr who did my hand and knee operation said I wasn't supposed to use any tools. Good thing I don't have any hair because if I did, I would have to comb it with an egg beater.
I like working on my car but it could have been a bit warmer.
I like working on my car but it could have been a bit warmer.
Paul B
Well-Known Member
Today I added 2 Luft pumps to my skimmer which has been working very anemically for quite some time. Luft pumps put out 7lbs of air pressure compared to most pumps which run about 2 Psi. Even though I built this 5' tall skimmer to run on a homemade venture valve it still requires an air pump because it is so large. The skimmer is going nuts and doesn't know what to do with all the skimate. It drains into a five gallon bucket which has an automatic, DIY shut off switch in it so it doesn't overflow and screw up my floor as it did once when 24 local New York urchins decided they all needed to spawn on the same night. I think I had the Miss Universe pageant on the TV but I can't remember.
rostervandross
Active Member
Good looking pictures man. There must be some settings one must adjust to take good pictures of blue light that my tank has.
I have "build a brine shrimp hatchery" on my to do list for tomorrow afternoon after I get my backpack blower back together.. enjoying your book.
I have "build a brine shrimp hatchery" on my to do list for tomorrow afternoon after I get my backpack blower back together.. enjoying your book.
Paul B
Well-Known Member
Thanks, my camera lets me lower the brightness to take a picture. If I didn't do that it would be very white and all washed out. I still can't get good color in the pictures but I don't want to do photoshop like many pictures you see are. Those red sponges in my tank are very red, but they don't appear to bright in these pictures. I am sure there is a camera setting for that but the camera is a little complicated for this old brain.
rostervandross
Active Member
Nice fish that anthias. So those are baby brine shrimps coming through the feeder?
I am trying to make a hatchery and feeder and have a few questions- I made a hatchery box and it is currently drying. I made it with clear acrylic and spray painted it to make it light proof. Maybe I can send you pictures of my particular design to see about what you'd do to make a top that is light proof too and how to let the air tube in and design the hole they swim across into the other side.
As far as the feeder, what sort of nylon stocking do you use or how big do the holes have to be to let the shrimps through? Womens hose?
I'd probably like to buy a glass tube or two from you as well, one for the feeder and one as a target feeder with a bulb on the end. Do you essentially just buy the glass tube and heat it and bend it yourself? I just don't know where i'd find the glass tube or bulbs but I have a torch.
I am trying to make a hatchery and feeder and have a few questions- I made a hatchery box and it is currently drying. I made it with clear acrylic and spray painted it to make it light proof. Maybe I can send you pictures of my particular design to see about what you'd do to make a top that is light proof too and how to let the air tube in and design the hole they swim across into the other side.
As far as the feeder, what sort of nylon stocking do you use or how big do the holes have to be to let the shrimps through? Womens hose?
I'd probably like to buy a glass tube or two from you as well, one for the feeder and one as a target feeder with a bulb on the end. Do you essentially just buy the glass tube and heat it and bend it yourself? I just don't know where i'd find the glass tube or bulbs but I have a torch.
Paul B
Well-Known Member
The hatchery is in here. http://www.saltwatersmarts.com/diy-brine-shrimp-hatchery-shell-separator-2842/
Those "glass" tubes I use are acrylic. I heat them and bend them. The bulb feeders I make and are sold by Marine Depot, they are called "Coral Feeders" . I don't really sell them myself.
If you have trouble making the hatchery, send me your design and I will see what I come up with.
The stocking I use for the feeder is just a cheap women's stocking. I am not an expert on those so my wife buys them so I can cut them up. Don't stretch them as that makes the holes to big. Just put it on the top of the feeder so it is straight and not stretched.
Those "glass" tubes I use are acrylic. I heat them and bend them. The bulb feeders I make and are sold by Marine Depot, they are called "Coral Feeders" . I don't really sell them myself.
If you have trouble making the hatchery, send me your design and I will see what I come up with.
The stocking I use for the feeder is just a cheap women's stocking. I am not an expert on those so my wife buys them so I can cut them up. Don't stretch them as that makes the holes to big. Just put it on the top of the feeder so it is straight and not stretched.
rostervandross
Active Member
Ok got it: the hatching chamber doesnt have to remain completely lightproof while they're hatching, only after to get them to swim across and leave their shells. I was having a hard time getting an air line into the hatching side when it's totally sealed from light.
I suppose you just put the air stone in through the top, wait for them to hatch, then you take it out and seal it up and open the hole to the other side?
Oh also- my hatchery is very small . An air stone might circulate them like crazy. Is that all right and they will hatch regardless of the turbulence? Maybe I will just put the air tube in to bubble to mix the water
I suppose you just put the air stone in through the top, wait for them to hatch, then you take it out and seal it up and open the hole to the other side?
Oh also- my hatchery is very small . An air stone might circulate them like crazy. Is that all right and they will hatch regardless of the turbulence? Maybe I will just put the air tube in to bubble to mix the water
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NickF
Well-Known Member
Paul B
Well-Known Member
I did it three times since yesterday, but it stopped now and all is well. You can see by that last picture that much of the snow is just to the top of my snow blower which is 20" tall. From the other side, you can't see my PT cruiser as it is completely covered. My Jeep is in the garage.
I also did 5 of my neighbors and you can see their sidewalk ahead of me where the snow is over 3' high.
I also did 5 of my neighbors and you can see their sidewalk ahead of me where the snow is over 3' high.
Squatch XXL
Well-Known Member
That is a really cool looking crab you got there.
That guy reminds me a lot of the Atlantic Ghost Crabs that I would look for on the beaches in NJ when I was a kid. Perhaps you did the same thing, living where you do?
Ghost crabs live burrows in the sand that are above the water line. We'd go down to the beach early, before there were a lot of people there, and look for holes in the sand. Digging down, you would find a ghost crab in about 1 out of 4 or 5 holes.
I doubt if you could find very may ghost crabs today, since they run all that machinery along the beaches to clean them up after the tourists litter them.
Ghost crabs live burrows in the sand that are above the water line. We'd go down to the beach early, before there were a lot of people there, and look for holes in the sand. Digging down, you would find a ghost crab in about 1 out of 4 or 5 holes.
I doubt if you could find very may ghost crabs today, since they run all that machinery along the beaches to clean them up after the tourists litter them.